Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-03-29
Reconstruction.


Congress finished its programme for the
reconstruction of the Southern States by
promptly passing over the veto of the Pres
ident the Supplementary Military Bill on
Saturday last. We have already published
the various Acts of Congress upon the
engrossing subject Of reconstruction, and
would advise our reauerB TO preserve copy,
as many references to them will be ncces-
sary, before they are no longer effective by
our compliance il their terms, their repeal,
or their overthrow by the Supreme Court
of the United States.
We hope, indeed, that with these meas
ures the work Of Congress upon the
reconstruction of the South is finished, and
that if the measures adopted have no other
merit, they arc q fnaity. So f"- rs the
present Congress is concerned, we certainly
can have no hope that its members will be
more Just towards us than those Of the last;
in fact, the present body, which has just
begun its two years existence, is more de-
termined t. carry out the Radical plan than
its predecessor. The President has failed
in his oft-repeated, manly and patriotic CT
forts to check the encroachmcnts of the
majority upon the rights Of the minority
and protect the eacredness OF the funda-
mental law from the violent assaults OF par
ty rancor, and the Supreme Court is even
more impotent than the President to re-
strain Congress in the work they have mark
ed out aud are determined to finish after
their own manner and at their own time.
This fact forces Itself upon the minds Of
all, and the issue is now before us to be met
at no distant day. General Sickles has a.
ready formally taken command OF this Dis
trict, and will doubtless soon issue further
orders looking to registration OF voters
and an election of delegates to the Conven-
ton authorized under the Military Bill and
the Bill supplementary thereto. Whatever
opinions may lave heretofore divided our
people as to the proper course to be
pursued under the unjust and illegal
legislation OF Congress, there can
no longer be good reason for such differ
ences. Nothing is left to the option OF the
its DEGREES, and military commanders will
faithfully carry thom out, and if we hold
off i'll defiant sullenne5s or listless ldleness,
the control of North Carolina will pass into
the hands Of the worst elements Of our So
ciety, and the Constitution of the State
will bear evidence of their persecution and
our folly. As bad Rs Is the condition of
affairs, and rs unpromiBlnS rs may be the
future, they can be made lLlmcasurabIy
worse, and that, toe, under the sanction Of
our people and by means Ct our own Con
etitut1on. There arc men now trying to
get control Of the State Government, by
means Of the present dlsorganized condition
of political affair, whose success would
our borders
We have yet much to hope tor, much can
be saved by united efforts. The old State,
with Ill her proud and glorious memoriea
of the past, and her grand and noble asgo-
Citations of the present, IS worthy the great
est sacrifices and the best exertions of her
sons. In this the darkest hour of her his
tory, those who have borne with heroic
gallantry her flag on the bloody field and
upheld her cause with honor, have now q
more arduous task to perform and greater
moral courage IT, exhibit to save their State
from Danger and evils incomparably great
er than any which have heretofore Threat
oned her. In Virginia, General LEE, that
noble old hero, great il Success, but greater
| still in defeat. who led us 50 often i'll battle,
now calls upCu us to follow III order to
! achieve less dangerous but equally impor-
| tant victory; and from South Carolina, his
! faithful Lieut4nant, the glorious HAMPTON,
sets an example that must be responded to
| by those who, with him, have bornethe ban
ner Of the South in triumph and laid down
| their arms in honorable defeat. Peace, in,
deed, hath its victories no less renowned
| than those of war