The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-04-19
CLOSING UP THE WORK.

part Oh Lne AmeIlcan Oeuatos
CLOSING UP THE WORK.
From the N. y. Tribune.
Congress has wisely devolved on the Presi-
dent the duty of providing for elections in the
three States not yet reconstructed; and we are
sure the work will be seasonably and fitly at
tended to. Let the crowd of office. seekers at
Washington be allowed few days more for
final dispersion, and we shall then see procla-
nations addressed to the people of Virginia,
Mississippi, and Texas, appointing day of
election in each, and prescribing the manner
of voting on their pending constitutions re-
spectively. No doubt it will be rendered
practicable in each to vote for reconstruction
and against Acknowledgement, so that thou
sands will vote to return to self-government
and representation in Congress who would
refuse to do so il they were obliged therein to
vote for the disfranchisement even of their
friends and neighbors.
We see with regret, though without sur
prise, that many of the Northern journals
which justified and applauded the fatal plunge
backwards taken by Georgia last summer in
the expulsion of the colored members from
her Legislature, are now trying to sire the
Southern heart" and impel it to vote down
the new constitutions, thus protracting indef-
nitely that anomalous military rule which
they affect so much to deplore. Because Con-
gress has prescribed a ratification of the XVIII
amendment, and reserved the right to review
the action of the States about to vote, they
would have those States reject their respec-
tive constitutions and thus remand them
selves into military provinces.
This is precisely OF piece with that suici-
dal action which did so much to justify distrust
and severity on the part of Congress. Repub-
icans cannot be expected to ferget that the
blacks land even the yellows) were expelled
from the Georgia Legislature, after they had
served therein without objection for months,
by the votes of men themselves expressly
disqualified by their own prominent participa
tion in the Rebellion-men who owed their
own seats to the forbearance of the very men
they thus ostracized. Nor can it be 80 soon
forgotten that the States of Georgia and Lou
isiana were made to vote against General
Grant last November by terrorizing ma ority
of the blacks into voting against their own en-
reimbursement or not voting at all. In thirty
or forty counties, containing at least fifty
Thousand colored voters, who had already ex-
ercised the right of suffrage in unani-
nous afirmance of their own right to be
regarded and treated as men and citizens,
hardly dozen votes per county were cast for
Grant and Colfax, and the returns were made
to show prepOnderance of hundred to one
for Seymour and Blair, when every one knew
that majority of the voters desired the defeat
of those candidates. If Democrats have so
soon forgotten this monstrous wrong, perpe-
trated through Rebel conspiracy and persecu-
tion, they surely cannot expect that Republi-
cans have done so. We could wish that Con-
gress had been less exacting and suspicious in
its new terms OF reconstruction; yet we cannot
deny that those terms were abundantly justi
fed by the action Of the Rebel Democracy
even 80 lately as 1868.
We hope to hear that every lover of peace
at the South now takes his stand firmly and
openly in favor of bringing each of the out
lying States forthwith back into their ole
held off because they hoped that the Presiden
tial election of 1868 would result in Demo
cratic pro-Rebel triumph; but that hope il
now dead. To stand out now, in fond expec
fancy of different result in 1872, were ab
surd and suicidal. Let us have each Stat
back in her place next winter, and all pre-
scriptions and acknowledgements must vanisl
like the dews Of summer. Every one will sool
vote; and the Government of each State ant
its representation in Congress, must very sool
be such as the will Of a majority of her peopl
shall choose to have it. Nothing is to b
gained, while every good result will be i'm
peded, by voting now to keep three States IL
definitely under pupilage. Reconstruction
the door which opens into every possibility
melioration and improvement; let it not b
sullenly closed by those to whom 1t afford
the only access to elfgovernment and the fu
recovery of their forfeited rights.
THE ADMINISTRATION AND THE CUBA
QUESTION.
From the NJ Y. Herald.
We are informed by news from WashingtC
that the Secretary of State has awakened fro
his Rip Van Winkle sleep of conservatism {
the Cuban question, and that he really CO..
templates vindicating the national honor
the case Of Spanish outrages on the Americi
flag and American citizens. 1t is said he W
20 SO far even as to demand prompt reparatiC
and apology from Spain for these outrages,
the reports about them be true" So far 1t
all very well, and considering the character
Mr.. Fish and the hesitating conduct OF q
administration, the American people may 81
ssthe smallest favors are thankfully received
But why this 'ifY" Is 1t not notorious th
Spanish authorities have committed outrag
on our citizens and flag on the high seas a.
even in the waters Of friendly pOwerS II
facts are palpable enough and the cause SUI
oient to order the American fleet to ma
reprisals. We suppose Spain will apologi
or do anything else to prevent our Cover
ment from helping, directly or indirectly, q
Cubapa.