Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-04-11
Senator Wilson on the situation.

announced his intention to make tour of
the South, in short time, for the purpose
OF enlightening the freedmen relative to
their duties, privileges and obligations an-
der the republican aispensaticn, and ex-
pounding to the whites their condition un
the late so-called reconstruction measures
OF Congress. He accordingly. visited the
old "Cockade"city, Petersburg, last week,
and delivered a characteristic speech to
mixed assemblage of blacks and whites,
who seemed eager to hear what he had to
say.aes deed r.>la A
After thanking the people for the kind
manner in which he had been received bv
them, he discoursed as follows, relative to
the origin of the war or rebellion as
some are pleased to term. it :-"Now, 1
wish to say to you that we have just pass
ed through a bloody contest, which, in
the course Of events, was inevitable
contest of ideas which shook this continent
for thirty years. 1t had to come; it was
inevitable. It came, and we fought it out;
and Cow let me say to you that when the
last gun was fred I was in favor of forget
ting all the bitterness engendered by the
contest, and of marching with you shoulder
to shoulder in support of a united country"
This contest Of IDEAS" Mr.. Wilson truly
remarks, grew out of '.hunan szavery IN
An,crica'' 49,.
On the one hand, the people of the
South defended the institution of slavery.
because it was recognized by the Federal
Constitution, and the statutes Of the States
where it existed on the other hand the
people of the North, many of whom had
sold their slaves to the planters of the
South, abolished slavery because it was
improbable, made war upon the institu-
ton because they believed, or pretended to
believe. that it was inconsistent with repub-
lican government and great moral sin,
or, IN abolition parlance, ''the sum Of all
villainies." The South fought for their
rights under the Constitution and laws,
and Mr.. Wilson's party made war upon
them, and have not only abolished slave
:ry, but they have reyolutionized the gov
eminent, and radically changed the organ
lo1rr 81, 4. -
ties In this scontest of IDEAS which shook
this continent for thirty years" Mr.. w.
and his. party aggressing upon us-the
= South standing upon the defensive, under
the Constitution and the laws. We were
overpowered in the contest; and now Mr..
Wilson and his brethren would fain have
the world believe that are, and not then,
fought to destroy .'the best government
the world ever saw" and accordingly they
apply to US such opprobrious epithets as
s'rebels,7 Traitors &c.
g Relative to the disabilities imposed up
on the South by the late acts of Congress
Mr.. Wilson says :-s'Persons who have
taken an oath to support the Constitution
and afterwards engaged in rebellion shall
not be permitted to hold Office, but this
can be repealed by a two-thirds vote of
Congress with regard to classes or persons
affected by it. | say when this ques-
. ton is settled, as I believe it will be We
~ shortly, these disabilities will rapidly
disappear. : . I trust these disabili-
ties will vanish in few months. [ want
to see all free and protected in their
rights"
Of the abolition-rcpublican-radica par
ty, we think, Mr.. Wilson speaks in rather
extravagant terms. He says:-" There
never was party Of so much character,
intelligence, Christian faith, and devotion
as can be found in the republican party"
No doubt Mr. Wilson and those who act
with him can lay this 'dattering JUNCTION"
to their souls, and can adopt the language
OF one OF their class of ancient times:-
'We thank thee O God, that we are not
as other men; that we are more holy than
these publicans." No doubt few Of Mr.
Wilson's auditors, who had witnessed some
of the acts Of these intensely religious peo-
pie during the war, regarded the above
as good joke, intended to relieve the te-
dunn of the moment
Addressing himself to the freedmen. he
said :-s'Let me say to you in good faith
that more blood has beer shed for your
emancipation than ever was shed before
for the freedom of a 1000, 600 men any
where on earth for Christian men and
women have been praying for you for
more than thirty years, and you are not