The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-18

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vate debts; the military deposing State and
| municipal officers; the elevation to office of
vagabonds from other States; the installation of
negroes In the place OF whites; the police under
| military control; the epaulettes giving the law
| in military commissions and supplanting the
jpdicature OF the States; all in subyerson Of the
rights OF babeas corpus and fair trial, secured
| for eight hundred yeaIs.to our race and finally,
| as the climax, admitting States-never out-on
condition that they lose their right forever
| thereafter TO revoke negro suffrage ana that
their suffrages shall be given on the oath Of the
| equaltyl -
Mr.. Cox then referred to the "peace" which
General Grant demands, and which has not
| come. He asked why our flag hoated from
| camps, arsenals, and forts, as emblem of msrule
and repression Ii this be our condition South,
Twill tell you who is no, TO blame. At the end
OF the war, the States South were ready for
reconciliation. II was their sectional and our
national need. The soldiers of the South were
content; the people were tired of war; the
ground was sated with blood; even the old
politicians sought again the old offices, under
the old system. From President johnson and
General Grant alike came the word, in Decem-
Der, 1866, that the mass of thinking men of the
South accept the present situation of affairs IN
good faith" Slavery and secession" said
General Giant, "aTe regarded settled" He
insisted that "the Southern citizens were an
x1ous TO return to selt-government in the Union
as soon as possible" Was this mere whitewash
OF, fact? Who has robbed us of the fruits of
victories bought with such price? Was there
reconciliation needed from the judicial or ex-
ecutive departments towards the South? No.
Justice was satisfied. No scatIolds were required.
Even good Mr.. Greeley went bail for the Rebel
chief. The Executive gave amnesty. Only the
hyena ana other ''beastsn prowled among
chaired runs and grass-covered graves ravenlng
for prey and reprisal. The reconciliation was
cordial between the people. The Executive was
earnest in his efforts. He had no power even
6y his vetoes TO stop the legislation OF Congress
II 1t were sincere in conciliation. All that was
what IIncOln said tn hoy
been compelled" by all amendment 10 the Con-
stitutIon: Representatives from the South on the
hoor OF Congress. The alienation would thus
nave been spanned with bridge of gold, aud
the Constitution would have furnished the
arches for its construction. The Executive had
plan which harmonized with the Constitution.
The Supreme Court, as we now know, would
have approved. But Congress, by means of
secret caucuses and reconstruction committees
impeded all the efforts OF Governors, people,
Legislatures, assisted by the departments at
Washington, who were ready to bind anew their
practical relations, by means of members elect
to Congress, aud with their good will and allie
glance to the old Government.
1t was Congress which refused their admis-
sion as a solution of the problem, and proposed
u dilatory, moEstrous, inconsistent, proscrptive
ban against amnesty, Union, AID peace. Now
that chaos has come from it, the country is
tickled and tainted in a Republican plat'orm
with g1atulations on the marvellous success of
reconstruction
1t is between this plan OF Congress, which
the Constitution, which is Il settlement in form
and fact, that furnishes the theme OF political
debate. Which plan shall be the election of
| the people | do not ask an inlpaesjonate or
biased opinion between them. The only
| question is-"What is best, not for parties not
| Tor soldiers, not for General Grant in gratitude
for martial services rendered with rare ability
but what is best for the country?"
Before considering why the dominant party
has failed to reconcile and rebuild. let me ask
whether the discomfort at the South now exist
| ir,rrh hoe NOT Al =
| delay since General Grants report in 1865 |?
Wisdom would say, "Look at the fact OF discon-
tent and obliterate its existence" The reasons
for this bitter feeling South may be tallacious:
the people may have no just cause for it; but
| so long as the discomfort exists, it is a menace
to peace and source of danger. There are
reasons paramount why the discomfort should
be appeased. Is 1t a valid reason for prolouging
| trouble that it is waxing? When grievances
! grow is there not more reason for assuaging
them? There was some wit, but no wisdom, in
| the remark of Judge Busted, that he would
keep the States South out in the cold till their
teeth chartered to the music of the Union. He
would increase their discomfort, and, of course,
add new burdens for their further repression.
Discomfort in communities is the source of
crime laziness, social dscord, and personal
unsafety. Already secret societies. associations,
conspracies, curses of every kind, and ont.
! RACES OF every hue, taking the course of
| hostility between the races keeping capital from
| the Southern borders and industry paralyzed,
are upsettliDg so much Of the established order
characterize the situation South. Why they
| exist, why military tyranny, the absence of civil
restraint, and the domination of the untutored
classes should produce such results, is social
problem which history and science may solve.
| But our election is not as to the philosophy but
as to the fact. The skilful surgeon does not in
quire into the legal or mora. elements of the
tray in which his patient has been manned. He
goes to the wound and applies the knife. With
all respect TO General Grant, | do not see the
remedy for our civil disorders in the use of his
sword, however skilful its thrust and brilliant
its flash. Its sheath would be worth more. The
distribution OF arms-now in process of being
| passed by Congress-to the South, indicates that
our first General has not laid aside the symbols
OF his profession. 'Iet us have arms" say the
negroes. LET US have peace" says the Gene
| raj; and he gives them arms. He holds his own
election at the point of the sword. Our diseases
| require far other treatment. We require con-
stitutonal remedies. We want them backed by
stronger than bayonets which General Blair
| lnvokes, and which, to guilty apprehensions,
looks so like revolution. These remedies will
come, when that opinion bears into the Execu.
tive chair Horatio Seymour.
Now, gentlemen, we all know that our busi-
less interests will not be preserved unless there
! is production. consumpt. on, and exchange in
The country. Transportation, railways. sea.going
SHIPS. everything OF that kind must grow. We
must have, however peace and contentment in
the country. AS a natural deduction from that
premise, allow me to say that 1t is almost mpos-
Eible. under the present state of taxation with
our immense and growing debt, for us to have
that production aud consumption until we study
economy. AS Governor Seymour said, and said
so truly, that when we eau get peace, economy,
and union, then We may calculate to lessen our
taIatiop; then we can do justice to the bond
holder. aud do justice to the taxpayer; and
then, then only can we bring up our greenback
currency TO its proper value in sterling com,
| and make that miserable cur rpncv redaama h a