New-York tribune., 1867-06-22
rur FRIENDS or TIE SOUTH

IHE IKIENDO OE IHE pbOiHs
Tn view of the immense mischief which has
been done to Southern interests since the close
of the war, through the ill-timed and iniu-
dicious advice thrust upon the S0uthernerN by
a portion of the Northern press, and the un-
wise policy pursued by men from whom better
things were to have been expected, the people
of the late Rebel States may well exclain,
"Save Ills from our friends" With the down
fall of the Rebellion there came to
the minds of our conquered contrymen
, conviction that the cause for which they had
risked everything and desperately fought dur
ing four long years was hopelessly lost. The
series of disasters and defeats which culmi-
mated in Lees surrender to Grant left them en-
tirely PROSTATE, and in the crowning victory oi
| the Federal arms. they saw the assured estab-
| lshmcnt of that power Which thcy had
dcfcd and vainly attempted 10 overthrow
the national will "a embodied III The
Federal Government, paramount supreme
and unguestionablc They accepted the
situation, and had they been left 70 them
selves would have bowed subnissivcly To the
arbitrment of arms. But defeat IN the field
was more easily TO be- borne than discontinue IN
the arena Of politics; or mther the men who
had fought in the field more correctly apprc-
ciated that altered position Of affairs following
the triumph OF thc North than they who
had their being and breath III political tur-
| moil and party warfare Unfortunately, n the
very time when faithful and judicious advice
was most needed 10y the southern people.
and when they were just in n state of mind 10
receive and profit by il, evil counsclors. in the
4 .Tf friapJ sbu fptgrfo.gI fbgr uuNDlltlfgu
services, and succeeded in great measure, in
! turning the current of Southern feeling in n
wrong direction. The consequence was that
violent reaction took place throughout The South,
| and the temper which had promised cheerful
acquicsccnce in the new order of things ncccssa-
rily resulting from the close of the wal, gave place
| to "a sullen and defiant mood. What followed has
already passed into history. President johnson
| had identified himself with the reactonisis.
had become their spokesman and 10 all intents
| and purposes, their leader, and had been giving
encouragement both directly and indirectly, 10
the misguided people of the South. But Con
gress set aside his policy oi reconstruction, ex-
ploded the idea Of a divided authority in
! the work OF restoring the Union, asserted
and vindicated its own sole supremacy. and
passed the bill establishing military govern
ment III the late Confederate States. This de-
csive action of Congress has had the desired
effect in undeceving the minds of the South
ern people, the more intelligent of whom are
now convinced that compliance in good faith
with the provisions OF that measure is the
best and surcst means OF securing the early
restoration of the Rebel States.
But the South cannot be left uDtIonbled.
! Those who call themselves its friends, disap-
pointed at the spirit in which the Southern
people have accepted the Military bill, are
again at work, doing their best to provoke
resistance. The inspiration of Mr.. Stanbery s
opinion is as notorious rs its evil effects arc
manifest. Yet, we believe that it is not wei
| come to the best men Of the South, and that
| they will not the second time allow themselves
| to be deceived. Even The Charleston Daily
Ners repudates the unkind interference of
| the President and Mr.. Stanbery. In n
| recent article it urges the South to accept the
| Military bill in good faith II wisely says ::
"We think that to the people of the States
"within whose limits these laws are intended to
Operate as well as to the President there is
zone rule of Interpretation, which, by the one
"and the other, it is preGminently wise and
|
rule is, to interpret the meaning of Congress
"by its plain language, az used in its acts; to
understand what Congress meant by what
| Congress said. In these States we have no
| use for refined and technical constructions of
"these enactments. They are plainly written !;
"let them 80 be read.' Nothing can be
palmer. Everybody understands that the
intent Of Congress and the Interpretation
of Mr.. Stanbery are Numerically opposite,
and there arc few persons who seriously
believe that the bubbles of lawyer will
battle the will of the people. The Charles
ton News, our correspondent says, expresses the
convictions of fOur-fifths of the people of the
State in regretting the interference of the
President. This estimate may be an exaggera-
ton, but that the wiser leaders of the
| South understand the futility Of such
opposition to Congress is unquestonable.
"This effort" says The Ners, "will do in
"finitely more to provoke the antagonism of
Congress to the restoration of these States
than all else which has preceded And their
interference is well calculated to produce that
doubt. mistrust a9d division among them