The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1871-02-02
TIE sOUr1H AND AMNESTY.


buted by him to the independent, says
| of the condition Of the South: I'm
| happily we are not relieved from anx-
iety on account of the Rebellion.
| Though reconstruction is on our statue
| books it is not yet established in the
| universal heart of the Nation, as it must
! be before peace can be permanently Sc
cured. There are painful reports from
States lately in rebellion, showing thar
| life is unsafe and society disorganizcd.
| A private letter says: I am assured
| by men who know that blood will be
| split, if Congress does not interfere.
| The excitement Of 81 bore no COMPARE
son to this. Amnesty Tempting and
| most persuasive word Who would not
be glad to record it? Who weuld not
delight to behold ali Ia equal citizenship?
But the general safety is TIE supreme
law. The people must be secure In their
homes-especially must the Unonlst and
the Freedmen be safe against all assault,
while dear bought rights are fixed be
yond recall When this Is done. how
happy will all be to remove every bar
aud ban. Naught in vengeance, naught
even in punishment; but ali for the sake
Of that peace which is the first condition
of national welfare.
Because Of the existence of such
state OF things as described by Senator
Sumner, the President will probably
send message to Congress, recommend
ing that steps be taken to Investigate the
condition Of the South. However,
much the Democratic journals
may ridicule the reports about the dis
order which has long prevailed in some
Of the Southern States, aud however
strongly they may denounce all action
on the part Of the Administration to
restore good order, yet the fact that the
spirit of rebellion Is active in certain
sections, that men are. murdered be-
cause they entertain Union principles Or
because they are Freedmen and viii not
be suborned to support Democrats, rem
6ered imperative the duty Of the Ad
minstration to do all within its leglti
mate power to restore good order, aud es
tablish safety. There is no doubt that ter
roriSm has overspread certain portions
of Alabama, North Carolina and Geor-
ga The Ku klux Khan has done a
fearful work Of persecution and blood:
through that means the Democrats have
gained their vitories. 1t is not because
OF these victories themselves, that the
Government proposes to Investigate the
condition Of the South, but because of
the manner In which the victories were
| obtained.
And why should not the government
investigate ? Why should not the
President send message to Congress
with special reference to the South
Are not the leaders Of the rebellion
asking for General Amnesty? Are not
some members of the Republican party
beguied into the mistaken notion that
Al a 10
sirable. But before General Am
nesty shall be declared, will it not
be well first to see whether or not the
men who ask that political disabilities
shall be removed from themselves, are
really friends OF the Union and whether
or not ii ey wish to free themselves from
law S restraint SO that they can again do
the devil S own work? Democratic jour
mails may decry the Presidents anticipa-
red message on the South, aud may depre-
ciate any movement which shall lock
/ like more reconstruclion" bat the
fault is not the Pre- sident' $ nor does the
| fault belong to CongI ess, but to the men
out of whom the spirit of rebellion was
not stamped. But Democratic. Journals
viii not fix the responsibility where it
| belongs, because they prefer to incite the
South to disorder, SO as to bring dis
coulfiture upon the Republican party.
wherever and whenever it is possible for
them to do so. We hope that it will not
be necessary forCongress to Go more
than to withhold General Amnesty, and
for the executive branch Of the govern
ment TO vigorously enforce the rreon-
structiQn laws already on the statue
| book. 1.-THE leading Democrats Of the
South are determined to establish
class oligarohy which shall ossraeiSe
those who are loyal to the Union, then
the fewer Ct those leading Democrats Of
the South who are permitted to hold
| office. the better Tor the country. -,Syra-
case Journal