Year: 1869

OOh''''N'N'
and elect Representatives in Congress, with
State officers aud Legislature, on Monday
week; when the President will Immediately
invite Mississippi and Texas to do likewise IN
September or October. If common sense is
evnced by their people, we shall have every
State self governed and restored to her proper
place in the Union and its councils by next
Christmas.


This might have been accomplished at an
earlier day. Mississippi is now out OF the Union
because majority of her people voted not to
come in under the Constitution framed by her
Convention. We say this not by way of com
plaint but of explanation. Texas has been III no
hurry to come in, as is well known. The fact Is
that the Southern Conservative" were averse
to taking part in any reorganization OF their
States which should accord political rights to
the Blacks, until the election of Gen. Grant
convinced them that further holding off was
futile and absurd. Very many if not most OF
them now recognize the changed status, and
are prepared to act accordingly. Were the
Republicans everywhere ready to meet them
on the broad basis of Universal Amnesty and
Impartial Suffrage, the work of Reconstruction
would soon be complete.


Not that there are no impacable Rebels, who
have learned nothing and are fixed in the re-
solve that they never will learn anything
Some of them begule their leisure by writing
essays in defense of State Sovereignty and the
indestructible, paramount right of State Seces-
sion to silly New-YOrk periodicals. In their
view. "the resolutions of 9S" are hardly second
in authority, while superior in perspicuty and
wisdom, to the Constitution itself In their
contemplation, Gettysburg, Vicksburg, Mission
Ridge. and Appomattox Court House, are disa-
greeable incidents, signifying nothing and set
| fling nothing. Such men may possibly realize
that Gen. Grant is Prcsident-nothng beyond
! the bare fact.


! But better temper and n clearer vision ex-
| tensiyely pervade the South, and they are
everywhere gaining ground. Brave and wise
men say. "What use in cOntending intermin-
"ably for n Lost Causef Who is benefited,
"who is honored, by such blind obstinacy !
"Why is it not better to recognize that this Is
mot 1859 but 1869, and govern ourselves ac-
"cordingly7n And these questions are answered
correctly by a majority OF those who, with
more or less heartiness, sustained the Rebellion.
| OF course, the old malignant element is not
extinct. Too many young men still prefer
TO make night hideOus rather than give their
! days 10 useful labor. With adequate encour-
agement, this faction would very soon renew
| the outrages which have filed the South with
terror. They will not, however, for Gen. Grant
| has his hand on the helm. 1t is no longer poll
| tic nor safe TO repeat the crimes and outragcs
so common under the sway of Johnson. The
revival of the "Ku-Klux" performances would
| damage the cause they were designed to sub
serve; hence they will not be repeated.
| Now, il seems to us, that good men of all
I parties should come together, resolved to finish
whatever remains 10 be done toward thor
ough Reconstruction before the close of the
year.


We urge Republicans especially to assure
their Conservative" neighbors that whatever
remnants of prescription and disfranchisement
| may for the present be retained are not i'm
| posed in a spirit of vengeance but with an eye
| TO security and peace, and that they shall be
swept away 80 soon as this can be done with
due regard to Equal Rights for All.


We urge the Conservatives to look at
Tennessee and be assured that prescriptions
are inevitably transient-that they cannot abide
an atmosphere of peace and good WILL No
matter how firmly and deeply they may be inn
bedded in constitutions, they are sure TO be
torn out and flung away so soon as the newly
enfranchised feel secure in their rights. Were
we ever so hearty Conservative" in Missis-
sppi we should vote for the Constitution, in
the undOubting trust that whatever 1t may
contain that is Objectionable will surely be
stricken out within few years. The way to
Universal Amnesty lies through prompt restor-
alton. In Texas, indeed, the Constitution to be
voted on is so liberal that the Conservatives"
will very generally and heartily vote to
ratify it.


TIE GUELPH GRIEVANCR.