The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1875-01-19
Tnss 1hsorz of Recon. ru.tior.


The meaning Of be Louisiana outrage is
apt TO be clouded by the use ofovermuch ell
cquent denunciation. The employment o.
! federal soldiers TO dsfest the will OF the PEG.
pie of that state, is merely the natural re
salt Of the reconstruction policy OF the re-
publican parsy, as carried out by the admin
istTation. TIE party n power at the close
of the war had before is the task ofres oring
the states lately in rebellion to peace and
prosperity within the Union. It's leaders had
absolute power and undertook that
task rsuborcinaei Dg the main design to two
other subsidiary ones. They determined
upon reconstruction, but only on such q
basis rs would afford ample means OF hu
initiating the Tabels, and al the same
time secure to the party the control Of the
Southern states IN the nture. AS these
motives were not OF character
10 make IL desirable that they
should be- openly expressed as in
fiaencing legislation, the reconstruction
problem was stated in this fashion: The
South must be RECONSTRUCTED, but only on
such basis as shall eecure the freedom of the
negro and his equality before the Law. 1t was
supposed that republican statesmen had hit
upon q plan to carry all their purposes,
good and evil, into effect, In the adoption
of universal suffrage. They had humili-
sted the Southern people by depriviHg
them of the franchise and subjscting them to
military rule, and they thought that they
had invented the most exquisite method
for their degradation in putting them. I'M
der the control of their former slaves.
The people of the North generally took
this view of the matter, that as they had
not banged any rebels they might with i'm
punity take some other means of punish
ing them, and, therefore, they looked
upon the new scheme of RECONSTRUCT
ton ss u ve-y pretty device for seeur-
ing retribative justice without sacrificing
a character for philanthropy. Before the
new states were set going, every possible
precaution was taken to- prevent those who
had heretofore been their citizens, from
hsvinganything 10 do with their manage
ment. A set of patent constitutions was
framed on the pattern SO often exposed in
the Sentinel, and so lately denounced by
Dibble, one of the men most intimately ac-
one. The supremacy OF the re-
publican party was guardeda with the
most jealous caution at all points.
To form leaders for the negroes
and q nucleus for the governing class, adj
venturers from the north, in. union with
colonies Of renegade Southern whites, were
put in the management of affairs. And
when all was ready universal. suffrage was
declared. The immediate result was, OF
course, to give over the Reconstructed states
into the hands of the republican party. In
other words, the poorest and most ignorant
class-of the comm0nity, lower, on account
gifts previous condition of seFvitude. than
the worst class in Northern cities, was set,
under the leadership OF men who had 10
interest In the welfare of the COMMON
wealths, over the wealthy and intelligent
people - the states. Thus Jar everythin
worked beautifully, and with full conf,
denee that thiags would so on in the track
fondly marked out tor them by republican
statesmauship, federal influence zss with
drawn, and home rule in the South one,
more began. Strange to say, how
ever, after two or three years
it was found that, although in,
scheme of reconstruction had enfranchiseC
the negro and humilisted the rebel. it wal
destined TO fail in the more important design
of securing the supremacy OF the republi
can party. 1t is in the nature of the me
chanics, the wealthy men of state, il
lawyers, scholars and clsrgymen to exer
an influence over poverty, vics and iguor
snce. 1t Is in the nature of the Angl
, Saxon race to exert itself in the contro
of public affairs in such fashion
, that 't has never yet been sue