The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1869-03-08
Anlrulo,td 1ispath.,
MONDAY 800. ....MARCH 8, 1869.
The Situation.

- The Situation.
i In the progress Of the manufacture OF
national higtory--in which We have re-
-peated that Of the past with great fidelity
we have reached point where, if We are
not sure as to what will take place, we are
satisfied that we shall not be kept long IN
donht as 10 the reconstruction " fate OF
this old State and some others OF her south
crn sisters. The party in power in the
legislative branch Of the Government have
succeeded in placing in the executive de-
parsmens chief Of their own selection.
Il NAV be inferred-indeed, we can infer
nothing eise-that the Government will pro
coed at once, without division, to carry out
its measures. We may therefore expect
-promptness-an early ending Of the busi-
ness of reconstruction to the general reiie1
Of the country for the delay and doubt and
alienation Of fear and hope excited by the
war. which has been for three years car
,ried on between the legislative and cxecu-
tive departments of che Government, are as
bad as war itself in impairing the general
welfare, disturbing public confidence, and
distressing the wearied and worn southern
people.
i. Considering the " situation p" at this
point, we may well conclude that we have
little to do but await our fate. Argu-
ment is Of no avail, and resentment would
now be as unbecoming as it is utterly fu-
tile. We have no longer the temptation to
participate in partisan discussion which
was held out to US by the war between Mr..
JOHNSON and Congress and to await the
end with dignity and patience is both be-
coming and proper.
Nevertheless, the new situation is
better than the old. The old continued the
passions and prejudices of the war by its
bitter conflicts. The new, ending the
conflict of departments, smooths the way
for the subsistence of those passions and
hatreds, whose presence oppose an lnsupe-
rable difficulty in the way of peace. For
tunately, We find in that "hero" Of the
war who, according to all precedent, was
destined to be President, and has been
made President, an earnest determination
to repress the feelings that lead to discord,
and in that way to restore harmony to the
nation. Therefore we may, while feeling
assured that the work of reconstruction is
to be prompt, hope that it will be relieved
of some of its rigors by the better feeling
which the absence of contention in Wash
iDgton may inspire.
General GRANT has uttered sentiments
that are most favorable to the rapid disap-
pearauce of the sectional strife which has
continued to tear and wound the country
since the war. While by no means making
war upon the party through which he was
elevated to the Presidency, he has inform
cd all men that he considers the country
superior to party, and that he will BIO 60
verned by the will Of the people in his ad-
ministration. In the first act Of his adj
ministration he has plainly indicated his
purpose to end the sectional strife as far as
he can by leaving out Of his Cabinet the
leading partisans who were drilled and
disciplined in the war and are incapable Of
surrendering the prejudices and hates that
have been go deeply ingrained in their
natures.
1t is q good general idea that the hero
Of war is the best man to bring his
country out Of the decentralization which
that war has produced. In General GRANTS
case, he has in some most important re-
spects shown the country that he is well
fitted for this difficult work. He has re-
quested that oil things that can fan the
embers of strife shall be put away, even
including the uniforms which the wearers
who came to honor him thought would be
pleasing to his eyes. His inaugural ad-
dress was free from any expression that
could revive bitter feelings or wound the
scnsibilities of the defeated, and contained
broad national views which, if carried out,
must restore equality among the States, and
harmony and pr osperity to the people.
Standing, then, as he does, before the
nation he must exert great power in
bridging over the wide sectional gaps which
exist, and modifying the rigorous policy of
the Government. Certainly to restore con-
cord he must tone down the party which
placed him in power; but it is equally true
that it is impossible for him, if he were
disposed to do SO, to secure for us all that
We can ask.
People without representation have never
been heard with the patience and respect
that is shown 10 a people who are repre-
sented and never will be. But situated
as we are, we shall get q hearing, probably
the best We could hope for, and we should
not fail to seek it on all matters seriously
involving the public welfare.
We are decidedly better off than we were
under Mr.. JoHNsoNs administration, du-
ring which the departments fought over US
with weapons whose blows fell entirely
upon us until we were well nigh dead. Let
us be both cheerful and hopeful, and get
ready for the new era.