Bedford inquirer. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1857-1884, 1867-08-30
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WHO ARE TnE FRIENDS OF THE
SOUTH2

All parties agree that the one thing most
needful for the speedy restoration of the
Southern States to prosperity is the per-
manent restoration of law and order, and
assurance of security to persons and proper
ty. This viii not only at once induce the
Southern people themselves to enter once
more actively into business, knowing that
they, both black and white, viii be secure
in the enjoyment Of the fruits of their la
bors, but also once more turn the tide of
foreign immigration and Northern enter
prise into the depopulated South, wherever
the natural advantages of soil and climate,
or the artificial combinations of trade and
travel present eligible openings for business
enterprise and eanltaL Twice previously
when the work of reconstruction was fairly
begun, with promise'of full and speedy sue
cess, Andy johnson has seen fit to cast an
apple of discord into the arena and frus
trate the hopes Of all good and true men,
by deranging the machinery Of reconstrue-
ton just as it was getting into successful
operation. While he thus proved himself
a constant mar-plot, in the work of recon-
struction, each time making additional leg
islation necessary, his followers, the uure-
pentant rebels of the South and their sym
pathisers of the North, were increasingly
abusing and reYiling Congress for not
promptly adopting some definite policy of
reconstruction. Each time measures were
adopted for overcoming the difficulties, by
them purposely thrown in the way, they
assiduously set themselves to work to place
new obstructions in the way to prevent the
work of reconstruction from being carried
forward, at the same time heaping obloquy
on the Republican party in Congress, be-
cause it had not succeeded in doing, what
they were exerting all their power to pre-
vent Now when, after long and careful
deliberation, Congress had completed and
put in operation all the necessary machine
ry for successful and speedy restoration of
the South, we find johnson and his follow
ers as assiduons and unscrupulous as ever
Ia their efforts to prevent the execution of
the laws The removal of Stanton and
Sheridan has once more brought the work
of reconstruction to stand still, delaying
indefinitely the restoration of that peace,
order and security, which the Southern
people SO much need Yet these same vile
hypocrites are continually vaunting them
selves as the true friends of the South. No
greater calamity. short of war itself, could
have befallen the Southern people, than
the professed friendship of these hypocriti-
col demagogues In war or peace they
know no higher ambition than party ascen.
dency. To this, every tie of friendship,
every instinct Of patriotism, every consider
alton of honor, every dictate of conscience
or morality, has been and still is idolatrous-
ly and remorselessly sacrificed. Fomenters
of trouble and discord, before the rebellion
and since, have ever been and are still,
the worst enemies to the peace and prosper.
ity of both North and South. The true
friends of the South day are the support
ers of the Congressional plan of reconstruc-
ton. Under it, if johnson and his satel.
lites viii only cease to obstruct, law and
order, peace and security viii be speedily !
restored TO every foot OF the lately rebel |
hous States, and with such restoration, and
the assurance of permanent security, capt.
tai and labor will pour in continuous and |
ever increasing stream into every Southern |
State-the newspaper and the Bible viii |
soon be found in every household, and the
school house and church adorn every hill |
top-morality and intelligence will take
the place of Ignorance and its concomitants /
oil crlme-the natural offspring of intelli- |
genee and liberty, her broad savannas will
teen with the products of varied industry
by every ripping stream viii be heard
the busy hum of spindles and the clatter Of
iooms-forges and furnaces viii fill her val.
leys, transferring her now valueless mines
into sources of untold wealth-then viii the
saiis OF commerce once more crowd her ports,
and the plagh of steauboats enliyen her