New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1869-11-27
THK REPUBLICANS AND THE SOUTH.

TIKI REPUBLICANS AND THE SOUTH
To Major Gen. BENZ. f. BUTLER. H. @.
My DEAR SIR: Your name, think you Will
have remarked, is very often pronounced, from
one end of our country to the other l-travel-
ing somewhat, observing little, and reading
newspapers considerably often hear it
mentioned, and Gt may surprise you to learn)
not always admiringly. And yet. while have
for many years heard and read all manner OF
evil said of you-some of it absurdly ground
less and false--I cannot recollect that l ever
heard or read suggestion that you were
fool. Now, l come before the public to I'M
peach-not yourself personally. but a policy
wherewith your name is popularity and promi-
nently identified, as lacking rational motive
and at war with common sense. | allude to
that policy which prolOngs indefinitely tho
prescription and Acknowledgement of large
portion of tho mon of the South for their part
in the late Rebellion
Understand that l speak from the stand
point not of sentiment but of business. do
not here impeach that policy as harsh or hate
full, but as deficient in taot-in gumpton. l
impeach it rs nursing and intensifying
enmties certain to subyert, at no distant day.
will not dwell upon the well-knOwn fact
that the late Gov. Andrew in his farewell
message or address. put forth four years ago.
strongly urged a policy antagonist to this-a
policy that contemplated the early and COM
plete Cancellation of tho South, through the
acknowledgment and magnanimous treatment
of her natural leaders. Nor need invite your
attention to tho fact that Gen. Sickles "a
shrewd, thoroughly practical politician) Off
caly demonstrated, moro than three years ago,
against tho prescription OF prominent and
wealthy ex-Rebels, "a depdying him of tho
services of the very mon he urgently needed
and could make most useful in governing
South Carolina. Nor do | care to press home
the fact, of which you cannot DO ignorant that
the Southern men Of education and property
are by far more reasonable and less bitter
than their poorer, more ignorant neighbors-are
less implacable, more rational, and more ready
to unite heartily in rebuilding tho waste places
of the land. Nor will dwell upon the noble
addition made, on motion of Gen. Carl Schurz,
to tho latest National platform of the Repub-
lican party-that plank which declares Proscrip-
ton temporary expedent rendered necessary
by a grave public peril. and to be abandoned
when that peril shall have vanished. | rest on
the naked fact that the Republican party immi-
nently needs the good will which this policy
repels, and must 20 under if that good will be
not secured.
assume that you realize the absolute ne
cessity of tho triumph of the XVIII Amend
ment to the success Of Gen. Grants Admin
stratiOn, and that you must be aware that
the fate OF that Amendment Is yet doubt
full. Ten adverse States suffice to defeat It and
seven-(New-Jerse Delaware, Maryland, Ken
lucky, Tennessee, California, and OregOn)-aro
already beyond hope The loss of Tennessee
was at once a calamity and blunder-one of
those intense stupidities which great party is
seldom allowed to repeat How Rhode Island,
Indiana. Georgia and Nebraska, stand, ] need
not inform you. Suffice it that it will require
the wisest counsels aud the best efforts to avert
the threatened failure of that great and wise
measure of safety, benignity, and peace.
The mon now coming to Congress TO demand
that Tennessee be upset, and Virginia re-
manded, and Mississippi and Texas held as
satrapies for an indefinite period, unless they
vote as they are hidden, utterly fail to COM
prehend the situation. They evidently suppose
that zoe have nothing at stake-that we may
keep three or four States unreconstructed and
unrepresented in Congress during pleasure. l
hope you know better-at all events, L do.
We do not merely need the XVIII Amendment
ratified before 1S72-we urgently need 1t nO,o.
If it be delayed one year longer, we shall have
more than one State Legislature beside that Of
New-YOrk assuming TO withdraw the ratifca-
ton already accorded; and. while you and may
rightly deny the legal validity Of such with
drawal, am sure neither of us will dispute
its moral weight. Connecticut is to hold an
election next April, when the votes of her Col
ored citizens will be found exceedingly useful
if not absolutely needed; New-Jersey and
Pennsylvania have U. s. Senators depending
on the result of their next State election re-
spectively, and the like votes are absolutely
needed in the former. and probably so in the lat
ter Several seats in the next Congress from
Ohio and other States will DO won or lost as
the right to vote for Members shall be exer-
csed by their whole people or only by the
Whites. Kentucky, Maryland and Delaware,
will each DO stOutly and hopefully contested
next year if tho Amendment be meantime rat
fled. while we shall not elect one Member
from all three of these States IL it be not. To
my apprehension. the control of the next House
of Representatives will probably hinge on that
event
ask you. then. to consider. rs o practical
man. whether We can afford to pick and