New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-12-11
The Rehabilitation of the South.

The ex-rebci and the non-radical press of
the South unites with the better class of the
Southern people and the intelligent settlers
from the Northern States in earnest appeals
for the restoration OF general confidence
and friendly relations. BY the issue of war,
MANY of the old questions which produced
discOrd have been .>settled forever: .the
problem of free labor has been solved; the
doctrine of lawful resistance to constituted
authorities has been exploded the solution
is accepted. There is reason to believe that
it is accepted with an honest purpose on the
part of the men of the South to abide by the
new order. The experiences of their public
men, the sentiments of their leading jour
malls, the testimony Of intelligent travellers,
them to the South within the past year, all
point in this direction.
The Southern men who find their way to
the North, or who have taken up their per-
manent residence here, echo the general eX-
preston Of feeling: believe in u.s." they
say; ''we accept the situation: we were
beaten. and beaten badly, and we know it;
willing to take things as they are. Most of
lis have lost all we had, and now alive ask
is opportunity to retrieve personal and ma
tiOnal disaster. to restore to our part OF the
country share, at least, Of her old pros
perity. and to give ourselves to hard work.
But We need skilled labor, and factories,
and capital. Without money We can do
nothing, and money we can not get. In
vestors of capital continue to look cOldly
upon us. and the lands we offer at cheap
rates are only bought in small parcels. We
have been drained dry: give us help to build
anew"
This is substantially the language of the
practical and thinking men of the South.
They are sincere in their professions, beyond
doubt, for any human being is usually sim
cere i'll his desire to have his wounds healed;
it is not pleasant for him to go about with
his cuts and bruises undressed, and he is
apt to offer large price for medical aid and
bandages The wounds OF the South have
been exceedingly severe, and it is such aid
as the invalid requires for which ii asks. 1t
must first become convalescent before it
can walk. 1t wants cOAsiderate treatment;
not the fresh blows and unmerited kicks
which the Radical doctors of the day are
too much ii the habit OF administering
TO it.
The action of Congress toward Nirg inia
was au example OF the mistaken policy.
The people of that State yielded instant
compliance to all that was required OF
them; they amended their laws and con-
formed promptly to the regulations imposed
upon them: they asked for nothing more
than the right to live and the right TO
denied to them. and they were left out III
the cold as the reward for a manly accept
ance of stringent conditions. This was
shabby work. and we tell the extreme Rad
icals in Congress that the people are be-
coming impatient of the close sectional
policy and small spite which have lately
found too frequent expression in words and
acts. Give the conquered States a chance
to recover from the inevitable disasters
xt1,;n oh war inf cd hi.
industries. and opportunity to show by
their works whether or not their profess
siOns are merely pretences. Ii they prove
to he pretences, then punish the pretence
but do not call profession lie until it is
demonstrated to be 80 by actual experiment.
What is wanted above all things else in
the Southern States is encouragement to the
investment of capital. but so long as the
reconstruction acts undergo continual tink-
ering, 80 long as the Radical wing of the
Republican party clamOrs for the imposition
of new restrictions, and so long as tile spirit
of unfraternal prejudice exists. just SO long
will the South be kept in turmoil, and capt
talists hold back from enterprises which
would enure to their own benefit and help
to build up sound business system. The
avenues Of trade and commerce should be
reopened works of internal improvement
be encouraged. and the States lately in re-
volt be given d fair field to show what they
can do, with timely help.
The objection that will naturally be
raised is that the people of the South look
with disfavOr upon Northern men and
J. Northern enterprises. and that some OF those
who have made ventures during the past
years have had to endure cOntumely as well
as to suffer loss; hence, that it is both I'm
comfortable and unsafe to try further ex-
periments. But there is an answer to this
plea ready at hand: the people who have
had the worst experience in the South, from
| the day the war closed down to the present,
are the ''carpet-baggers" who
| driftcd into place and assumed pretentious
| leadership when they had no vital interest
| anything greater than personal enolumcnt.
| and who would have seen the communities
| among whom they settled sunk fathOms
| deep rather than surrender one of the priv
| ileges which they claimed for their own.
| These men went to make money, and
| meant to go away when they had made it.
| If few OF them lost their ventures, and If
| a few more suffered personal indignites,
| there is no great cause for wonder Under
| similar circumstances, pretty much the
same condition of things would prevail
| here. The fact is, the Southern people,
| most of whom desire peace and a chance
| to work for themselves, have been so
harried and badgered between the Radicals
in Congress and the carpet-baggers, that
they naturally lost patience. But let the
solid business men, whose regulations are
as good as their moneybags are long, be
left free to build Southern factories and to
hire labor, whether white or black. and to
assist in the great work of developing the
resources of region which is rich in mines
and the useful products of the earth, and
we shall hear of no more Outrages, and let
us hope, of no more yindictive hates.