The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-12-03
THE SOUTH AS IF rs.
BY PARKER PILLsBURY.

WASHINGTON, ID. c., Oct. 1869.
To the Editor Of the Independent: All
who travel in the southern states since
the war, can learn lessons, if they will,
unknown to them before. Many have
reported their impressions to you al
ready; but all is not yet told. | am
afraid the worst is yet unknown. In
deed, | think the north knows less of
the actual south to-day than Of almost
any other portion of the globe. Repub-
licanism bears rule there, and reports
itself to please ITSELF Counter authori-
ties, especially from democratic sources,
are cast aside as unworthy of confidence,
as no doubt they often are. Butitis time
one thing was told, and believed, too,
everywhere; and that is that recon-
struction, so far, is failure. 1t is
bad failure. From the sole of its foot
to its head, if ii have any head, there
is no soundness in it, none whatever.
1t began where it should have left off,
with political organizations, with suf-
frage and sovereignty, when the first
lessons in civilization had not been
/ learned, had not been, and have not
yet been taught. But party suprena-
| cy required the measure, and it was a
| dopted, against all the dictates of gen.
uine craftsmanship, as well as the de-
mands of justice and humanity. And
hence its failure, as could not but have
been expected.
Neither political party understood
the situation during the war of rebell-
ion. Neither party understands it to-
day. Slavery was not abolished by the
aboiitionists. Still less was it abolish
ed by the republican party. In spirit
and power it survives even the war,
with all its woes. Like everything else
at the south, il is a ruin; but it is there.
| Both master and slave are there: and
more at war than ever before. And SO
far the northern element infused be-
/ tween them, instead of reconciling, has
only made matters worse. The north
| ern republican hates the master, but
! does not love the slave. The north new
er loved the negro race better than did
I the south. 1t did not abolish the slave
I system i'm form for the sake of the vic
! tins, nor at all until driven to the mea-
sure by the stern exigency of military
no >essity for self-preservation. So far
as apv sense of justice and humanity
were ever intepded, it was manifest e.
nough that the republican party would
have continued slavery until this day,
and unto Judgment day, htea not 'he
preservation of the nationality tiG.. oeii-
ously ordered and compelled otherwise
Year after year the south fought for sia-
very, without Union; the north fought
for the Union, regardless of slavery
for "Union with Shareholders"
And now the republican party needs
the black mans ballot at the south, and
is using it for its own preservation, as
his bayonet and bullet were used for
the national salvation. And he is fast
finding it out. Even in his low estate
he is learning who are not his friends.
And his estate is lower than even the
most extreme abolitionist ever desert
bed it. There is no tongue, no pen, no
language to describe what slavery must
have been, judged even by the gloomy
shadows of it which survive. would
that Mr.. Garrison and Wendell Phil
lips could spend one month in the cot
ton fields and rice swamps of the Car
oIinas and Georgia. | have seen only
the Atlantic states; but these are the
best. not the worst. They would soon
see that suffrage is not the one thing
needful for the emancipated slaves,
men nor women, however il, might
have been for the interests of a party;
and, above all things, unless that suf-
frage were directed by far other than
the present order of politicians there.
For it must be said that far the larger
part Of the northern men at the south
have partaken in the general moral and
political corruption that ruled there SO
long. That ruled until the present ruin