Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1871-01-14
The oendi,Iou Of one soa,h.

That portion of Mr.. Hoar's speech on the
San Domingo resolution, which referred to the
unsatisfactory condition of affairs in the south
ern states as a reason for not acquiring terri
tory, whose population must be a source of
weakness and disturbance rather than advan-
tage suggests topic that has hardly received
of late the attention thar il deserves. Mr.. HoRr
tells us that eve have very large tract of our
country, where weekly, as appears from reports
of committees of the house, men are taken from
their beds and whipped men are taken from their
beds and murdered, simply because they loved
their country and were faithful TO its flag; and
that thirteen states are fast obtaining power who
obtain 1t for the purpose of welding ii in hos
tnity to the government of the United States
That such outrages as Mr., Hoar refers to are
alarmiugly frequent no moderately well in
formed person ran doubt. The address of Gov
ernor Stevenson t. the Kentucky legislature adj
mits and deplores the existence in that state of
organized bands who commit such villainies,
although the governor studiously ignores their
political character The fact that the name of
Wilkes Booth was enthusiastically cheered by a
Richmond audience the other day shows the
spirit that animates the southern democracy.
These things are now seldom mentioned in the
northern papers, not because they are less i'm
portant in themselves or of less dangerous ten
dency than they were two or three years ago,
but partly because there is no distinct measure
in contemplation upon which they have direct
bearing, and partly because the subject of re-
construction, not having been always so
wisely handled nor so completely sue
cessful as was hoped, has yet advanced
SO far that it is now a peculiarly
difficult and delicate question to deal with, and
people are generally disposed to ignore an evil
which they do not know how to remedy The
persistent outcries too, of the democrats against
military interference at the south for the protec
tion OF the freedmen and loyalists in their rights,
as well as the preparations to use force if neces
sary TO secure q fair election in New York and
other cites, have alarmed some timid people and
persuaded some who are not very clear witted,
that the constitution and the liberties of the
people are in danger.
These evils seem to have been caused or per-
mitted by defects in the reconstruction policy.
The vices of southern society and the malgnity
Of It's worst Representatives, temporarily bafled
Dy the military restraints which followed the
war, was mot thoroughly understood; and too
much was trusted to magnanimity and pro-
fessions of reviving loyalty, and the demand for
substantial guarantees was not insisted upon as
firmly as it should have been. 1t is easier to
see this now, than to see how the mistake can
be repaired. But 1t is problem which we can
NOT afford to neglect, however difficult and tire
II bp II is M q Of
Mating the ascendancy of the republican party,
but OF guaranteeing to every citizen in every
state and township, the right of free political
aetion, without fear of violence 10 his person,
property or reputation. When this i, secured
SO that each election everywhere expresses fair
~ the will Of the people who have right to
share in it, rarity questions will take care of
themselves.