Year: 1868

81 that we should have the Federal protection
" and all the rights Of the State. We are the
"loyal men of Alabama, and we demand reeeg-
milton. The Rebels around us have had as
much of an opportunity TO come into the
q Union. They insist upon remaining out and
g. upon keeping us ont. They are an impedi-
"ment to reconstruction, and we demand that
az the impediment be removed What reply
can be made to thisf These loyal men have
the argument. We made mistake, and they
suffer from it, Let us remedy it by opening
the door and bidding them in.


"Ohr but we are told, "you disfranchise
the peoplc of Alabama "The people OF
" Alabama" says The InteHigencer," ;" have taken
" iustifable course to save themselves from
:" the anticipated wrongs, hurts, and horrors OF
negro ascendancy." "The people of Ala
"bama," cries The Times. shave refused to
reconstruct the State. Let the State remain
"urreconstructed and adjourn the question
Let us see one moment who are the people
of Alabama Have men night to be con-
sidered people who insist upon anarchyf Are
We any moro bound to postpone reconstruction
to crafty the people of Alabama than we were
to postpone the war for their qualification
The people of Alabama rebelled-they raised
large armies-they made war-they contended
for years for the privilege OF destroying che
Union-they were defeated. They were Rebels,
then, for assailing the national authority.
What are they nowf If we keep Alabama out
of the Union, we only irritate a long g-fester-
ing wound, and adjourn reconstruction. We
make necessary standing armies and armed
occupation. This is imposed upon us in de-
fiance of national authority, and in despite OF
the protests of the loyal men. In the large
and civil sense of the word, these men are not
"people," and they have no right to be so con-
sidered. They are no more people than the
inmates of Sing Sing or the convicts of Black
wells leland; or body Of foreigners passing
through our States. They are Gen who nave
committed crime, aud who are released from
its consequences only by promising obedience to
the laws, and acquiescence in all the duties of
citizenship. But to say that they have the right
to block the wheels Of Government, and delay
reconstruction and impose more burdens upon
us, to crafty their malignity, is as mad as it
would be for the ticket-of-eave men in En-
gland TO enter Parliament and claim to make
laws for the nation.


But the fault is ours, we ore told Why did
we give them the power TO block the wheels of
GovernmeDti We grant that. We made
mistake. We were generous 20 these people
for their own sakes. They reply by an effort
to infct anarchy upon Alabama. Such mistakes
are frequently made. but in this case we ac-
cept the rebuke, and shall see that it does not
occur again. We can very well postpone our
generosity until these people show a disposition
to accept it, We have no notion of crOwding
our couItesies where they are despised. We
hoped to have them in the Union, and
in fow years to see every American, Rebel
or not, in the full exercise Of citizenship. We
can afford to wait if they can. We have
opened the door. They stand in the way and
keep out those who desire TO enter. Our first
duty is 10 admit The loyal people. That done,
we can rest easy. When the Rebels finally de-
sire to come in they may knock at the door,
and wait until we are ready to open it.