The Van Buren press., 1867-02-08


cd between the sections, every additional
Southern customer that reaches North.
ern market, every bale Of goods or other
article of merchandise that crosses Mason
and Dixon's line, either way, is an item
in the account on the side of Conserva-
tism" The progress that has been al
ready made is SO marked that it cannot
be denied, despite the desolation which
still reigns in many places along the
tracks where conquering armies marched.
Extreme men. in and out of Congress,
may talk and legislate against the South
ern States, and deny their people the right
of representation, but they have, in the
opinion of your committee, done their
worst The progress Of the Southern
States cannot be materially retarded by
the hostility, open or concealed, OF sec
tional politicians. Looking, therefore,
at the situation as it is, viewing it in this
practical light, your committee feel justi-
fled, not only in hoping for the best, but
in endeavoring to inspire Others with a
like hope. Believing, therefore, that the
ground upon which the chief executive
of the nation stands, is perfectly tenable,
! viz: That the States have never been out
of the Union, and that they have never
lost their rights as States that the cabi.
net is unit on this question, and that
the decisions ofthe Supreme Court will
be in harmony with the opinions of the
executive department Of the government,
and believing still that the usages OF
commerce and trade are powerfully at
work, every hour, binding the sections
in common interest, your committee are
checred with the hope Of a brighter fu.
ture for our country We cannot. how.
ever, close that report without endeavor-
ing to impress upon our fellow citizens
the importance-the absolute necessity
of remaining quiet, of preserving good
order, and quiet submission to, and
rigid enforcement of, the law, everywhere,
within the limits of our State Outrages
upon freedmen, violations of law that are
permitted to pass unpnnished, are report
ed by the "argus eyed" letter writers,
| whose whole stock in trade consists in
this morbid desire to foment sectional
strife.
Upon the Importance ofrcmaining qui-
ct, orderly, and patient under the state of
things now surrounding us, we have met
the following in one of the newspapers
published in the city of Memphis, which
embodies the views Of the committee so
fully, and expresses them so clearly, that
we present it as the conclusion Of this re.
port;
"If there ever was time in the history
Of a people, when they had everything to
gain by being perfectly quiet and impas-
sive under the buster and threats Of a
certain class of politicians, that time is at
hand in South. There is no provocation
which should induce them to lose their
self.possession, and make imprudent or
passionate remarks. They should allow
the Buffers, the Stevenses, and the Sum.
ners, to do all the bullying They should
listen to the violent harangues Of these
men with the most perfect equanimity.-
They should exhibit no antagonism to
these chiefs of elimination against their
section. These men feed upon the re.
sponses which their malevolence evokes
mot to notice them is to destroy them.
They have grown skillful in 50 shaping
their assaults, as to bring out the great
est amount Of resistance from the South
But when the South ceases to resist, their
vocation is gone. We wish we could i'm.
press this serious truth upon our coun-
try men. To let them alone is the surest
method to break the force Of their at.
tacks. Opposition is the life of their
policy, and hostility, open and active,
builds them up. On the contrary, when
they are no longer resisted, they loose
all their force and influence.
A Memphis or New Orleans riot would
vitalize their party, and prolong its exis
tence. A few indamatory articles from
our newspapers, or speeches from lead
ing men in our midst, would give them a
new lease upon political life. We must
be prudent and cautious five wish to de-
feat these practiced and cunning antagon-
lists. We must furnish no food for their
libels--no preteXt for their assaults. If
we do this, they will naturally fall to
pieces and divide. There is no cohesion
among them, but the common desire of
remaining in office. This they have OBJ
tained by hostility to the South If we
dem monstrate by our conduct, Our pru.
dence and our silence, that we are pursu.
ing our private interests without detri.
ment to any one, and that we arc deter
mined not to regard the calumnies Of our
enemies, the great mass Of the people of
the north will see that these mischief.
makers have deceived them, and viii
change their tone with reference to our
people. Already we, see signs which un.
mistakably indicate that the radical party
is beginning to disintegratc, and if the
whole people everywhere in the South.
will preserve law and order, they will
arm themselves with power which no
| adversary can resist"