The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-12-05
s}.isselIaneons.
The Southern Conservative Pol
icy OF Mastery Inactivity.

'Ene SOuAneFH SOHscI SsstIVO VI
icy OF Mastery Inactivity.
We are apprehensive that the
extremely conservative people of
the Southern States have ma lie
which nobody will regret
as much as themselves, in refusing
to participate in the elections held
for the purpose of deciding whether
Con ventions for the reorganization
of the several State governments
should be called, and choosing del
egates to these conventions in case
the question should be decided affirm
ative]y.
By the law Of Congress, it will be
remembered, q registration of quail
! fed voters was made the prelimi-
nary step in the progress Of the
work of civil reconstruction. The
returns ofregistration-eomplete in.
the States of Alabama, Georgia,
Louisiana, Mississippi and Virginia,
and incomplete in the States of
Florida, Arkansas, the Carolinas,
and Texas-show grand total Of
1,142,396 votes, Of whom 525, ,000
are white, and Gl7,916 black. A
further analysis of the returns dis
closes the fact that the colored ma
jority, in Alabama, is 15,5ll; in
Louisiana, 3S,142;; in Mississippi,
1885. In Georgia the white ma
iority is 1856, and in Virginia, 13
567. The incomplete returns from
Florida give the blacks a majority
f 1865: in South Carolina, "a, ,643
and in Texas, (estimated,) 10000.
The whites preponderate in North
Carolina by 8 majority ,9O3, and
n Arkansas, (by estimatel 1000,
And it is to be remembered that
these results of registration are
argely to be attributed to the neg
ect or refusal Of whites not proscri-
bed by Congress to register. Con
gress should have made suffrage
universal, but the class disfranchised
was actually not very large.
So much for the figures. Who
shall control these majorities ? 1t
vas and is a very important ques-
ton to those who reside in the re-
constructing Commemorative, for
apon its decision Will depend the
character Of their organic laws and
civil institutions. Political consid-
erations are not alone. involved It
goes deeper than mere political
franchises, and takes. hold of the
very foundations Of the social state.
The conventions called into exist
ence are to shape the structure OF
the new Commonwealths, not only
breathing into them the breath OF
life, but, setting them forward or
their fresh career, either Of peace OIL
confusion. Surely no man, white
or black, whose personal and fam.
| ly interests are largely, complicated
with his State. can be indifferent te
the constitution of bodies clothed
viii, such high powers and intrus
ted with such important duties.
We are aware where, those. who
| have refused to take part in tht
elections, and now stand aloof from
the conventions, have cast the an
chor Of their hope: They perceive
or think they perceive, the begin
aing Of a great reactionin the Nortt
which will not exhaust itself till i
| r. e.
has carried the Democracy into
power and swept Republicanisn
from high places. They are en-
couraged by the result Of the cleo
tions Of 1867 They promise te
themselves the near approach Of
day when the whole fabric Of Con
gressional reconstruction viii ,b'
struck down, and they restored tt
their place in the Union, withou
conditions, and under the Constitu
ton which antedated the rebellion
They will then put the negro unde
their feet, divest him of his newl,
acquired political franchises, cir
cumscribe the measure Of his civi
rights, and by strong combination
with the Democracy Of the Nortl
hold the general Government il
their grasp and shape its policy 70
all time to come.
So much is inferentially promise
them by some prominent leaders 0
the Democracy in the Norther
States, and directly pledged to then
by Others, and resting in this hop
they permit the elections to go b,
default, and are unmoved in the Sc
lection of delegates and the holdin
of conventions that arc to have
vital influence on their own politi
cal, civil and social destiny. Eve
conceding that the reaction will g
| SO far as to bring to them full re
alization of their anticipations, it
still very doubtful whether polio