The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1903-04-26
TIE FAILURE or RECONSTRUCT
TON.
Gs'dwfn Smiths Radical Views on the
Negro Questien.

4 I>uA ~
"soc.' View On '"'
Sosre Suesuen'
10 THE EDrros OF The SUN-Sir: Recon-
arucoon has failed. That is the sad but
patent TACT. The Constitutional amend.
ment giving the negro political equality ID
uappaed under foot by Southern whites.
Inc negro Is denied even personal rights.
instead OF being tried. he Is lynohed. and
with circumstances OF fiendish atrocity
which SHOW that race hatred IL most intense.
ana that the relation between the races Is
worse than It was under domestic, II not
unoer plantation, slavery. Congress looks
on In Illuminating heiplessness, not daring
| even TO protest, much less to uphold tho
constitution and enforce the law. The at
tempts OF President Roosevelt TO assert
social equality are met on the part Of the
south with renewed bursts Of hatred and
scorn. The evils which friends Of the North
apprehended from the incorporation Of
the socially alien South begin to be felt.
The iawiessness spreads northward. There
nave been lynchings In Northwestern
states. '..
10 failure reconstruction was doomed
IN the hands to which destiny had con-
signed II. The leaders went to work. not 30
wise resettlement, a. In that Of heroely
heated oombatants burning to take ven.
eeance on the hated slave owner and to
see the foot Of the negro set on the
neck OF Ms PROSTATE master. The language
VI summer even Deiore the war had been
eusves.n. IN "s uolence' Carpetbas
sovernment ana the hukiux were the
i'.,ural Iesuits.
me oniy nope OF Gooo resettiement was
M cooperation with southern leaders such
as .ee ana Longstreet; and these men lay
uiner sPecai Dan as arcn-reoeis.
Even Lincoln never saw or never showed
'".s nc ~" ,ne case arieht ne always
ussunea that ne was dealing with q rebel
non. no was oeahng' not with rebellion,
gu. WIN an inevitable parting OF the slave
.. .no 'ree e'atee, ~nicn mad been long
mao oeen deferred by Gays
n OF compromise, ana was at last |
Dous'ass movement In
Nv. o' OF .no eAtehslon OF slavery on ono
...h.t shH on 'ne otner oy Northern Aooli-
:, No1nern resistanos TO the execu-
.,on OF tne runuve Save law. and the cleo
.'on cy inc Nortn OF an anu-siavery Presi-
oent IN the person OF Lincoln.
Inc constitutional compact with slavery
might Do a compact with hell; but q COM
pact IL was. and II hell could have kept its
lemper t would have had right upon It's
'ioe' Inc controversy about State right
u SECESSION was little moro than NOON
nine. now could central State secedef
The decisive fact was the i,npossibility OF
making freedom and slavery dwell together
peace under the Same political roof.
The war was not made deliberately: 1t
vas brought on BY the burst Of wrath at
ne nring on Fort Sumter after Unooln's
preparation to rcvictual that fort; q
Warming to nag worshippers that By Gull
waiting Fictitious sensibilities they may
'ut the issues Of peace and war into tho I
ands OF irresponsible passion.
Are we then compelled to confess that this
war with all It's expenditure Of
lood and money was fr,litlessf II out q
top to any schemes which Southern ambi- {
ion might have formed OF extending the .
ealm Of slavery. This was its undenlable
rlit: though the Same end might perhaps
ave been attained BY an agreement among 9
ne anti-slavery powers. :
The negro 10 entitled to personal and In.
ustrial rights. which to secure him was 4
,e prime object of reconsideration III.
Official inoapacity In his present stage Of J