The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-06
Grenitta State Soltrllat.
FRIDAY EVENING, JAN. 6, 1871.
srIRIw OF Tun MORNING PRESS.

gro boy should rush into the office of the
Dispatch or Whig and hint that President
Grant intends to do SO or SO, to give eth
or of those fault-fnding and captious jour
nails text for falling upon the General and
belaboring him most numerically. The
negro boys word would suffice. They
would never think of stopping to inquire
into the probabilities of the insinuation, OF
of questioning the source of their informa-
ton. They wanted an opportunity, and
the negro boy is good enough authority for
their purpose, which is to depopuarze
the President as much as possible with the
people of the South.
They have both seized upon sensation
al paragraph from some half-witted cor
respondent of the New York Tribune, CIV
ing a rumor to the effect that the President
was about to recommend that the work of
reconstruction in the South be taken up
and done over. Of course the President
has no such idea, or intention. But with
the Democratic press here, which talks so
much about it and does SO much to induce
it, the wish is father to the thought. They
would like to see the President do some
thing to entangle himself in the South,
that he might be lost in the May labyrinth
of an insoluble enigma, such as re-recon-
struction would prove. There are some few
remnants of abuse remaining here, the debris
of reconstruction, which, perhaps, need
removing, but there is no necessity exist
ing to disturb reconstruction, that it may
be done. As we remarked yesterday, the
wounds are healing and the bones knitting
as fast as nature will permit, and through
peace and quietness and gentle nursing we
will speedily recover. The troubled pool
will settle. The heavier material that has
riled it will sink to the bottom, while the
scum which rises or may have risen to the
surface, can easily be skinned off. The
Dispatch only borrows trouble and it
does the South injury by suggesting that
there is a probability of another disturb
ance. Even if such thing had never been
thought of, yet the agitation of the question
may familiarize the minds of men with it,
and thus make possible what would never
have entered into their widest dreams.
But the insinuation of the Dispatch that
the Presidents object is to throw the
Southern States out of the Union, that be
may be reelected President, is entirely
gratuitous and wholly illogical. The Pre-
sident knows the temper of the Southern
people better perhaps than they do them
selves. He knows how hard it is to drive
them by force, but how easily they may
be led by kindness; and if he is as astute
a politician, as he is brave and skillful
soldier, he has already discovered the
kind of strategy which best succeeds
in treating this Southern question, and
winning the hearts as well as the votes of
the Southern people. He will pursue that
course, and not only make peace throughout
the country, by making himself the chief
apostle, but he will be sure to make him.
self our next President, land all in spite
of the extremist on either side. Louis
Napoleon said the "The Empire is Peace,
but he was perjured trickster and mere
mountebank and charlatan, speaking one
thing, and meaning another. But Pres
dent Grant has said "Let US have Peace"
and with the assistance of the people,
whose aid he asks in that Invocation, we
will have it--for, our life upon the cast, he
will do his part with all his might.
The Wig reviews the proceedings in
the House of Delegates yesterday, which
were somewhat various" The main
question under discussion was the right of
colored people to have special cars for their
exclusive use. This was asked by the col
ored member from Charlotte county, Mr..
Ragsdale, who moved resolution appoint
ing committee of three to wait upon the
presidents Of the roads for that purpose.
He complained bitterly of the rude treat
ment to which colored people, especially
females, are subjected in the cars, 10
which they are now compelled to ride,-
being cons family annoyed by tobacco
chewers smokers, aud persons showing
them obscene pictures. A vote to lay the
resolution on the table was lost, when Mr..
Stubs, of Gloucester, expressed his sur
prise at the result, as he thought the
negroes had no right to ask the Legisla-
ture for anything A progressive man, is
Mr.. Stubs Wonder where he will be
found five years from now? Mr.. Kelly,
of Spotsylvania, who is something more
of philosopher and statesman, thought
it but proper that the grievances should
be inquired into and remedied but
before be closed his remarks, the morn
ing hour closed him out, and SO the
question rests. Of course, the Legislature
will act like sensible men when the ques-
ton comes up, and not like children. The
demand of the colored people is far less
than we expected, and the railroad COM
panies ought to rejoice to get off so cheap
ly, for if the civil rights bill, to which they
were referred by Mr.. Stubs, were enforced,
they might ride just where they saw fit to
ride. Better be civil to our colored friends.
0r, rather, we would say to Mr.. Stubs,
treat your colored enemies now as if you
expected them some day to become your
friends, which is good philosophical
precept.
The Enquirer feels that Virginia is in a
bad way. She is beleaguered, like Paris,
on every side. Here she is threatened by
General Grant and Congress with re-recon-
struction; and there by exacting tax
collectors and creditors" people who
are driving at our ruin by intolerable Lewis
for taxes and old debts" Ofthese it says !:
Well, we next meet class of people who
are driving at our ruin by intolerabe levies
for taxes, and old debts. They demand dollars
from those who have not so many cents to
spare. Presto change Another sound comes
from our pursuers. Regard not your interests