The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-03-16


that If they had a similar opinion under the
Sherman statute they would reject il, even if
they knew that worse terms would be i'm
posed. But the new law gives them only the
option between involuntary universal suffrahe
with military rule, and voluntary universal
suffrage without military rue. This is, of course,
upon the assumption that Mr. Johnson will
execute the law in good faith. If he orders it
to be set aside upon the first decision of a
petty court against its validity, or if he re-
peats the let alone policy adopted at the Alex
andria election, the law will effect no good
But we think that he has too much sense of
his own danger to make any such rash expert
ments on the forbcarance of Congress.
Measures have been initiated in both Houses
of Congress for the purpose of putting the ma
Chinery of reorganization in motion under the
direct supervision of the national authorities;
and some measure of the kind will, doubtless,
be enacted forthwith. This is clearly the pro-
per method; and the only wonder is that so
able body as the late Committee of Fifteen
should have so utterly failed in its duty as
not to have reported such a bill at the last
session. We rejoice, for the sake of all sec
tions, North and South, that Congress has
finally adopted the doctrine which we have
steadily advocated even when its success
seemed hopeless, viz, that reconstruction
should be immediate and compulsory, and not
left to the choice Of the insurrectionary popu-
latiOn, either as to time or mode. Nothing
could be more opposed to the theory of the
Constitution than the let-alone policy which,
while denying the validity of the de tdciO gov
ernments at the South, provided no means for
the creation of legitimate governments. This
false position, the result of timidity and dis
trust of the people, has been all along the
weak point of the radical policy. Its aban-
donment will give general satisfaction.
Under all the circumstances, there can be
no doubt that nearly or quite all of the South
ern States will be properly organized and re-
instated in the Union within twelve or eighteen
months from this time. The only question in
the future is as to the practical working of
the new governments, and especially of uni
versal suffrage.
1t has been confidently asserted-and we
have ourselves shared the apprehension-tha
the negroes, being contessedly ignorant, poor,
and unorganized, would be surely controlled
by their old masters when they came to vote.
OF course there is much to be said on that
side; and, had universal suffrage been con-
ceded in 1865, we think that such must have
been the result in districts not fully garrisoned
by national troops. But for nearly two years
past urgent efforts have been made to intro
duce light among the cOlOred people: and
Northern men and women have steadily gained
influence over them, while their Southern
masters have, to a very large extent, thrown
away whatever influence they may have had
by their oppressive laws and obstinate resist
ance to the elevation of the colored race. Of
this latter fact, the immense emigration of
negroes from South Carolina and Georgia and
the loud complaints of planters in Louisiana
and Texas, afford conclusive proof. The
colored people have, moreover organized
themselves in every large town in the South,
If not more widely, during the last two years;
and, with such assistance as their white allies
20 L., v,11
to inform their brethren on plantations of the
issues and the candidates. We therefore be-
lieve that the last hope of the disloyal will
fail them, and that the colored voters will
generally sustain candidates acceptable to the
North.
No one can doubt that the complete restora-
ton of the Southern States, freed from all
their old inequalities and expressions, will
materially benefit the whole country. An
impartial administration of justice will give
new energy to the labOTer; for who that has
ever worked while in doubt of being paid
/ (whether at mechanical or mental labOr) has
not felt the impossibility of putting forth all
his energy and skill Labor in the South has
/ been performed for two centuries with a GER
tainty of not being paid, and for the last two
years in a total uncertainty upon that point
The lash, which formerly supplied a motive
for drudging effort has been latterly with
drawn, or at least has not come as promptly
and surely as it was wont. What wonder is
it that, with the accustomed terror removed
and no certain hope supplied, the labor sys,
tenn of the South has failed to produce the
old results? But this defect will be thoroughly
cured by sound reconstruction, which will
assure to all classes their rights. 1t will also
remove from the white people the fear of con.
fscation and punishment which now hampers
the efforts of some of the most effective mel
at the South. 1t will take away the last ele
ment of uncertainty from our political future
and leave US free to enter upon plans of busi
ness without fear of political disturbances
On every ground, moral, political, and finan
cial, we welcome the near approach of a per
feet reunion of the States.