American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-06-20
A Voice From indianapolis.

A Voice From Indianapolis.
The Republican party is undergoing a |
singular experience 1t is surfeited with |
praying to be spared any further admin |
istratiOn of it. 1t pleads that it has had |
more Republicanism than is good for 1t,
and quite as much as it can stand up I'M |
der; that another dose will kill it. Nay,
it even goes as far in its reactionary self
reproaches to declare that, II not
speedily relieved of portion of what 1t
has already swallowed, it may die. 1t is
| not willing to accept the situation made
by itself and presented for the acceptance
of all others, with frightful maledictions
upon any refractory person who should
| refuse to accept 1t wants that situation
changed. The party is opposed to the
| Civil-Rights bill; it is opposed to grant
| ing any further rights to the black man
"till he shall make better use of those
already granted him." it is opposed to
maintaining the carpet-baggers in power
any longer in the South by Federal mus
kets; il is opposed to the regime of its
| own offspring in South Carolina; II Is
| even opposed to the reconstruction policy.
| We have already noted the Presidents
change of policy toward the South ,exhib-
| tied in his management of the Arkansas
| quarrel, and to the semi-ofiicial repudia-
ton of the Republicanism of the Southern
States recently made by the New York
Times and the Philadelphia Press-signs
showing that a remarkable change has
| taken place at the White House. Now
We are called on to note the symptoms of a
| similar change at Indianapolis-a point
of some interest, it is worth while to re-
mark. 1t is rather startling to see in the
indianapolis Journal such an editorial
heading as OVERRIDING Reconstruction"
and the shock is maintained in reading
what follows. After nine years of effort
in reconstructing the South, says the
Journal it must be confessed that the
work of reconstruction is far from COM
plete the general condition of the South
ern States is neither very happy nor en-
couraging." The work has been retarded,
it is true, by the stubbornness and bad
conduct of the Southern people them
selves, and by the demoralized and cha
otto condition in which the war left that
section; " but making all due allowances
for these facts, it still seems as if the
Southern States ought by this time to be
further advanced than they are in the
work of reconstruction" Here is an evil
plainly admitted admitted because it
can no longer be denied Now, what is
the cause of it? Who are the authors of
it? Who are to blame for the unhappy
and discouraging condition of the South
ern States-for the fact that after nine
years of effort to reconstruct and re-recon-
struct them they are still theaters of tu-
multi, disorder, official robbery, misgov-
eminent, civil war and semi-anarchy :?
The Indianapolis paper answers these
questions in a way it never answered
them nor permitted them to be answered
befOre-by a virtual confession of blum
der by the Republican party 1t says:
In view Of this slow progress it is worth while
for Congress to consider whether it has not made
Of the southern States and Of operdoing the c0rk Of
reconstruction. The world is undoubtedly gov
erned too much, and the mistake of over-govern-
! ment ir apt TO spring up under a democratic
form Of government as under any other. In state
as in family government it is often wire policy not
to notice every slight transgresson, but to trust
rather to the natural influences OF time, reason
and common sense to correct evils which may only
be exaggerated and perpetuated by too active
| treatment and much legislation The great un-
derlying principle of political system is local
is not only contrary to the genius OF our insttu-
ons 6m. is rapgnt h with II, danger Ss Inc general
are based on this idea, which is undoubtedly the
central and essential one of republican govern
ment. 1t Is questionable whether Congress has
not been acedkening this principle by unduly in
terfering Nth the affairs Of Southern States, and
by teaching the people Of those States to look to
| Congress or the President TO help them out of
difficulties which they should graphic with and re-
move themselves.
The present situation in Arkansas furnishe. an
instance Of the disposition of Congress to NEEDLE
| ",
noteworthy fact that The t,oo States gheve Con.
gress has intcrfered most riz; Louisiand ana
peace of the State Of Arkansas recently inter
, rupted by open instruction. the President did
right in responding to the appeal OF the Governor
and ordering the insurgents TO disperse- But nc
sooner is this done, and peace restored. than Con
Orders an an intn Mrsansas poics
Tor the purpose OF deciding who is responsible foi
such an investigation. It will simply open up the
whole matter give the politicians on both sides
, chance to wash their dirty clothes in public view
, and keep the State in hot water generally. The
best thing Congress do with Arkansas, and
with every other State. unless clearly called upon
fere is to severely iet them alone What the people
OF the South want is and local self gorernnsen,
: instead Of Congressional interference. The cOndi
ton OF affairs in some of those States is certainly
very bad but the interference policy does not seem
to help them much. and should like TO see The
tet-dione policy tried for a ,ohiIe.
+ We might say this is Senator MOrton's
! counter bid to President Grants bid for
! the favor of The Southern whites, and the
latest phase of the game between these
stalwart antagonists for the next Presi-
dency; but we dismiss this view of it to
; observe its broader character formal
l abandonment of the disastrous policy OF
reconstruction and shifting of the Re
publican party to new position. 1t is
an interesting question whether the
= changes can be safely and successful y
made under the heavy fire to which the
!, party Is now eXpOSed-Whether the at
: tempt to effect the vancouver will no,
destroy the coherency OF the party and
7 throw it into irreparable disorder. But
the party has not the leisure to consider
I, what may be the effect of the change; its
condition is too desperate for that Not
to make it is ruin; it must be made
therefore, at any risk. President Grant
leads the way; Senator Morton follows
and the whole Republican party mus
counter-m in the reputation of a
! policy which, for nine years, has been
d proclaimed the wisest and most bencfi
l cent product of American craftsmanship
The people of the South may read in
these Outgivings the assurance of their
final deliverance. Their enemies are
either weary of expressing them, OIL
!. afraid to press them longer. Their suf
ferings have touched the heart of the
. North at last, and caused so profound 8
: resentment that Republican President
= and the Republican leader in the Senate
O prescriptions and declare that the South
% ern States must have the coequal RICH
= of selfgovernment with their Northern
/ sisters. 1t has taken these distinguished
a persons long time to recognize anC
3 confess the calamities which their party
q has wrought in the South, but they have
. confessed them at last and we may con
Q graduate the people of that section or
= the promise of a better day which thu
: confession affords.-lSt. Louis Republican
HALL