Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1874-09-09

How SHOULD THE South BE TREATED =
Ia December, 1865, report was read ~ CoD
yrrss on the condition Of the Southern States,
the disposition evOced by the cii;zeD~ recently
in rebellion and the most advisable nllnner OF
treating them. The document III question was
generous in spirit, conclliatory toward the
South aud S,a,esmanlke iu itS propositions.
It's author said ~ aw satisfied that the mass
of lhirking men Of the South accept the pre-
sent situation of affairs in good faith. The
questions that have hitherto divided the sentl-
ments of The people of the Two sections saV.
ery and State rights or the right ot u State to
secede from the Uuion-lhey regard as having
been settled forever by the highest tribunal
arms-that man eau appeal to- was pleased
to learu irou the leading men whom | met
that they not ouly accept the decision arrived
at as final, bat uuw the smoke OF battle has
cleared away. and time has been given tor re-
Election, believe that this decision has been a
fortunate one tor the whole country. The
disorder resulting from four years OF war had
rendered it desirable that the military forces o.:
the Upited States should DOT be wholly with
drawn from the South at that time, no;wilh-
standing the loyal disposition manifested by the
leading citizeus; but the author Of the report
was careful to advise that as few federal sol
diers as possible should be stationed 10 the
Southern States, and that they should all be
white troops The presence of black troops,
lately slaves" he said, 'deuoralizes labor both
by their advice and BY furnishing 10 their camp
a resort tor the freedmen for long distances
around" His sound cowmon seuse enabled
| him to sec that the danger to the tu ure peace
of the Southern States lay 10 the ignorance OF
the late slave population and IN the belief
widely spread among the freedmen by the
agents Of the Fr@edman's Bureau ''that the
lands of their former owaers would, at least in
| part, be divided among them. He therefore
urged the policy Of leaving the negroes TO the
care Of their white fellow citizens, who lwould
| give them good counsel. II cannot be ex.
pected," be said that the opinions held by
men at the South for years can be changed in a
day." but his predictions for the future were
nevertheless thus hopefully expressed :-"My
| observations lead me to the conclusion that the
citizens OF the Southern States are anxious to
return to ef.goVeroment within the Uoion as
soon as possible; that while rcconstructug they
| want and require protection from the govern
meut; that they are ready to take any course
| required by the government that is not huml J.
| iatpg to them as citizens, and if such course
were pointed out they would pursue it in good
faith
This report was received with appreciation
| by the people, 1t struck generous chord to
which the heart of the nation responded. 1t
held in check for a time the carpet. bag plum
derers whose fugers were already itching for
the rich spoiIs Of political reconstruction. It's
| Influence was great and deservedly so, for it
bore the signature Of General Grant, the sol.
dier who had subdued the rebellion and saved
the Union. May not the lessons it taught and
the spirit it breathed be advautageousy studied
| by President Grant in his treatment of the
Southern people at the present time ~ T..
! Herald.