Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-03-08
BACK AGAIN.

BACK AGAIN.
The return of all the seeded States to
the Union and to the occupation of seats in
Congress, after ten years of wandering and
worse than living upon husks, is an event
of peculiar interest to our people In the
ten years which have elapsed since the
Southern States severed so far rs they
could by acts of secession their connection
with the Union, they have learned that the
government is not a rope of sand, and the
people in the Northern States neither des'
flute of courage nor ability to WELD the
sword CALAMITY in defense of their country.
When the Southern States seeded one of
heguestions most frequently asked was
"Suppose you-conquer them how can you
compel them to come back into the Union
and take seats in Congress P" This was
considered Il tough problem. 1t was heard
everywhere in the North. 1t was uttered
from every democratic rostrum and re-
peated at every four-corners and grog shop
where democrats assembled. 1t was con-
sidered a sufficient apology for peace res
olutions at democratic conventions, and
resistance to the draft when men were
called for In the first place it was denied
by the copperheads that the South could
be conquered on account of the superior
proves of the people. but even if that
were possible it would be beyond the
power of man, SO il was said, to make
them take seats in Congress. 1t might
be an easy task to lead horse to water,
but very difficult one to make him drink
against his will. This idea doubtless in
huenced many honest persons to take their
stand against the government, and to OPP
pose at every step what they regarded as
a hopeless struggle. Had all those who
were in doubt about the issue of the con-
test allowed their action to be guided by
their fears as to the result instead of theil
never would have come back and the
Union would have been sundered forever
The best of men sometimes doubted, bu
the more desperate the situation the drawer
holding steadfast TO honor and duty, even
though they could not quite understand
how the rebels could be coerced into the
Union or made to take seats in Congress
Now the answer to all the doubts ex
pressed about bringing the rebels back to
representation in Congress is fully seen IN
the opening of this Forty-Second Congress.
They are all represented, even arrogant
little South Carolina. Neither have they
shown much reluctance to take seats
From the time the rebellion closed they
have Knocked constantly, sometimes hum
bly,. sometimes fiercely, sometimes pray
/ ing and promising good behavior, some
times threatening to smash things if the
door were not opened, and at last they
are admitted to the joy of their souls.
The greatest wonder to these Southern
States must be how we contrived to get
along without them. They used to tell us
that they furnished all the statesmen, all
the courage and ability of the country,
and we know that almost all the govern
ment offices in the army and navy that
were worth having, and the government
crib generally, were gracionsly monpolize
by them. They held that one southerner
was as good as five yankees at least, and
made some of the yankees believe it
those yankees that during the rebellion
prated about the impossibility of coercing
the rebels and getting them into Congress
again. Their representatives must have
have been astounded when at the opening
of the Forty-Second Congress, they were
informed in Speaker Blaine's speech, that
the country flourished daring their absence
in the crooked ways of secession, as it
never did before. New States, new riches
of field and mine, new railroads, the At
lantic and Pacific united by rail, new fac
tories, people happy and prosperous;
and all this without the aid of the giant
statesmen of the South and the chivalry of
that sunny land; nay, not only without
such aid, but against and over every pow
er that it could command in cabinet or bat
tie field. We welcome them back to Con-
gress again, to the privileges and blessings
which they would have overturned if they
could. That any State or States will again
uoertake to depart this Union by seces-
sion and force is not among the probabili-
ties at this time, but should such an expert
ment be tried, there will be no doubt that
when the rebels are thoroughly wb;nned
their representatives will make no obiec-
tons to appearing and taking seats in Con
gress. That much is pretty conclusiyelv
settled.
MANUFA CTURING