Wilmington journal., 1869-08-13
Prescription.

Will asSurculy lOllO"'
Prescription.
The day of political prescription mas
passed and the days of the party OF pro-
scription arc indeed numbered. 1t mas
been weighed in tho balances and been
found wanting. 1t could hardly be expec-
ted that government founded upon reh-
gious and political toleration could long
he nnder the control of those who ignored
the latter entirely and were making glgan-
tic strides towards usurping the former.
Since the close of the war the history OF
the Radical party has been the repetltlon
of proscriptions of the most lntolerant
character. Political victories have been
heraIded as endorsements Of their course,
and nolitical defeats have been robbed OF
their significance by refusal OF recogm-
ton and by the imposition OF new anu
more degrading prescriptions. For up
wards of four years their lips have deceit
fuIIy ntterel peace, while their hearts con-
cealed the deepest hatred and their actions
have kept alive the spirit OF warfare. Du-
Iipg this time the Southern people have
been patient, but not nnlnterested, su1er
ers Their utter helplessne&s was as IN
effectual as the honesty of their acqules-
cence in the results of tho war, TO appease
the cowardly malignity which ranked IN
the breasts Of the dominant politicians.
We knew this bitter and relentless spirit
IF hatred ana prescription would run its
course and react upon its authors.
1t now seems to have eliminated and
the reaction has begun in earnest. States
have spoken in thunder tones, the rever-
herations of which are heard among the
mountains of West Virginia and along the
plains of Missouri, frightening the adj
herents of prescription in those two States.
where its b!ighting power is still felt
With the results in Virginia and Tennessee
1t may we'll be claimed that the day OF
white disfranchisemcnt and test-oath pro-
acriptions arc gone. No party can refuse
to acknowledge the Significance of these
Yerdicts Nopower can resist such a tor
rent. Whatever be the name of the party
which triumphs in tho future politics OF
the conntry, be it Democrat or Republlcan,
or new organization, its success Will be
accomplished through the liberation and
liberality of its principles.
The good effects of these late elections
are already apparent In Missouri party
IL forming under the leadership of Senator
HENDERSON, who has been prescribed be-
cause he refused to vote for the conviction
of President JOHNSON under the partisan
articles of impeachment, the watchword of
whichis political federation. The prescribed
whites of that oppressed State, as was the
case in Tennessee, look on with anxious
interest, while the sympathies of the
civilized world will cheer them in their
work. Even West Virginia, where pro-
scription has been most unrelentless,
begins to awaken under the generous i'm
pulses which have taken hold Of other
States. Almost every Republican paper in
the State is now opposed to the future en-
forcement of test oaths, and we have no
doubt political liberation will whiten the
cscutcheon of West Virginia at the next
ensuing election.
1t is not to be supposed that this move
ment will stophere. The party lines in Penn
sylvania and Ohio are as closely drawn upon
this issue as they were in Virginia and
Tennessee The sdherents OF GEARY in
Pennsylvania, and HAYS in Ohio, the Rad
ical candidates for Governor in those
States, looked upon the success of WELLS
and STORES rs significant of their own
Their defeat has been denounced as the
result of "rebe!" support, intimidation
and fraud, and i'll their behalf have the
elections in Mississippi and Texas been
delayed until their own States have voted.
But the favor of the administration in
these instances will be as signally rebuked
as it was in the case of Tennessee. Com
mitted to the support of STOKES by the let
ters Of BOUTWELL, and CREsswELL, and by
the undenied assurance of the latter, Pres
ident GRANT has seen his majority of more
than thirty thousand swept away, and
nearly seventy thousand rolled up on the
other side. Tens of thousands of white
men will he enfranchised by the result, and
political prescription will never be heard
of more III Tennessee.
We have npver observed the political
horoscope with more anxiety CIR with more
hope than we do now. The immediate
future is pregnant with important devel-
opments in our civil history. A reaction
ary movement has begun, and if properly
appreciated and taken advantage of will
lead to important and glorious results
Cape Fear Agricultural Assocfatfon,
The progress OF the affairs of this Asso-
ciation is very satisfactory, and we have no
doubt that sufficient preparations will be