The daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1873-1877, 1875-01-07
The Question Of the day.

The Question Of the day.
When the civil war had reached conclu-
sion in assured triumph for the North,
there were some thoughtful and honest OBJ
servers of events who ventured TO suggest
that the real difficulties of the work, Instead
Of being successfully surmounted, were not
yet even touched; that fighting was much
easier conducted than governing; that gen.
eralship must now give place to statesman
ship, and that the problem to be solved by
the latter was one of the grayest and most
intricate ever submitted to human wisdom.
These suggestions, dictated as much by
patriotism as by common-sense, were re-
ceived with the contempt which their au.
thors might have anticipated. The yictors
were IN no mood to listen to anything save
fulsome hattery and unbouuded laudation :;
least OF all were they willing to heed words
which savored OF advice and of warning.
Had they not, with their own good swords,
hewn asunder the links of rebellion, be aten
down the confederacy and reaped harvest
OF glory? Having done this could they
not easily accomplish the little that re-
NAMED? If they had thus handled the
sword, would they not know how to use the
pen? If they had crushed out all armed
opposition to federal authority, could they
meet with any serious embarrassment in
restoring peace and prosperity to the con-
quered communities? If the territorial iu
tegrity Of the Union had been restored,
what obstacle could hinder the speedy and
satisfactory restoration of its political rela-
tons?
With these rosecolored views Of the sit.
uation, and with supreme confidence in
Its own capacity to confront and control
that situation, the dominant party proceed
ed to the accomplishment Of a task which
could neither be postponed nor thrust out
OF sight. For nearly ten years this party
has had the South at its disposal and
wrought its will there without let or him
drance. The minority in congress, during
the period mentioned, has been so small
and so hopelessly disorganized as to be un :
able to interpose the slightest check upon
the legislation of the compact and thor
oughly disciplined majority. Whatever
this majority has wanted to do has been
done whatever it has wanted to undo
has been undone, History cannot exhibit
u more complete carte blanche given to
any political organization since politics
began, than has been enjoyed by
the Republican party during the last de-
cade-nor can history furnish more
lame and impotent result. 1t is entirely
within the bounds of truth to assert that
the reputation of free institutions and
the cause Of popular liberty have suffered
more, at home and abroad, from the con-
fusion and Decentralization of Southern af
fairs since the peace than they ever did
from the spectacle presented by the war.
A divided and belligerent republic did not
inAict such deep and irreparable disgrace
upon lf-government-"the government
of the people, by the people and for the
people, has been inflicted by the
wretched farce denominated Reconstruction.
The supreme question now before
the country and clamoring for final settle
ment, is: How shall Louisiana, Missis-
sippi, Arkansas and South an SSTi ;nfniteIy
ed out q Chan an military despotism, and placed
Upon the solid ground Of law and order, Of
prosperity and harmony? The country
has waited in vain ten years for the answer
to this question. Must it wait much long
er?-H. Louis Republican.
The question was never difficult one
with people who desired to be just. I'll,
seceeding states of the south, taking tn,
advice Of Lincoln, Wade, Greeley, anC
other Republicans, undertook TO set up
new government for themselves. The 9th
er states fought them and subdued them
but during all the contest the govern
ment of the United States constantly as
sured the people of the south that if the!
would lay down their arms and submit t.
the laws of the United States their right
should be immediately restored unim
paired. They yielded, at last, and thel
were betrayed by depriving them of Cit
zenship and its privileges and placing thei
field negroes over them, giving them vote,
and office and power, and sustaining them
with L. ). bayonets, in expressing ant
robbing the people. All that was needed
to have restored peace and fraternal feel
ings and prosperity, in day, was to have
done as was promised. But Lincoln haC
been foully murdered by lunatic, and he
could not carry out his pledges. johnson
undertook to do so, but was thwarted and
defeated by the Mortons, Logans, Chan
dlers and others who run the machine
and so the war has gone on. Plantation
negroes for officers and legislators, carpet.
bag thieves TO control them, robbery and
oppression everywhere, and Grant with
bayonets to back it up-and now Grant
sends bayonets to put members of the leg
islature out of the state house because they
are Democrats, and put others in because
they are Republicans. Grant, not the
people, says who shall be members.
1.-THE people had, at once, been restored
to their rights; if only negroes who could
read their ballot and who had paid some
kind of tax had been allowed to vote,
there would have been peace and pros
perity from the beginning There never
will he until the Federal government keeps
within its proper sphere, and the people
of the state manage their own affairs.
That is all that is needed now. Take
away Federal interference, that's all that
is needed.