New-York tribune., 1903-04-06
RECONSTRUCTION.
Tsro Studies in american History.


The Macmillan Company
ton was a failure and to lay the whole Diane
FOR the present race problem of the South on
the Northern radicals who dictated the terms
OF which the insurgent communities were per
mitted to resume their federal relations MI
Mccarthy describing the earlier steps towaro
reconstruction taken by President Lincoln anu
followed in by President Johnson makes IL ciear
that the Southern people themselves naoe
Presidential reconstruction impossible. ano IN
vited the Interference of the Congressional e1-
trernists His elaborate study gives account OF
tho effort. made TO establish loyal governments
IN the rebellious States during the war. OF tne
DEVELOPMENT of the different theories or recon
struction based on different views OF the status
OF the Southern States from the early Gays OF
the struggle of the first break between Lincoln
and Nessr. Wade and Davis which was the
forerunner OF the controversy between Johnson
end Congress. and carries the story OF the al
tempt at restoration down to the time wnen
Congress finally took complete control OF the
st-u,t,on Reconstruction has too generally
neen treated with undue emphasis upon Its sec
ond stage which began some months aitef
peace was restored and this history OF the e'o-
luton OF the problem is welcome Giving All
due credit to the excellencies OF the Presidential
rlan and its adherence to the principle on which
to see the inevitableness of the radical pro-
sramrne and even its comparative deslrapliits
tn spite of its faults.
rjrcnln's plan was founded in military ex-
pediency From the first he hoped to treat Sc
cession as mere insurrection- This was oesira-
bic for sentimental reasons at home and ABROAD.
Next in Importance TO securing the loyaIlsts IN
possession Of the governments of the oouDlIoi
States was the establishment Of loyal govern
hone xxffR q
overawed Union people Of the region could rally.
This plan was all right so long as the facts
souared even moderately with the theory Of
nersonal insurrection and loyal communities
which were not insignificant minorities could De
found. But when whole States threw OF their
federal obligations-in a revolutionary fashlon'
ST IS true but nevertheless as bodies polite
then the establishment Of relations meant
something more than the mere suppression Of
armed resistance TO federal law. AT the begin
ming OF the war the President and Congress
were IN harmony. Both disavowed any purpose
10 overthrow the established institutions OF the
South The rebeous States were expected to
take their old places the supremacy
OF the constitution could be established but
even the Confederates themselves were ready
to admit that this could not be. Slavery was
dead and Southern society had to be reorsan-
,zed TO conform to that facp<a and with due safe
that the conventions which assembled under the
Executive direction might have followed an en-
nghtened and humane policy which would have
discouraged radical legislation. But they were
not equal to the emergency. In too many States
-sthe civil rights of the negro were abandoned
TO the mercy Of those who fought to perpetuate
human slavery BLACK codes were passed
practically establishing serfdom, IL not slavery
The conquered people professed themselves sat
he YT~iO- nd
again loyal to it. but then in some cases they
proceeded 10 repeal not TO repudiate. ordi-
nances of secession, and at the first opportunity
overthrow the conservative leaders. who had
opposed or only acquiesced in secession. and
intrust their share Of reconstruction TO ex-Con-
federates who were often still unpardoned.
Those who had insisted that they were not con-
Quoting a rebellion. but 4 war between the
States" who had denied the supremacy of the
constitution, hardly consistent when the
war was over in demanding at once for their
States the old rights under the constitution
which they had thrown away, for themselves
a free hand in local government which they
threatened to to undo the results of the war.
Mr.. Mccarthy quotes Jefferson Davis say
ing that the evils Of Congressional reconstruc-
ton might have been avoided if Lincoln had
lived Public confidence in him might have car
ried through the policy with which President
confused times following the Rebellion even he
might have been unable Ito do more than post
pone contest with the legislative branch in
which desire 10 discipline the South was even
then winning adherents." Summing up Lin
coins policy. in which the paramount considera-
.ion was the overthrow of the Confederacy. Mr.
Mccarthy says:
How far necessity, which had originally sug
gested. would subsequently have modified his
ifupoSSlbIe
ing particle from his weli-won fame il may be
admitted that his method. which could not
have foreseen the rapid succession Of changes
following his death, was but indiHerently
adapted to solve the problem with which Con-
gress was compelled TO deal in 1867: but the
measure Of permanent success which attended
the deliberate legislation of that body by no
means justifies the conclusion that some other
system would have proved total failure With
all its immaturity the plan Of the President was
not without its advantages. Ii aimed to restore
with little innovation as possible the Union
of the Fathers: with some exceptions the natural
leaders Of Southern society to partici-
pate in the work Of reorganization, and the au-
thor OF this simple plan approached his difficult
task in generous and enlightened spirit.
Mississippi in many respects a typical
State Of the Confederacy. II was the home OF
jefferson Davis. the second to secede, and
had a large slave population. In it there
also considerable body of Union Wings who
opposed only acquiesced in secession and who
took leading part in the early days of recon
struction. No attempt was made there to re-
store Union government until after the war
but then the first steps were in harmony with
the Presidential plan Mfr Gamers history is
a valuable record Of the development in
this one typical commonwealth of that
plan, its failure to meet the demands of the
tire. the imposition of the Congressional plan.
and the operation Of the restored government
up to the revolution Of 1875, when the old