Year: 1867




Congress and tho People.


The very serious and critical aspect Of our
national affairs is beginning to all the public
mind with sad forsbodings. It is doubtful
whether in the darkest days of the late civil
war the public pulse ever indicated q worse
condition of things than it now does. Men ask
each other when they meet how the political
problem is to be solved, and all confess their
inability to supply satisfactory answer. In
the meantime commerce languishes, the revs-
nues diminish, the credit Of the government
as expressed In the relations Of gold to cur
rency-wanes, and the Southern section Of the
country, which formerly, through its staple
products, added 80 largely to the wealth of the
whole nation, is no longer source Of pros
perity, but Of expense and trouble; and ell
because, after having made every sacrifice to
put down the rebellion, we were not willing,
after 1t was put down, to sacrifice party preju-
dices in order to sanctify and make lasting the
work which our armies had accomplished.


Every one knows that it is in the interest of
party alone that the reconstruction of the
South has been delayed and prevented No
matter how men may attempt to explain and
defend the action Of Congress in the matter,
the plain, simple truth forces itself on the
mind at the last, that the object Of all legisla-
sible the readmission of the Southern States
into the Union. That object has been thus
far attained; and from present appearances
it would be perfectly safe to say that, should
the republican party retain Its present ascend
ancy, the present generation will not see the
Southern States restored to the Union on the
same footing as the other States. 1t may be
that some or oil Of them will, in the course Of a
few years, go through the form of reinstate-
ment, but it will only be mere sham and de-
lusion-a gross mockery. The right of self
government will have been denied to the men
Of our own race in those States, and political
power will have been handed over to the de-
scendants Of Congo savages. That is the only
sort of restoration which is contemplated by
Congress and improbable as that may seem,
there is an evident intent on the part Of Con-
gress to carry out that programme.


But will the people Of the United States
consent to such degradation Of their great
republic? Even if the inhabitants of the
Northern States entertained no feeling to-
wards the white men and women and children
of the South but that of hate (Which, we thank
God, is far from being the case), would they,
on their own account, agree for one moment to
the proposition that the former slaves Of the
cotton and rice plantations should have an
equal voice in the national councils with the
representatives Of New York, Massachusetts.
Pennsylvania and Ohio? To that plain issue
must it come to that plain issue it has already
come. Congress, through its legislation and
through its instruments in the South, has shown
its determination that all political power there
shall he transferred from the white race to the
black; and Congress assumes that in this policy
ii has the support Of the people OF the North.
Is there good ground for any such assumption
We do not believe there is. We know that the
unpopularity Of President Johnson has tended
to Great, the idea that the people approve the
destructive policy of Congress but there is no
real foundation for that idea. The people may
have thought, and did think, that Congress





tute the Union on basis Of perfect equality
between all the States. and that Mr.. johnson
was unwisely tbwarting Congress in the exc
cution OF that design. Such delusion cannot
exist to-day. Congress has shown either that
il designs to perpetuate the exclusion Of the
Southern States, or that If they are to he re-
admitted il is TO be only after their political
status has been thoroughly Afrcanized. Let
the people ask themselves whether they are
prepared for either Of these alternatives, and
IL they are not. then let measures be taken,
through public meetings, through the ballot
and otherwise, to give expression TO the public
sentiment. We care not for President John
son or for Congress, for the democratic party
or for the republican party; but We do care for
the glory and greatness and prosperity Of the
American republic, which are being cruelty
and ruihIessly sacrificed for petty partisan
purposes. Again we appeal to the people to
take such steps in the elections for Congress,
in public sssemblages and in private confer
ences. as will convince their representatives
that Congress must not persist in the policy ii
has inaugurated, and which is as abborrent TO
sound Judgment as It is in utter repudiation--
according 90 Mr. Thad Stevens boast-oi the
constitution, under which alone Congress has
any power to legislste at all.


Oar Reports Of the spirituali.t Convention.


We have faithfully laid before the readers Of
the HERALD, day by day, the proceedings, say