Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1867-06-29

from the New York Tribune.
THE FRIENDS OF THE SOUTH.
In view of the immense mischief which
has been done to Southern interests since
the close of the war, through the ill-timed
and injudicious advice thrust upon the
Southerners by portion Of the Northern
press, and the unwise policy pursued by
men from whom better things were to have
been expected, the people Of the late Rebel
states may well exclsim, "Saye us from our
friends |" With the downfall Of the Rebel
lion there came to the minds OF our con-
quered countrymen conviction that the
cause for which they had risked everything
and desperately fought during four long
years was hopelessly lost. The series oil
disasters and defeats which eliminated in
Lees surrender to Grant left them entirely
PROSTATE, and in the crowHing victory OF
the Federal arms, they saw. the assured
establishment of that power which they had
defied and vaiply attempted to overthrow-
the national will as embodied in the Fede-
raj Government, paramount, supreme, and
unquestionab.e. They accepted the situa-
tion, and had they been left to themselves
would have bowed submissively to the ar-
bitrament Of arms. But defeat in the field
was more easily to be borne than discomf-
ture in the arena Of politics or, rather, the
men who had fought in the field more cor
rectly appreciated that altered position of
affairs following the triumph of the North
than they who had their being and breath
in political turmoil and party warfare. Un-
fortunately, OF the very time when faithful
and judicious advice was most needed by
the Southern people, and when they were
just in state of mind to receive and profit
by it, evil counselors, in the guise of friend
ship, interposed their unsolicited services,
and succeeded, in great measure, in turn
ing the current of Southern feeling in O
wrong direction. The consequence was that
violent reaction took place throughout
the South, and the temper which had pro-
missed cheerful acquiescence in the new
order of things necessarily resulting from
the close OF the war, gave place to sullen
and defiant mood What followed has al
son had identified himself with the reac-
tionists, had become their spokesman, and
to all intents and purposes, their leader, and
rectly and indirectly, to the misguided peo-
pie Of the South. But Congress set aside
his policy of reconstruction, exploded the
idea of divided authority in the work of
restoring the Union, asserted and vindica-
ted its own sole supremacy, and passed the
bill establishing military government in the
late Confederate States. This decisive &C.
tion of Congress has had the desired effect
| in undeceiving the minds of the Southern
people, the more intelligent of whom are
| now convinced that compliance in good
faith with the provisions Of that measure Is
the best and surest means of securing the
early restoration of the Rebel States.
But the South cannot be left untroubled.
Those who call themselves its friends, disap-
pointed at the spirit in which the Southern
people have accepted the Military bill, are
again at work, doing their best to provoke
resistance. The inspiration of Mr.. Stanber-
ry's opinion is as notorious as its evil effects
are manifest. Yet, we believe that it is not
welcome to the best men of the South, and
that they will not the second. time allow
thieves to be deceived. Even The Charles
ton Daily Ne,os repudiates the unkind inter
ference of the President and Mr.. Stanberry
III recent article it urges the South to &C
cept the Military bill in good faith. 1t wise
ly says 1--WE think that to the States with
''in whose limits these laws are intended t.
"operate, as well as to the President, there
sis one rule of Interpretation, which, by the
tone and the other, it is pre-eminently wis'
'and proper, should be rigidly adhered to
"That rule is, to interpret the meaning o
Congress by its plain language, as used il
'its acts; to understand what Congress
"meant by what Congress said. In tbes'
estates, we have no use for refined and tech
"nical constructions of these enactments
They are plainly written let them so b.
"read" Nothing can be palmer. Every
body understands that the intent of Con
gress and the Interpretation of Mr.. Stanber.
are diametrically opposite, and there ar
few persons who seriously believe that tn
bubbles of a lawyer will battle the will o
the people. The Charleston Ne,cS, our cor
respondent says, expresses the conviction
of fOur-ffths of the people of the State il
regretting the interference of the President
This estimate may be an exaggeration, bu
that the wiser leaders of the South under
stand the futility of such opposition to Cor
gress is unquestionable. "This effort" say
The Ne,ss, "will do infinitely more to pre-
evoke the antagon:sm of Congress to tn
restoration of these States than all els
(which has preceded. And their interfei
"ence is well calculated to produce tina
"doubt, mistrust, and division among them
"selves which will most surely result in prt
,, "ducing consequences which will go far {
accomplish tie political, financial, and 81
"cial ruin of the people of these States. W
"write after calm, careful, deliberate refle
"tion. We give utterance to no idle appr
"hension, but to correct and fixed concl,
"sions."
THE SOUTH.