Year: 1868

ized Is 1t to keep within the bright circle of


civilization, or shoot wildly into the eccentric


orbit OF gloomy and incalculable barbarism?


These are questions which must occur to


every rejecting mind when contemplating


from day to day the new aggravations and


complications of the Southern situation.


The killing of the Radical sheriff elect and


the parish judge elect, in Franklin, La, by


unknown parties, is an event, on its face and


at first view. not less lawless and criminal


than deplorable and ominous That the Rad


lcal politicians at the North will welcome and


gloat over it as aprovidential incident season.


ably contributed to the work of firing the


Northern heart, is not to be doubted. They


have so unscrupulously invented and dissemi-


mated calumnious accounts of the murder of


"loyal" men in the South, that assuredly


they will joyfully hasten to seize this actual


example of the possibility of such fate, en-


bellish it with every exaggeration which


malice and ingenuity can suggest, and use it


as an electioneering card of the first power.
But, on the other hand, every rational


person at the North, not hopelessly stepped in


sectional prejudice and partisan bigotry, must


look upon the occurrence referred to as a


lesson, sad and fearfully instructive indeed,


but only so as an indication of the terrible
and irretrievable failure of the Radical scheme
of reconstruction. Viewed in this light, the


question of personal guilt and of immediate


responsibility has nothing to do with its true


political significance. Craftsmanship deals


with political problems upon generalization


OF actual results and visible tendencies: not


upon the basis of individual criminality


or of ethical abstraction. In other words.
craftsmanship consults, with reverential
docility, the logic of positive facts
times dreadful tutor, but always infallible.
1t is both the one and the other in the present
instance; and the Radical scheme of recon-
struction withers under the glance of this Just
but inexorable arbiter as the most monstrous
of sins, naked and without plea, will wither,
at the last day, under the frown of Omnipo- |
tence.


1t is not too much to say that the victims |
OF this unprecedented political iniquity have |
heretofore done more than its authors to give
it superficial appearance of success. The |
most enlightened and patriotic citizens of the
South have employed every available exped-
lent to render presently tolerable the misrule
OF the spurious governments which have been
foisted upon their States; and they have en-
deavored, by precept and example, to incul-
cate resolute submission even in the face of /
the most oppressive exactions and the most
fagitious designs on the part of these gov
ernments. This they did for the sake of
peace, and in the hope of at length obtaining
a peaceful deliverance. But in spite of all
their efforts, peace has become more and
more precarious AND impalpable, and their
enemies are now exulting in what is con-
ceived to signify the assured disappointment
OF the hope of peaceful deliverance. What.
then, must follow if they are forced to despair
OF both these objects. in the presence of the
perpetuation in the South of the existing Radi-
cal policy, without change except in varieties
Of atrocity The Imagination shrinks from the



At this moment it is plain that in this and
in most of the other reconstructed States the
so-called civil governments are destitute
Of intrinsic power to maintain themselves
and to administer their laws. Nothing but
public opinion, organized by popular oppo-
'ition to these governments, could enable
hem to stand or to carry their laws into
effect, unless with the aid of military force
mp orted from without. For sometime past
hey have had the benefit of such public
'pinlon. But support so unnatural and un-
'ongenial could only be temporary. And
When that goes what then? Inevitably,
martial law, and military police, in fact, if
lot In form, over the whole South. And how
arge force and how much money would be
equisite for enforcing the ghastly semblance
# peace where Radicalism had murdered
he reality of peace2 The magnitude is ap-
'alling. The French emperor tried this =
Method of pacifying few millions of dissi-
ent Mexicans. He soon became heartily
ick of the undertaking; and Mexico never l
Tas so distracted and convulsed as during that
Experiment..


1t is safe to say that the cost of military |
olice adequate to the absolute and abiect
objection of the Southern people to the
ogus regime of carpet-bag and scalawag
apacity and tyranny, would bankrupt the fed
raj government in twelve months. The case
hight be different to be sure, with military | =
overnment pure and simple, which the
reat body of our people would infinitely
refer to the present ambiguous monstrosity -
hich is called civil government. But such =
government is in its nature anomalous and
ansitory. The solution of the Southern
roblem on civil basis must. therefore, be
oked- for at last in the natural play of "
olitical elements and social instincts in the
'uth. To this sequel the case must come, ',
peace is to be truly reinstated, aud if
vilization is to be saved in this unhappy -
ction. Every fresh tragedy Is lesson
BON lesson to enforce this conclusion. M
WHAT THE PEOPLE OF ST. MARY OBJECT
o.-That the people of St. Mary's parish