Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1868-01-10
From the New York Herald.
The Fearful Condition. of the South
What the President Should Do


The condition of the South is becoming
more gloomy and threatening every day.
Our correspondents, writing from every
portion of that unhappy country, tell the
same tale. One day heartrending accounts
come from Mississippi, North Carolina or
some other State, and yesterday we pub
lished appalling statements from Virginia.
Although the condition of the people and
country is worse In some parts than i'll
others, the evil is general and deep seated.
Everywhere the negroes are falling into
idleness and disorder. Radical emissaries
have instilled into the: minds ideas OF
agrarianism and hatred towards the whites.
There is no security for property. They
steal everything they can lay their hands
on. The white people VINO own land and
stock have enough to DO to keep body and
soul together; but the little they have is
being stolen or destroyed. Want stares
both races III the face. Cattle Staying,
house burning, thieving all round, with
secret gatherings OF armed negroes, have
created widespread terror and apprehen-
sions of a bloody conflict between the
blacks and whites. This is no fancy sketch,
horrible as it is. 1t is, indeed, only part
of the truth.
All this has been brought about by the
atrocious radical legislation Of Congress-
Depressed as the South was by the war, the
people went to work at first earnestly to
restore the prosperity of their country, and
they would have succeeded, for their rich
soil and valuable products only required
peace and industry to accomplish that
Had the South been restored as President
Johnson wished and endeavored to restore
it, and had it not been thrown into disor
der and its industry paralyzed by the in
20 &c
upoa the basis of negro supremacy, it
would now be prosperous. Instead of be-
ing B burden upon the North it would have
contributed largely to the support Of gov
eminent and to both our domestic trade
and foreign commerce. Senator Morton
and other radical Congressman may try to
cover up the facts by lecturing and speech
making, but the people will hold them re-
sponsible for this terrible state of things.
TO whom, then, can we look for help
at this critical time? To the people, in
the end. They will drive these radical
destructiyes from power, loaded with obi
UNI, as soon as they have all opportunity.
But, unfortunately, this can not be for
some months. In the meantime the Pres
ident should take decisive action. He has
overthroWn them in the contemplate i'm
parchment matter, the matter of their
those radical Generals in the South who
had the impudence to defy the Executive
In TACT, he has gained greatly in the esteem
of the people where they have lost, and
is to-day master of the situation. Let
him pursue the same sagacious and con-
sentative course till the Presidential con-
test be over and they will be swamped,
never more to rise again. But he must
not stand upon the defensive alone he
must hit them hard. The condition of
the South gives him an excellent opportu-
nifty, and he should Immediately on the
reassembling of Congress send in a mes
sage, in his own terse and forcible STYLE
showing all the fearful consequences of
radical negro supremacy reconstruction.
Indeed, it would be we'll to repeat this
every month or so, that the people might
learn directly from the Executive himself
all the facts. He has the whip in hand now
and need not be afraid of losing it, The
people will sustain him. He is really the
Moses, without any hyperbole in the smile,
to lead the people out of this dreadful
Egypt. He may not reach the promised
land the White Housed himself through
the next Presidential election, though that
is not improbable, but he can appoint
his successor. He can carry the people
through the Red Sea and the Wilderness,
and make Joshua OF Hancock, Thomas,
or any other man he may please, should
Providence deny him the sight of Canaan.
Let him buckle on his armor and lift up
his hands, then, to save the people, for
he has the power and the right on his
side. Ii he will do this we may have,
after next November, new edition of
the song of Moses on the overthrow of
the radical republican Egyptians.