National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1874-09-12

@~-~--N-e-1
placed AOrs d. oombat. The case isnowin
situation of mystihcation from which the
scrutiny Of court of law only can elicit
the reliable facts. Thus far, it must be re-
membered, none Of the statements, that of
Mr.. Tilton alone excepted, are made on
oath.
THE CONDITION OF THE so UrH-
TIE NEW YORK HERALD'S
IDEA.
The New York Herald has recently
printed series of remarkable articles upon
the condition of the South, in which the
ground is taken that the present disturbed
and lswless state of society in that section
is the result Of the reconstruction policy.
tits argued that we have not dealt fairly and
honestly by the Southern people; thatin the
emancipation ofthe slaves, as war measure,
ne have imposed upon them heavier fine
than Germany imposed upon France that
now craftsmanship and sound policy, wise
regard for the future, to ssy nothing about
motives of justice and humanity, command
that we should call q national convention
of peace and reconstruction to consider the
causes and results Of the war, and ascertain
how best we can adjust ourselves to the
altered condition Of affairs in the Union.
In reply TO an article upon the subject in
these columns, the Herald of Wednesday
last says "THK NATIONAL REPUBLICAN
discusses the argument in favor of
national convention Of peace and recon-
"struction upon the theory that the South
"em men should feel grateful that they have
"not been hanged, and that because there
"have been 10 imprisonments no execu.
" tons, no trials for treason, no Rnsoms
&c enacted, no sureties demanded for the
Culture, and no confscation, it is an
"Grror to compare the Southern States with
Poland, and Alsaca and Westmeath. 1t
&c is difficult to impress an idea upon the
"mind of journal which really believes
" that the Southern people should feel that
reconstruction was completed when they
"were not hanged, and which does not re-
''member that Mr.. Lincoln proclaimed
emancipation, not as q measure Of hu-
"manity, but as an act Of war that he de-
cleared that he deemed the maintenance
"of the Union to be paramount to enamel
patton journal that feels that because
"Of Libby and Andersonyiile the South
"ern States should be allowed to
drift into anarchy, 8 war OF
Grace with race, and legislation
ffhat means reputation. {" The Herald mis-
represents or misunderstsnds our position.
The arguments in the above extract were
presented as the proof, not that we had re-
constructed the Sceth, but that the North
the Republican party-had not treated
the South after the war closed as Russia,
Austria and Prussia had treated Poland; as
Germany had treated France, or as Eng
land had treated ireland at the end of every
fruitless rebellion since the conquest Of the
Second Henry. Again, the Herald is 50
unfair as to suppress an argument which it
does not attempt TO answer, that the South
is responsible for the ills under which she
is suffering, not because we Of the North
had made the mistake of treating slavery
as crime instead of an institution, :" but
because the Southern statesmen, the leaders
Of her opinion, her journalists and her pol
iticians, have been and are to-day making
the mistake of treating freedom as s crime
instead Of an institution" The HerGld's
position on the whole question is 50 strong
although we believe our own to be
stronger-that il ought to be honest and
fair enough to give our position correctly
or not give it al all.
The articles OF the Herald are an attack
on the Republican party. We are not au-
thorized to speak in any way for that party,
but as a member Of It, believing in its policy
and giving adherence to its platforms, we
propose to speak in our own if NOT in lis
defence. Our contemporary asserts, I'VE
'fhsve treated the South, not with wisdom
"and foresight, bui as Attila and Genghis
'tKhan were wont to deal with their con
''ouered foemen." This is mere rhetor-
ical figure and that is AL Every schoolboy
is familiar With the boast OF the barbarian
Hun, that grass never grew where the hoofs
Of his horses had left their footmarks; every
student knows what bloody scenes were en-
acted when the "seTen-hilled city saw
the fierce barbarian ride..up the steep
where the car climbed the Oapital." Was
GIANT the Attila Of the North, was Sher-
man, was Sheridani When the last en-
trenehment before Richmond was carried
and the armies Of the Union entered the
Capital Of the Confederacy, who acted like
Genghis Khan, the conquerors or the con
qrered foemsn who had given her churches
snd factories, her marts and theatres. her
public places and commerce to the flames;
OF the War-worn Northern soldiers, who
had suffered so long and so much in the
Petersburg trenches, and who then were
called upon to saye the people Of the South
ern Capital from the crime. the folly and
The madness Of thoir own leaders, Was
Grant an Attila. when on the morning Of
Apsi victory al Appomattox his gallant
troops divided their nations with the fam
ished veterans Of General Lee5 Wss he an
AHila when he gave back to the hero Of
the rebellion the sword he had drawn
against his country from mistaken ideas Of
patriotism, and told the conquered soldiers
Of the South to take with them, to do the
sb-iRg plowing. the horses they had ridden
through loyal blood 20 the end Of the Long
bridge and almost 70 the gtss Of tbs
Estonal Capital. which had carried them
10 Chambersburg and been watered in the
susouehanna. within four and twenty
hours march Of Philadelphia Was 5her-
nan tie Alta Of the North when he
signed 3 c4pitulatson With Johnston which
len # IN doubt whether Johnst ~ had sur