The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1867-09-11
When Shall We Havo Peace.


The first interest Of the American
people is Justice; but the second hard
~ less important and more palpably mr.
| gent---is peace. We need to build and
| repair, and restore aud rcplant. Vast
regions, lately devastated by civil war,
still lie waste multitudcs Of widows and
orphans Of the war, in spite Of returning
abundance, arc thin clad and furnishing.
There is much capital at the North
which should be transplantcd to the
South, and their invested in draining
swamps civilizing wilds, erecting facto-
rics, and making all manner of useful
wares and fabrics. Something is being
done in tho right direction; but I'M
mcnscly more awaits the advent OF as.
surcd peace.
How long must that DO still await.
cd?
Had President johnson called the
late Congress directly on his accession
to power, and said TO it, "The rebellion
is ended; the work Of reconstruction
should begin at once. propose such
and such bases consider and modify
them as you shall sec fit, ali would have
been ended ero this. Those who had
been rebels were then rcedy and anx.
ious for reconstruction, and prepared to
accept any terms that did not threaten
Their property or their lives.
Mr.. Johuson did not call Cconcrcss :;
he devised and promulgated a pro.
gramme OF his own. 1t had all the faults
which are attributed to the plan Of Con-
grcss, differing from that only in put
ting the Southern blacks, who were
mainly loyal, under the feet of the
whites, who had nearly all been rcb.
els.
If the Southern States shall promptly
comply with the requirements of Con.
gross, the work OF reconstruction may
soon be completed. Tho machinery is
III motion the registrations are nearly
completed every State may hc orga.
nlzcd rs Congress prcscribcs before ihis
year closes But it, on the contrary
the South shall reject the terms Of Con :.
grcss, we are all at sea for no one knows
how long. Meantime, military rule
must be maintained at the South at
heavy cost, while peace, security and
thrift cannot return. The present Con-
gress holds till MARCH, 3, 1860 !;
and no one imagncs that it will mean.
time abandon the course which it has
already marked out. The South may
have reconstruction and peace by nc
ccpting the terms dictated by Congress :;
it may reject these, and cling to Johnson
if it will; but If it shonl, all must
await in doubt and feud Tic issue Of the
next Presidential contest.
WHO wishes thus TO protract fruit.
less strife, pcrnicions uncertainty 2.
What Is to be gained thereby, and who
will gain il?
If the South should now refuse 10
reconstruct her States as Congress las
prescribed, she cannot think so badly rs
she has talked Of military dcspolism.~
She will virtually s:y that her position
is qnitc tolerablo, when contrastcd with
form Of self-govornment which recos-
nlzcs and treats blacks as men. TO re-.
jcct the terms Of Congress, would be to
defy that body to do its worst.
Let us have pcacc-not somc time
nor pcrhaps--but surely and soon. In
eustry and business arc weary Of wait
ing, wqile politicians play out their little
game. Let us have none other than a
real peace, but let us have this surely and
soon.
NcW York IyiJunc.