The Conservative. (M'connelsville, Ohio) 1866-1871, 1870-07-08
CONDITION OF THE SOUTH.
A Radical Newspaper on the
Persecution of the White
People Ofthe Southern States.

From the Chicago Tribune-1
The people of the Northern
States have never participated IN
any scheme for the persecution Of
the white population of the South.
Had Mr.. Lincoln lived, he would.
in due time, have issued q general
proclamation of amnesty to all those
engaged in rebellion, save, perhaps,
the official head of the in%surrection.
No one can doubt that such an act
would, ere this. have met the ap-
proyal OF the whole people. That
the rebellion was a crime, punisha-
BILE by Law, was beyond a question;
but except as against Jefferson Da-
Wis, and. perhaps a few others, the
American people neither desired
nor expected thai there should be
any criminal proceedings. In the
Joy at the restoration of peace, all
feelings OF revenge weresoon a6anj-
oned. Five years have elapsed,
and during that time no person has
been prosecuted criminally for par
ticipation In the rebellion. But, as
time has removed all lingering as
perItIes from the popular heart, the
political persecution of these people
has increased. Reconstruction has
been practically accomplished, but
the lawmakers are daily finding
new pretexts for presenting whole
classes, against whom they have
long since abandoned all pretexts
for legal prosecutions. There is no
spirit or rebellion at the South.
These people have been effectually
cured of that Gelusion. But there
is discomfort, the result of practical
evils, and Congress is seeking TO
encourage that discomfort by doing
all that is possible 10 perpetuate and
aggravate the evils.
In a recent speech by Mr.. Dox, a
member of Congress from Alabama,
northern man by birth, and who
was a loyalist all through the rebel
lion, we find a fair and candid state
ment Of the present condition oi
things at the South. The great
body OF the white people are labor
ing under political Acknowledgement
and those who r eligible to any
of the Offices essential to local gov
eminent are confined to a class not
the best qualified, either Intel!ectu.
ally or morally, for such duties
Mr. Dox says:
"Bad laws are being constantly
enacted by the strange dynasties
which govern 10 the South, while
good laws r badly administered
Men are elevated by the votes Of
poor, innocent, ignorant negroes tc
the highest judicial positions, who
would not dare to aspire in any
Northern State 10 the Office of d
crossroads justice. SherIffs are
chosen who are incompetent to make
an Ineligible return of the service
of process and offices Of all kinds
though all the grades of response.
bilIty, are occupied by men utter
ly incompetent to the proper dis.
charge Of the commonest oficia.
duty. Indeed, incapacIty ard the
grossest ignorance are the rule (tC
which there are exceptions, but eT'
ceptio probGt regUlHm) among not on
Iy The inferior officers in my State
but with those OF high judicial posi-
ton; and thus Is there generally vi
olated a fundamental principle o
Magma Charta, that no man should
be al officer of justice wlthou'
knowledge of the law And yet
with such a condition of things gen
orally prevailing, with every thing
like official qualification branded
and o~stracised, it is expected tina
CRIME will not exist nor outrage b,
p~erpetratedI"
The picture is not overdrawn
However useful these carpet-bag
gers may have been for . while
their day has gone by. Yet theI
are the men who seek 10 perpetuat'
the present state of things. All off
ces must be filed with these adven
turers or with colored men wholly
untitled for such places; and, as
general thing, the negroes max
the better officers of the two, be
cause; though ignorant, they ar
not dishonest, nor r they NOR,
spectators IN public plumber
What Is wanted is the removal o
these disabilities by which compel
emit administrative officers of TIL
local government may be obtained
1t is not merely the men who ar
dlsfranchised who complain, but thu
thousands of their friends and kind
red who sympathize with them
Since the breaking out of the war
a large popelstion, then minors
have become of age. Anew popu
lation is growing up in these States
and all the memories and tradI
tions of the rebellion aTe perpetua'
ted because of these worse thar
,sal.sz MISUNDERSTANDING. lie