National Republican., 1878-08-03


tions involvcd-that tho Ob~rrcr predioates
much of its discussion upon misapprehen-
sion of facts rs they exist both North and
South. We feel confident that its comment
upon Northern feeling aud sentiment tow
ard the South and the Southern people,
who have been our enemies, finds its impcl-
ling power IN n misunderstanding or per-
version Of the real state Of the ease The
people Of the North have no quarrel with
the people Of the South now, neither do
they seek any, so long as all the people in
the Southern States find ample protection
to oil their rights under the laws Of the
land, the same as they do In New England,
New York, Ohio, and Illinois
When the war closed and peace ensucd,
with the North the quarrel was ended, and
no feeling Of animosity was revived in that
section toward the Southern people So long
as the Constitution and laws of the country
were respected as an entirety When the
South surrendered, aud terms Of peace were
agreed upon-the army of the rebellion dis
solved and went home-Congress passed laws
of reconstruction which seemed to be neces-
sary for the government of o reconstructed
nation, and the Constitution was 30 amended
rs to meet the exigencics that had arisen
under new order of things, with four mil
| lions Of newborn citizens TO be governed
and protected. All that the people Of the
North asked of their late alienated brethren
was that they should take their positions in
the reconstructed government, with loyal
hearts and honest purposes, to make this n
united country-of ono people-inspired by
n single purpose, and of one destiny. The
North asked this. They expected it, and
there was nothing unjust or unreasonable
in such an expectation.
Did the South take up their role as part
and parcel Of this great Government, forget
the past, make friends with the North, and
accept the situation "a order-loving, law
abiding citizens of the United StatesP We
fear that impartial history will not furnish
an affirmative answer to this important in
terogatory. Did they accept the amend
ments to the Constitution with an honest
and earnest desire that all the guaran tees
therein contained should be respected aud
enforced impartially and justlyr We ap-
peal to history to make answer. Were the
laws of restriction, that had been made ne
in our Governmental structure, accepted rs
entitled to respect and enforcementr We
leave the Observer TO make answer, for it
cannot be ignorant of the facts
We assert, under tho authority Of unim-
peachable history, that the South did not
accept the results of the war in good tenn
per and good faith, and strive to overcome
the animosities Of the past and build up a
spirit Of fraternity, good fellowship and
peace between the two sections in the iu-
tuye The provisions of the Constitut tion
and the laws of Congress were not kept in
good faith. The chartered rights of citizen
ship were not respected and conserved by
the great body Of the people in the late in
surgent States. A free exercise Of opinion
has not been tolerated. The rights Of citi-
zenship have been disregarded and openly
violated by violence, ostracism, and even
death itself If this has not been the case,
then let the Observer correct US, and estab-
lish its correction in the light of truthful
history.
In reply to the proposition of the 0bsrrer
that citizens of the South are as much
"entitled to freedom Of speech rs citizens
"at the North" we say amen! but that
freedom should be exercised at the South
as it is at the North, rot to keep alive the
embers of rebellion, but to allay all cause
of irritation between the two sections. Not
to declare that the Lost Cause" now that
it has ostensibly surrendered, Is the cause
of liberty, justice, and right; but, on the
other hand, free speech should be and Is
guaranteed to every American citizen
everywhere in the United States, to be ex-
ercised for the building up, not the pulling
down, Of this great and beneficent political
structure. It Is when free speech puts on
license and works harm to the perpetuity
of this Government and its institutions
that it is objected to by the people of the
North, and should be by every true citizen
of the United States, whether located
North or South. When all the people
South and North respect the laws and the
personal and civil rights of all citizens
there will exist no proper cause of aliena-
ton and unfriendliness between us.