The Daily state journal. [volume] (Alexandria, Va.) 1868-1874, 1871-01-12
AMNESTY,

general amnesty. we want THIS congress
to do it, because it is more pronouncedly
and radically Republican than its successor
will prove to be, and the effect would,
therefore, be greater upon the minds the
Southern people, and the party would be
the more benefited thereby. The Repub-
licans Of this State, at the Convention held
in October last, incorporated the amnesty
plank in their platform, aud it was
unanimously and unhesitatingly adopted.
Ga the hustings, our candidates declared
themselves in favor of the largest liberal
ity on that question and although some
of them have since seen fit to oppose it,
we hold ourselves and the party bound by
the action of the Convention, aud shall
maintain it and advocate amnesty, SO long
as that action remains the rule for our
guidance and the law of the party.
f. We have had nearly six years of peace,
and we think it time to remove the last
vestiges of the war. The physical marks
have disappeared and the actual wounds
have been healed, and why not remove
the moral marks and wounds The great
mass of the people have returned to their
first love of the Union, even though they
may not have, as yet, learned to love with
that ardor we could wish all the people
of the Union and as we have long since
given up all idea of furnishing even the
leaders, and many of them have been
pardoned and even rewarded, we can SEQ
no good end to be attained by prolonging
the period of probation for the humber
classes by continuing their disfranchise-
ment. Let Congress at once relieve
the masses of their disabilities, and
more will be done for the restoration
of peace and good feeling by that
simple act then could be accomplished,
were they to concede the independence of
these Southern States, withdraw their
jurisdiction, and sanction the re-inaugura-
ton of Jefferson Davis as their President.
The people cannot be expected to be any
thing else but sullen, morose, and unsocia-
bic, so long as these test-oath and four
teenth amendment disqualifying and dis
abling acts are hanging over them, and
depriving them of their restored rights.
They have done everything, and we be-
lieve in good faith, that Congress has re-
quired, and now we think there ought to
be something done for them in return as
reward for their very general good be-
havior. The South has almost settled
down to qnietness. But few disturbances
of any kind take place even in the most
exciting times and so far as our acquaint-
ance and observation extend, there is
growing disposition to bury the animosi-
ties and resentments which grew out of
the Wharf.-The growth of which feeling
this act of amnesty would hasten.
There are very few from whom we would
withhold grace at this late day. Perhaps
it might be well enough to leave Mr..
Davis, and two or three more, where they
are for the present. although we do not
fear that their restoration to the rights of
citizenship would work the slightest injury
either to the party or the country but,
surely, the millions of privatecitizens, who
through mistaken notion of the para
mount allegiance they owed to their State,
or, through choice, took the side of the
South in the war or, perhaps, as in
many instances was the case, were forced,
at first, against their will, to take up
arms, but subsequently gave voluntary aid
to the rebelion,-we say, surely these
ought to be relieved ofthe test-oath, which
81 the only disability they labor under.
Open up all the offices and employments
of the general government at once to these
young men, and they will have a new
motive and incentive for returning to their
love of the old flag. Now they are de-
prived of any hope of preferment, and as
man is selfish animal, impelled ever more
by his own interests than by mere senti-
ment, we should soon see hundreds rally
ing around the banner of that party whose
prospects was brightest and most promis-
ing. But aside from considerations of mere
interest, we think it but just that these
young men should be relieved. They have
generally behaved well since their sur
render and for their good conduct merit
this boon at the hands of Congress.
General amnesty once proclaimed, there
will be no lack of material in the South
for the President to choose from in the
selection of his officers, and petty rings
and factions will no longer be able to hold
States sin a sling" and force their own
appointment to places they are unfit to
occupy because of the scarcity of "natve
material" We have something too much
of this now, owing to the fact that so many
of our people are disqualified. Many of
the Federal office-holders in the South |
are working against amnesty because they |
fear it will initiate against themselves by |
increasing the number of place-seekers. |
Well, that is the very thing honest and
patriotic Republicans desire. They want