The national Republican., 1868-12-11

,sntly, . step In tho right direction. A
thorough knowledge Of his sntscsdsnts for
quite twenty years, loads mo to the conoiu-
lion that the restoration of his civil and po-
Iiticai rights will do innnits good In bis State.
An original vehement opponent Of secession,
(whsn to contend against that principle was |
death to any South carolinian's political as |
hs seqsisseed In the new order Of |
things whsn the olisarchy's military rule was
at its height, hardly further than sufieisnt 70
escape exile or hanging. He was among the
npt 70 hail the restoration Of the United
statss Govsrnment over the South, with frank
eordiaIity, aud since that event has been &C.
osptsd By the most ssalous Unionists Of the
State as one Of tho few among them. who held
once under the oonfsdsraoy. who are to be
implicitly trusted not TO use any Official posi-
tious they may hereafter hold, for tho bsnsht
Of the cause Of reaction. The sil-known In
tsgrity Of his personal character and his great
former usefulness in South Cardinals public
Affairs are guarantees that, as chief Justice Of
the State, he Is destined to exert great In.
ausnos 10 the good end Of "rsoonstructins'
! South Carolinas popular sentiment upon tho
90 desirable bs.is Of homossnsity with that
Of New York, Psnnsylvania, Ohio, and the
rest Of the loyal states, the one thing most
| - - --.V.ins iuture' OonBroh
will doubtless as promptly relieve the disabil-
tiles Of any man, whstsver may have been
his record during the war, Who can satisfy
them that, hereafter. he will aid the good
work Of opening the Southern popular mind
TO the inhusncs Of the spirit Of progress that
has made the great North what 1t is, indus.
triaIly and intellestuaily.
II will be unfortunate, II strikes me. II the
Senate should amend the bill ordering . vote
on the ratification Of the proposed new con-
stitution Of Virginia on the Goth Of May.
Nevertheless . number Of virginia's most
noted and earnest Unionists are now lobby yipg
with that body to induce It 10 fix January 20
as the day. To do that will be, I fear, to
generate such q spirit Of persecution Of
negroes in tho State, as disgraoed the late
Presidential canvass and election in Georgia
and Louisiana. Virginia Is, so far. happily
free from any such disposition. It's genera.
tion In Georgia and Louisiana grew, in great
part, out Of the immunity for injustice, out.
rage and the infrsotion Of the law, which.
in popular Imagination, was Afforded BY the
sympathy Of the President against the recon.
struetion measures and policy Of Congress
As the disunionists Of Virginia still bslievs as
implicitly as did their oompssrs in Louisians
and Georgia, that the President can and will
shield them In repeating Camilla, New
Orleans and Memphis outrsgss, We should
probably witness parodies upon them at any
general election attempted In the Old Domin
ion before General Grants Inauguration. The
idea of any fair general election In Virginia,
until we have an Executive installed whose
presence In the White House Is . guarantee Of
swim and sure retribution for murder, outrage
or oppression in the South, Is prsposterous. i
trust the Senate will not be persuaded to ven
ture the experiment. Virginia can bs "re-
constructed on q fair administration Of the
laws Of Congress- With Grsrt In a.. ps-.'.
dencyi but hardly until he shall DO there.
What has occurred in this connection in
Louisiana and Georgia has enormously In.
jured the material interests Of the people Of
those States. 1t Is indeed to be hoped that
Congress will not pave the way for similar
injuries to Virginia and her people Of oil
Glasses.
The consideration to day, in the Senate, oil
tho bill passed yesterday BY the House, re.
turning the Indian bureau to the supervision
Of the War Department, attracted great inter
est. Tho amount Of plundsr, psoulation. ant
fraud involved in the defeat OF the measure
| l.. nf n
less persons who frequent the lobbiss arc anil
lated with active spectators In Indian affair
. out West. They do not propose to let th
bill become . law II they can defeat 1t by com
. passing its reference to some COMMITTEES ths
| may possibly let It sleep until too late to per
nit its enactment, ore the 4th Of MArcl
/ next.
r II II be certain that the United States wi
i not revive their late works at Harpsr's Ferry
d Va, (the most advantageous position for sue
y works in the country, by.the.bye,) the quicke
/. the Senate enact Mr.. darhslds bill, passed b
70 the House yesterday, TO sell the Harper
J. Ferry property Of the United states,) the bel
7 tor for Virginia, as we'll as tho GovernmsnI
q That property Is really worth untold millior
70 In the present circumstances Of the nation--n
IT other such immense water power, so availabl
II for manufacturing purposes, and so eligibl
10 situated exists in the United States. At
fairly condustsd sale, 1t will surely realize ft
the national Treasury far more than II b,
cost the Government up to this tims--f'
more. In the hands Of individuals or con
panies of sntsrprisipg capitalists, 1t will dra
to Harper's Ferry q larger industrial populi
,ion in twenty Ave years than now dwell /
: and around any two or three or the IAryos
American mAnufaoturing centres. Such rs
suit Is immensely desirable for Virginia.
will compensate her ten.fold for all losses i
that quarter Of tho State, growing out Of be
folly Of rebellion.
The contest for the brigadier generalshi
made vacant by the retiracy Of Gen. Hooker
10 waxing warm. Rumor has It that som
twenty officers Of the regular service, each O
whom made his mark orsditabiy during tn
war, arc oOntesting for the position. I ma,
: mention Generals Heintzslman, stonsman
dillsm, and Reynolds, all oolonsls 10 the rsgu
lar service, aud officers OF deserved distinc
tion. fear that 10 filing the place. as II
civil appointments, "kis'ing" may ''go b.
favor" rather than by substantial merit