The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1867-09-19
State OF Politics at the South
THE TYRANNY or THE RAD
iCALS.
The Report Of Gen. Grant
The south and Reconstruction
SOUTHERN EMIGRANTS TO FOR
EIGN LANDS.

Selma (Ala.) Correspondence Gin. Enquirer
We, who were once freemen, and as
such invested with all the rights, privil-
eyes and immunities Of American citizens,
cah not look unconcernedly upon political
contests involving the fate OF system OF
government to which we have ever been
attached, and the existence of a Republic
We have never ceased to love. We have
suffered so much that we care but little
what the future has in reserve for us the
four years expressions of government
driven to extremeties by the adverse for
tune of war, and two years submission to
the contumely and scorn of the victOrs in
the struggle through which we have just
passed, the petty outrages of Freedmen 5
Bureaus, and the grosser wrongs of mill
tary Governors invested with absolute pow
er. have prepared US for the patient cndu-
rance OF anything and all things that rad
ical ingenuity can devise for Our punish
ment. For our children, whose happiness
must depend upon the government under
which they are to li7e-for our children
and theirs We Plead with the people of the
North, and in their behalf, protest against
the will of, perhaps patriotic, certainly
partisan Congress, as embodied in the So
called Reconstruction acts.
stood at the North. Their disposition
feelings wishes, intentions, hopes ana
plans have been so long and so persistent
ly misrepresented, that they indulge no
thought of the speedy correction Of the
wrongs done tlem. But '.time at last sets
all things even," aud | do not doubt that
one day the people of the 'loyal States"
will admit that however mistaken we may
have been, we were actuated by pure and
patriotic motives, even when we voted for
secession, that We suffered and fought four
wears for the maintenance of the Constitu-
tion as We understood it. and that when
We surrendered at last to the victorious
armies of the Federal Government We ac-
cepted the changed situation in good faith,
and to this day have never entertained
thought of avoiding a faithful compli.
ance with the conditions of our cpitula-
ton, or shrinking from the faithful dis
charge of every duty imposed upon us by
the re-establishment of the Federal au-
thority over us.
When General Grant, on the 18th oil
December, 1868. made his memorable re-
port to the President on the condition OF
the South, he said and said truly of the
Southern people:
The mass of thinking men of the
South accept the present situation of af
f. rs in good faith. The questions which
have heretofore divided the sentiments of
the people of the two sections-savery
and States rights-or the rich Of a State
to serede from the Union-they regard as
having been settled forever by the high
est tribunal-arms-that men can resort
to-"
A Southern born man, secessionist
'trebel," familiar with the sentiments oil
the leading men of this section, | claim
that General Grant then correctly repre-
sented the feelings and the convictions OF
the Southern people, and that anything
said of them to-day, not in accordance
with his statement then, is untrue and un
just.
But We are opposed to reconstruction
No. We accepted as one of the results q
the war, the indssolubility of the Union
+ We want the Union restored, the Govern
ment reconstructed on the basis of the
Constitution. that we may have peace in re-
ality, tranquility, prosperity and harpi
ness. Until the work of reconstruction
made necessary solely by the mistake o.
the President in the summer and fall OF
1865, and the subsequent errors OF Con
gress-shall be completed, we can hope fol
the influx of neither population nor capital
and both are necessary to lift us from the
depths of poverty, and put within oul
reach the necessarics and portion of the
luxuries of civilized life We have il
Alabama inexhaustable coal beds, the rich
est deposits of iron in the world, the fnes
tinber on the continent, unequaled watcl
power, prolific soil and genial climate
but the will of Gen. Pope, variable as the
counsel of the ring of ex-secesslonlsts, po
litical adveDturers and social outlaws by
: which he is surrounded, is the supreme
law of the land aud capital and popula
ton, neither safe under despotism, seek
other fields, offering fewer natural advan
ges but greater security. As we suiler on
patiently, patriotically, loyalty, seeing M
certain relief in the future, but trusting
hopefully and confidently to the sober sec
ond thought of the people o. the North
: whose destiny is inextrlcabiy involved
r with ours.
And yet we prefer the evils Of such {
,o;I;tarv desnotism To the establishment q