Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1877-05-17

nv scribbler, but the leading editorial in paper
which il one of the most able and influential de-
Tenders of such men as Gordon, Hill, Hampton,
Butler. Lamar and Nichols. A more reliable in-
dex to the 'true inwardness'' of these men at
home, whatever they may say or do at Washing
ton, or for the ear of the North, and Of their po
lncal schemes and aspirations, can not be found.
Cancellation with these men is all on one side.
The government yields everything, they nothing.
They have not admitted the wrong Of the rebel
lion, or the evil of slavery, or relinquish their
claim to property in slaves. On the contrary, the
right Of secession and the justice OF the demand
for payment for slaves liberated as military ne
cessity was never more firmly held by them than
at present.
They arc willing to be conciliated so as to &C
cept Federal patronage for themselves and friends
and thus weaken the opposition by fora2ing on the
enemy as Mr.. Toombs expresses himself, but have
not and do not yield hair -bleadih Of the prin-
clples of the Confederacy. There are those in
the South who desire reconciliation and peace, but
these are not the men. only $, far as thereby they
are enabled to control the nation. The political
leaders of the South are working toward def
Rite point with Il determined purpose as clearly
defined as from 1850 to 1860.
Tha, object is the control of the government ia
the interest of stctionslism. Actions speak lound-
er than words. A man Is to be judged by his UNI
form and open course OF conduct smoag friends,
at home. Measured by this standard, there Is no
mstaking the drift Of things among politicians IN
the South. II Is toward the fulhilImcnt OF the
prophecy of Thaddeus Stevens namely, that re-
helon unpublished will repeat itself within aquar-
ter of a century. A solid south and consequent
" probable solid North are certainly not the most
promising indications of future peace that could
be imag med especially in view of issues which
must be met If the South gets control OF the
government there is-no more doubt of deter
mined effort to secure, in some way, notwithstand-
ing constitutional prohibition, payment for slaves
than that the sun shines or that water runs. When
the two sections are brought again face to face,
the North will be compelled to pay thousands OF
millions to the South, and burden, if not crush,
the republic with financial loads, Or again compel
| a peace.
In the present state of public sentiment probs-
| bly, there was wiser or promising course that
| could have been pursued by the executive than
that which has been taken, and if the leaders OF
| the Southern mind would accept profcred friend
| ship and carry out, at home professions made IN
Washington, the day would be full OF hope and
promise. But so long rs the ruling element in the
south is represented by such slang and vltupera-
ton ; that taken from the Constitution, as II GER
tainly is al this time, are far from rejoicing at
the prospect indicated a few years in advance,
particularly when the enormous financial inter
ests which the South is aiming to secure are taken
into account. Tue experiment of the President of
the Presidents Southern policy was probably a
necessity, but we are sorry to be compelled to adj
nit tina. we have had no faith IN a bread and
| happy success because of the spirit widely dtused
among the people, so manifest in the quotation
above.
But has the Union no friends in the South :
Certainly; but largely, it must be confessed.
among "scallawags" "cafpct bsggers, and
| negroes Much as these classes have been mis-
represented, belied and scandalized, they include
some OF the best brain, blood, morals and states.
manship of the South. Were it not serious a
matter, it would be supremacy amusing to observe
both the owlishness OF some and the frantic
fright of others 10 the North at these terms, and
the falsehoods hidden beneath them. change
is certain to occur in the tide of public sentime Mt
in regard to them when facts are more fully de-
veloped. There are others, many, in the South
who have heretofore acted with the extreme
Southern party who have been restless under
lis ilon rule and who might have broken loose
! from it If Repubhcanlsm had aqured consider
able additional strength in the last election. But
with the bulldoZers in power, and with such terrific
party whirpers-in as Benz. III. li who in this
city pub. icy advised women 10 desert their hus'
bands if they dared to vote the Republican ticket
and denounced women who would not do so at his
bidding in the interest OF "the South" and who
pursued this course till it was thoIght more poll
tic light under the flag and the constitution, and
whu bss steady eye on the thousands of millions
to be wrung from the treasury TO enrich the South
with men Tor leaders under such Circumstances, we
say, there is no immediate prospect Of u develop
ment of Unioni or revolution of public opin-
ion in this section. Had, we repeat, toe last cleo
ton strengthened the Union element here, the
case might now be different. But Unionism, Us
understood the North, will be weak 10 the
South till slaves paid for, or respect for the
government is taught by the punishment Of sedi-
ton and treason.