The Montana post. [volume] (Virginia City, Montana Territory [i.e. Mont.]) 1864-1869, 1868-09-04
"PARsON's PAPERS,
The Issue.


the Republican party TO reconstruct the
Government. Ii is wrong, say they. not
to admit the Southern States TO repre-,
sentation in Congress at once. IL is an
outrage TO require any security from
them In future, or any indemnity for the
past, simply because they are conquered,
have yielded. and professedly returned
to their allegiance 1t is terribly tyran-
nical and oppressive, To keep sIauding
armies in their States, and thereby hu-
initiate proud and chivalrous people
and force them to accept the only terms
upon which the Government can be re-
stored to the powers with which IL com-t
menced at the time of its organization !.
And, in this connection, the Freedman's
Bureau is a great outrage; recognizing
negroes as treemen, is greater; and per-
mitting negroes TO vote and have a voice
in public affairs is greater than all. Mr..
Seymour, in his letter of acceptance, vir-
tually complains of these things, being
very careful not to do so in terms. Now
let US see how much reason there is for
these complaints. The anti-reconstruc-
tionists forced upon the Government the
work in which il is now engaged. They
commenced the war; they compelled the
nation To expend the billions of money;
they slaughtered million of people;
they raised the rebel flag and declared
themselves free and independent of the
. nj taA 4. Il.
an independent Government of their
own; the fortunes of war decided against
them, and they became thereby suppli-
cant for mercy at the footstool of the au-
thority of the United States. What
was to be doney The entire North had
resolved slavery had been abolished by
the United States. The slaves had
fought for their own liberties in fighting
for our Government, and the question to
be solv ed. when Richmond was taken,
was, how shall these seeding States be
brought back safely into the Union,
which they have repudiated? The con
quering power. instead of furnishing
them, as rebels; instead of hanging JEFF
Davis ard his co-conspirators, as by the
law of nations and the laws of God, they
had perfect right TO do, adopted from
time To time, such means of reconstruc~
ton. as, while not oppressive in their
main features, still contained such ele-
ments of security and harmony as
should prevent another outbreak. They
afforded protection TO the freedmen, and
sent armies into the conquered Terrific
~, to enforce, if necessary, an observ-
ance of the laws. They required
an acceptance of Republican prin-
ciples of Government by the people
they had conquered, and unqualified re-
cognition of and submission to the laws
of the United States by them. And this
is all Is it wrong? AS custodians of
the honor and the power of the nation
could Congress have done less Sup
pose, for a moment, they had adopted the
course now recommended by the Demo
Gratis, and Immediately after the capture
of Richmond said to the South: I'VE
forgive you all your offenses, come back,
enter again into the Union, and resume
the status you held before the war"
would such an act of comprehensive
magnInimity have been appreciated
Would the Congress guilty of il, have
performed it's duty 20 the nation which
had been bankrupted, aud to the thou
/ sands of mothers. wives and children,
who had been bereft of their dearest rel
atives upon the battle fieldG What kind
of an answer is it TO this to say that the
Southern people are proud, chivalrous,
high toned and magnanimous. Will
those facts, Of they are facts) pay the
national debit heal the wounds of our
hundred thousand disabled soldiers, or
wipe away a single tear from the eyes of
a half million of mournersg Will they,
when viewed in less selfish sense, make
American liberty. and the cause of free
Government any more secure than 1t
was before the war? There was but one
course for the North to pursue, unless it
pursued the extreme course which re-
bellion justified. and that was the course
it has pursued through the medium OF
reconstruction. The only fault now to
be found with the policy is, that it has
been too lenient. The seven reconstruct
ed states should have been held to a
more perfect indemnity before our troops
were Withdrawn, or the Freedmen's Bu-
reau abolished. Men who are regardful
of the Constitution and the prosperity of
- f..,,.rnuaant mead exerciaa hut a
moments reflection 10 be convinced of
the utter impossibility of preserving
them upon such terms as are announced
by the Democracy. Can southern mag
l.aa I'D ~. %. a.. ..-a