The Pulaski citizen. [volume] (Pulaski, Tenn.) 1866-current, 1872-12-05

I
tiOns and IN the results of the late
extraordinary Presidential contest
there is every encouragement to the
administration for the new departure
Of fraternal generosity towards the
South. Ifthe President has secured
the endorsement of every Northern
State, from the Atlantic to the
Pacific seaboarl, he secured the vote
ofconfdence from a majority Of the
! Southern States and the Southern
/ people. This popular verdict, North
and South, is justified by the
exigencies of the situation. In the
North the paramount idea in favor
of General Grant was the stability
and security Of our financial sys
tenn against the financial de-
rangements and disasters which
might, perhaps, have followed the
election of Mr.. Greeley. In the
South, on the other hand, the ruling
idea in the late canvass was Southern
rights and Southern wrongs under
the general government; and it is
upon this question that the
Southern States and the Southern
people meet the administration more
than half way, touching a universal
amnesty and the complete oblitera-
tion of the pains and penalties and
invidious distinctions of q sectional
rebellion which, dating from April
last, surrendered to the armies of
the Union seven long years ago.
-Four years of destructive war and
over seven years of the conqueror's
measures Of political reconstruction
are surely punishment enough for
the rash Southern pro-slayery sui
cidal adventure OF the Southern Con
federacy, particularly as they have
accepted every condition imposed
of restoration. We say accepted, as
contra distinguished from submis-
sion. In 1871 JEFF Davis, in a pub
lie speech at Selma, Ala, said that
he accepted nothing-he only sub
mitted TO the situation; and he had
many supporters in this declaration.
Bat in 1872 the Southern people,
whether supporting Grant or Gree
ley, accepted the settlements of the
war as embodied in the new amend
ments TO the constitution and in the
measures of Southern reconstruc
ton, for this was the "new depar
ture'' of the opposition coalition. If
upon this test the voice of the South
has been expressed in favor of Gen
eral Grant, surely he has nothing to
fear from the broadest policy Of
Southern reconciliation, but has
every consideration inviting him to
this course. We repeat that we are
glad of the assurance that this is
his recognition Of the situation. it !
is doubtless best, too, in this view, !
for the South, thf, General Grant |
has been reelected; for with Mr..
Greeley's election nothing for tie
South was certain except a conflict |
between Congress and the Executive |
or between the Senate and the House |
on Southern questions, and increas
ed political embarrassments and |
business arrangements in the South
ern States. Now, with General |
Grant as master Of the field, he has
only to lead, and Congress will fol |
low in closing up the good work Of
whipping out politically the last
yestiges of our civil war.
Then we may look for the perfect
restoration of the Union; then we
shall sec that restoration of social
harmony in the South and of North
ern aud European confidence in
Southern law and order and South
industry which are so much needed
for the development Of the incalcu-
liable resources of the Southern
States. General Grant owes his re-
election very largely to bis immense
of the national debt and
to his increased Treasurs savings
from diminished taxes; but how,
much of all this has resulted from
Southern cotton as balance against
our European importations has new
er been fully acknowledged or com
puted. Now, let US have, bona fffe
the reconstruction Southern States
restored to the Union; let the
President lead the way in this re
storation by challenging the South
ern people in his generous advance,
and social and political harmony be
tween whites and blacks will soon
follow with law and order. Then
capital and migration, with general
confidence, will pour into the iEvi-
ting fields of the South, and
within the period allotted to
The living generation Of her
young men the cash products Of
the South, in cotton, rice, sugrr,
corn and tobacco, may be increased
a hundred fold. Manifest desti-
ny," we are told, invites US to Cuba,
st. Domingo, Mexico and to that
half OF the Continent over which
still flies the flag OF England; but
manifest destiny first invites as to
hat perfect restoration of the South
which will open q new Empire to
.he worlds industry, which will add
millions OF people TO our wealth {
classes and hundreds OF {
millions OF money 70 our annual re-
sources as n nation. Here, then,