Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1867-07-19
From the National Intelligencer.
TO STATESMEN.

IN anger-nO; but i'll sorrOH-st0tesmen
OF the Republic, We wonld consult together,
like just and reasonable men; we would re-
view tie condition of our suffering coun-
try, the methods proposed for its aneliora-
ton, and the deplorable calamities which
must attend q mistaken remedy.
Which Of you will admit, that unless the
country shall be restored on the basis Of
his own ideas of what is best for ALL he
does not desire the restoration :? Not one.
Which of you will admit that unless the
resentments, natural or unnatural, which
he and his neighbors feel are first satisfied,
he does not desire restoration Not one.
Which of you will admit, that unless he
and those who think with him shall have
the control of those who differ from him,
he does not desire restoration? -? Not one.
In word, who will acknowledge, that un-
less he can save his party he will not save
his country Who dares confess it ? And
yet it is mournfully true, and we solemnly
appeal to every conscience in public life for
frightfrl, though secret yerification of
this great charge-that this, which none
dare confess, is true of so many able and
eminent statesmen that it is the sole obsta-
Gle to universal goodwill, prosperity, and
happiness in our common country.
Is this so e? Perhaps not yet, generally.
When it shall have become altogether pre-
valent, free institutions will be forever
gone, or to be saved only by an immediate
and general outburst of popular astonish
ment and indignation, sufficient to sweep
from the exalted stage Of public service the
whole present race Of statesmen. If it is
really the fact that the unnatural and dis
turbed condition of the country, 50 far
from drowning all partisan enterprise, is
actually promoted by the great leaders of
the people, choosing rather to keep it up
permanently than to risk party advantages
by healing the atfiiction the only security
OF liberty is already gone, and nothing re-
mains but to realize our fallen state to
| make q new constitution as we'll us we may,
and to train Cur children to Roman militia
ry glory, to Roman clientage, to Roman
| corruption, and to Roman shame. We can
| not solemnly charge the partisan leaders Of
| the day with the full measure Of this hard
ened infamy, the full development Of this
| Plutonian principIc-thiS solvent Of the
| State. When it becomes general it will not
| be proclaimed, for there will survive no
| free voice To denounco and no free tongue
to applaud But it is the controlling prin-
| ciple i'll the bOsOmS OF most Of the leaders
of all parties, and they know that tits is SO.
| Enough. Civil liberty is i'll peril when men
| chosen to serve the country deliberately
sacrifice it to their party. The struggle for
! the despicable spoils Of Office once disgust
| ed peaceable and orderly men with the
| grossness Of party contention. But this is
not dispute for spOils Of Office 1t is a
struggle for the dominion of a people; not
game for the places in which men may
S slrve the Governmental and the Constitution,
| but desperate and terrific contest among
men for the power of swallowing up all
/ government in themselves. The stake is
the sovereignty of this great Republic, anC
the true issue Is whether the people shal
keep IL or lose It.
What is the condition Of this once bless
cd land ? Be the crime or the folly wha
| and whose they may, IS not our actual sit
uation depiOrable In the extreme? ? Ten o
the sovereign circle Of starry States lie dis
honored and PROSTATE, or hang by The
bleeding shreds of their man. 5led organisms
upon the vhirling orbit OF the Union. Tn
der your beautiful figure OF sisters, behold
orators Of the country, ten Of the lovely anC
stately virgins of the sisterhood stripped o
their habiliments, soiled with dust and gore
fallen to earth, and a ruthless soldiers irol
heel pressing their still palpitating breasts
Do those who stand beside, erect, not i'm
maculate from the recent struggle, but ricl
in the robes of honor the hues of health
and the purple Of empire, feel no pity 2
Are their fair bOsoms the laboratories o
hate, the workshops of cruelty, the pillow
of murder? Away with the figure. Fame,
recoils with adherence from associatin!
! the form Of lOveliness and Of purity will
the abominable attributes which the author
of oppression impute to the respectiv
, States whose people they represent Bu
rather do those peoples allow themselves t.
be exhibited to heaven and earth IN the fa
: bled furies with which Pagan maleVOienc
was compelled by common human natur
to figure, for aversion and disgust the yer
passions which energlze our legislation tC
ward the Southern people. Ii the North
ern States are to be typified i'll their att
: tude toward the Southern, the daughter
Of cannibalS would be too wOmanly to bea
the comparison or sustain the characte
! which Northern politicians give to thel
t constituents.
, Does any person dare to rejoice at th
situation of the country? ? All, then, mus
profess, rs nearly all really must feel, tn
calamity. Whatever is done, is prOtessedl
done for relief from the calamity. For thi
< ] the names of Southern representatives {
: unimpeachable loyalty we're refused recor
J by the Clerk of the House from all Soutl
ern States in 1865. For this the ever IL
: famous bargain was publicly made betWee
the majority of the two Houses, that tn
AC11 S-AA'
but for the purpose Of giving its solem
forms to the secret revolutionary decree
of a party conclave. This was done fc
= the ||relief of the country" This colossi
= falsehood is the pivot Of the revolution
- | and with It's public enactment and the fats
E federation of tho loyal Executive and col
= sequent illuscTy and mistaken indulgenc
o OF the sovereign people, the lesislatiV
y branch of the Republic fell, and still lie
fallen, through the treason of It's own men
. bers. We mean, of course, the concurre1
= resolutions of December, 1865, upon tn
= passage of which the Capitol should hav
. tumbled it's prostitUted pillars and dome
9 upon the heads OF the traitors and dastare
who then ard there dedicated it and haV
ever since used it as the temple Of an IN
a pious and blasphemous political idolatr,
t. The Freedmen's Bureau bill was passe
J. next to ''givo peace to the country" Dl
l. peace come ? People applauded it, tor
e was to "restore the Union" The CIV
d rights bill passed. Many a soldier who la
6 bled for % Liberty and Union, now and To-
s. ever one, and inseparable waved h
crutch, for he knew that & civil rights y w
.,.,,,o Fo, +l,a aanla fhiDO RI