New-York tribune., 1869-01-19
RECONSTRUCTION AT ONCE.


the late Rebels are divided in sentiment and
action; and their division grows daily more
definite and palpable. On one side are the
landholders, merchants and men of property,
with all who are inclined to industry and
thrift, many of whom opposed Secession so
long as they safely could, and all of whom
now ask, "What use in fighting longer against
"Destiny7 The Union is restored; Slavery Is
abolished; the Blacks arc enfranchised; lot
Gus cordially accept these facts, bow to the
"inevtable, make peace between tho mansion
"and the cottage, cordially invite the immi-
" crratinn of r,nn of oananitv. means and energy.
"and rebuild the waste places of our States,
"double their annual products, and cause their
"deserts to blossom as the rose. We have
"lavished useless tears in profusion on past
(which can never be recalled; hencefOrth, let
Gus devote ourselves wholly and heartily to
" the present and the future"
Opposed to these. stand a very considerable
but decreasing faction of sOre-heads and malig-
nants who were foisted into consequence by
the Rebellion, and who forget its hardships
and pers in the contemplation of its delusive
hopes, its thrilling excitements, and its falla-
cous glories. These want TO maintain the
War in the only form still practcable-by
scowing at and threatening the Unionists
whom they dare not shoot, by trampling on
the Blacks wherever they can do so with im-
punity, infestng in masks at midnight their
humble dwellings, burning their schoOl-hOuses,
abusing their preachers or teachers and con-
fcderating with the dregs of our Northern cities
to keep the country distracted and convulsed,
while its industry and progress are retarded
and paralyzed, by on absurd, untimely
wraDg gle, contestiDg the right of -Four Millions
of our native people to voice i'll the Govern
ments which they have fought to uphold and
are taxed to maintain.
1t is now within the power of the Republi-
cans in Congress to give secure and lasting
peace to the country by joining hands with the
former of these parties on the simple, lucid,
comprehensive platform of UNIVERSAL AM
NEsTY and IMPARTIAL SUFFRAGE. Let us do
so at once, and the Ku-Klux and their abettors
will speedily be hunted out of every pOpuous,
organized community and compelled to dsband
or fee; schOol-houses and all other means of
intellectual and moral improvement will be
placed under the protection of all who have
property or hope to acquire any; and the
Rights of the Blacks secured forever against
their support all that is substantial and hon
ored in the entire community.
No bargain, no make-weight, is needed to
secure oar hearty advocacy of Universal Am
nesty, so far as the past is concerned. While
we would deal sternly with those who, from
Rebel malignity. persist in disturbing and har-
assing Unionists, White or Black, we would,
in any case, enfranchise every man who now
heartily accepts the triumph of the Union and
its logical consequences. But good thing is
never disparaged in our eyes by its tendency
to secure another equally good We greatly
desire complete and Universal Amnesty for all
who are now loyal, whatever they may have
been in the past we shall rejoice all the moro
in its triumph if it secures that of Impartial
Suffrage as well.
We entreat the White Republicans of tho
South to consider well the position Of the
Blacks. Most of these live on tho lands Of
Conservatives" otherwise Rebels in the past;
three-fourths OF them either work for those
Rebels or till their lands on shares and all OF
them are connected by early associations and
lifelong intimacy with those who once owned
and still employ or at least shelter them. SO
long as the socially dominant race were leagued
to deny political rights to their former chat
tells, it was easy TO rally the most of these lat
ter to vote as the law of self preservation die
tated but from the moment in which the late
masters abandon this attitude for one of frank
recognition and cheerful concession of the
Rights Of the Blacks, all this must inevitably
and utterly be changed. Between a stranger
and ole massa especially when the latter
happens 10 be q gentleman--it Is just % GER
tain that the latter will have most influence