Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1877-04-27
From the New York Tribune }
THE OPPONFNTS OP PELCE

! (Frum the New York Tribune
THE OPPONENTS OF PEACE.
The settlement of the Southern question
upon an assured and permanent basis viii
| crafty good citizens OF all parties. There
has been from the beginning but one way
out of the difficulties with which the sub
| ject has been enyironed, and that was the
| plain and simple way President Hayes ha,
now adopted, to cease Interference by the
Federal Government and let the States OI
! the South govern themselves like all other
members of the FEDERAL Union. Not one
not even the carpet-baggers OF the Spencer
and Patterson sort, or the rhetorical slang.
whangers like Wendell Phillips, has ever
| disputed the fact that in the end it must
come to this that any other plan Hs per.
manence would he contrary to the spirit
Of our institutions and the letter Of ouI
laws. When we have turned over the
reins Of government IN the disturbed States
and frankly left them to their own devices
we have settled the whole business. We
do not require the nflidavits OF interested
parties, or guarantees for public order, OF
bonds Tor good behavior from the ruling
classes. All these things will in due time
adjust themselves by natural laws and
| from natural causes There is no reason
to doubt, that in very little time South
Carolina and Louisiana will settle down
into peace and quiet, and the reign of Law
aud order succeed the condition Of confu.
sion and anarchy from which both States
have been sufferers.
And this state of alfairs we say will be
regarded with great sense Of satisfaction
and relief by all vel disposed persons oil
both parties. 1t is what has been long and
earnestly desired by good citizens at the
North no less than at the South. But it is
we'll to bear in mind that such an adjust
ment is contrary to the interests of con
siderable number of persons who are un
ceasingly active in political management
and not without influence in parties
! Their opposition to what they call very
questionable experiment may as well bC
expected. They view the whole scheme
with great jealousy; as why should they
not, since its success and the restoration OF
all the States to actual equality in the Tn,
ion take away from many of these gentle
men their occupation and means Of sup
port? 1t hardly needs to be pointed out
that the class of persons disrespectfulIy
described as carpet-baggers who have
taken advantage OF the condition of affair,
at the South since the close of the war tc
push themselves into soft and easy pla
ces, their tenure of which depends upon
the continuance of strife, have n selfish
interest in prolonging the period oI
distrust and the policy OF Federal
interference and military rule. As much
| through their Vaccinations rs from any
other cause the unfriendly attitude OF the
| Federal authorities toward the white peo.
| pie OF the South has been maintained, and
| that fruitful source OF mischief, the color
| line in politics, perlptuated. The impend
ing change of policy spoils their trade
They have opposed at every step, and will
continue their opposition. Their hostility
is open and uncUncealed. Their constant
assertion is that the Withdrawal of Federal
supervision in the States named is mn aban
donment of the blacks TO the oppression
and injustice they are sure to suffer from
their former masters, and that the result
will be the triumph of wrong instead o
the restoration OF order, justice and honest
administration. The men of the South
have it in their power either to verify thest
unfriendly predictions or demonstrate theii
falsity. Ii rests with them and them only
Another class of politicians in the Oppo
site party are equally Interested in having
the experiment turn out failure, 80 tha
this disturbing question in politics may
remain open. These are Northern Demo
crats who feel the necessity, for party pur
poses, of holding the South solid Agains
the Republican party on the ground o
some real or fancied grievance. The onl,
bond of sympathy between Northern ant
! Southern Democrats has been that grow
| ing out of mutual hostility to the party
which has sustained carpet-bag govern
ment and pursued the policy oil Fedora
| interference and military rule. These oh
atacles to good understanding with lh,
| party in control of the General Govern
ment being removed, there remains M
| ground Of alliance between the Conserva
| tive party OF the South and the Northerl
| Democracy, and hardly my ground o
| opposition except the desire for office, Tht
schoming Democratic politician, euunll,
with the endangered carpet.baggcr, ia in
| terested to keep the quarrel hot and post
pone the final settlement. His hostility
however, must be concealed. Having pro
fessed 10 be in favor OF just such an nd Just
ment as lhe,One in progress, lac cannot open
| ly oppose IT, But all his interests MS
politician are opposed to the plan whicl
removes the question from the field OF pol
itics, and these lie will obey. Agains
| both these elements the statesmen OF th
South will have Ia contend In their .eifor
TO prove themselves worthy the confdenc,
the Administration has reposed in them
II is not by any means all plain sailing o
smooth water ahead for them temptation
10 disorder violence and outrage, especial
! ly among the lawlcss classes will no
cease at once, nor will they always be re
sisted. The conservative men will shortl,
be in full control in all the Southern State
and have before them no easy task. The,
will be carefully watched by the designing
men Of both parties who mean to profit b.
civil disorder, and 1t is not unlikely tha
disturbances may be act on foot for n,
other purpose than to affect the pOlitica
situation. With much honest criticism
and no little positive condemnation Of III,
conduct Of those who eall themselves th
Conservatives Of the Sonth. the IFibune Aa
had frequent occasion 10 award them un
siinted praise for discretion aud good sense
They are now in a position which call
for the exercise OF thoAe qualities in al
nnasuAl degree, and our feryent hope !
that they may prove equal TO the Occa
sion,