The Cadiz sentinel. [volume] (Cadiz, Ohio) 1864-1911, 1867-09-18
THE CHANGE orBAsE.
How Republican Papers Talked
I'm 1866.

The following article is from the Pitts
burgh Commercial and was published but
one short year ago. The Commercial is a
leading radical paper, and is now in favor
of all the latest reconstruction measures
Of radicalism. But the article Of last year
has coed sense in it, and il the party to
which the Commercial is attached had on
" adopted the sentiments of this article,
the Union would have been, before this
time, perfectly restored, anl everything
would ba passing along pleasantly:
Congressional ''reccns'ruction" is not
likely to occupy large space in the politiN
cal hi,tory Of fthe country. and will be chiefly
recalled in connection with the amazing
fact. that loyal Southern men, true to the
Union in the dark days of treason and re-
hellion-mcn who have suffered and bled
in tho cause of their countrywide have
been tried as by fire and stand bef,re the
nation pure and spotiess, are excluded from
the seats to which they have been regularly
elected. No hforV that States are ont of
the Uajoa bg seceSsoa ortliaaaces no,o erery
,vlere admiiicI tn he r0i,j: no doctrine oftor-
j
no hcrGsy DjOUt conquered pr0rincGs, dUd Il
po,ccr IN Congress 10 gjre constitutions and
Mlrs to Republican and S0Uc,eiJn States; no
specious pretense of necessity for tfreUersi
Jie gRtpaatieS against future rebcliion-re
9mremeatS politically impossidle-will ever
satisfy the common sense Of the people that
such action is right, just, or eUeR erpedieat.
1t il great and mon5trous wrong to the
excluded Representative which no SOphtstyY
can corer APP, and no casuistry can defend,
explain or excuse. The wrong to his loyal
constituency is even greater; and the whole
country is even noU suffering from this ab-
normal condition Of the Southern States.
There can be no prosperous trade and com
merce while their political relations to the
General Government remain unsettled.
Manufacturers who found home market
during the war must now look elsewhere.
Do the iron Manufacturers of Pittsburgh
find one this spring in the South west?-
Will they find one in that region while the
present status continues?
The same remark is applicable to other
sections and interests. Unsettled political
relations in every country are the bane and
death of commerce. Viii Congress defer
action until the industries of the country
shall have been paalyzed, and thousands
of operatives thrown out of employment?-
If so, while they still deliberate, tie people
acW probably act and solre tie question Jy
an uYeyeystJlc Judgment. The country longs
for--craves peace peace, and will have T.
We do not expect lore and affection from
the South. No conquered people ever lou
ed their conquerers. We do expect obedS-
eace and submission to the lalos In the fu-
ture, national prosperity will produce ma
| tional concord; but the present generation
must pass away, with the memories Of re-
belon and war, before perfect comfy and
friendship can be established. Passions
have been ranking between the sections for
forty years. Are they expected to disap-
peai at once? Neither legislation nor law
can change human nature. We must live
with the people of the South ip the same
great family Let us not spurn aud rcpel
them too far from the door Of the house
hold.
Let Congress at once admit the loyalSen,
ators and Representatives duly elected from
the Southern States, excluding all whose
hands are tanned with crime committed
against the country, and they will give
peace prosperity aud happiness to the land