Year: 1867

Military Territories Wendell Phillips Views


We consider Stevens bill the best thing vet offered.
Congress has never before got to real basis
of settlement. No doubt the idea and rule Of safe re-
construction is this No hitherto rebel community
should be admitted to any share in the government
until such guarantees against secession slavery,
and their attendant evils secured render abso


uely certain that possible effort of all rebcdom
united could disturb or diSplace one of those
guarantees ota This is the idea Of reconstruction
Victory gives US the right to claim this much After
civil war between civillsaton and barbalsln--a
between two ileas-the conquering party has right
to demand such security will render it impossible
for the conquered idea ever again to trouble its con
queror. Practical craftsmanship should aim at this
and come to it as possible. But it must be
remembered that such guarantees are not parchment
agreement-paper amendments laid up in the archives
at Washington. The only trustw orthy guarantees
~those elements out of which governments grow. In
case, these education, tenure Of land, free
Speech equality CT political rights security of person
and property, industry protected. In providing ior
these must remember the al normal condition Of
the negro at the South. Hitherto detained from get
ting instruction property, the victim of cruel re-
lene>s and universal prejudice for centuries, and
lust now Gouly hated because bis weight in the scale
gave victory the NoTth his canuot at present.
be brought within those rules which apply to ordinary
communities. The legal recognition of cquaf rights
! is usually enough to secure, in few years, their
practical enjoyment by the class Just admitted to them.
But with the negro, in present circumstances it is idle
to expect this. These seeds Of good government,
education and the rest, must not only be planted,
their normal and healthy and gradual development
be secured by adequate protection from all oppos
ing influences, until they far advanced as to
defy harm.


All evidence from the South is of one kind Every
report shows that the strong of the Federal gov
ernment must hold the elements of the rebeous
territories in its grasp until education and the qaet
possession of land, peaceable exercise of political
rights continued enjoyment of civil rights the habit
of free Speech and full protection to bis industry and
gains shall have put the negro into the same relation
to the other classes Of Southern society that the mid
die classes OF Europe bear to the richer and longer
privileged classes there. When the South reaches
this point the dffe rent classes and clements may be
safely left to fight out their differences and adjust their
relations uninterierred with Until that point is
reached it is both unius to the negro and unsafe for
the Union to allow them unmixed self-government


A military supervision, under Congressional super
| ntendence is the best plan. Hence welcome this
bill of Mr.. Stevens 1t must, however, be borne in
mind, that our government will largely take its tone
and character, for the time being, from the Executive
| The spirit which he inspires will spite of all opposi


ton be felt the edge of the republic, will


color and permeate every branch and the mlnutesi


leaf of the The first step, therefore, ndspensa
! BILE and preliminary to the Others, is to remove the


rebel who is now encamped in the White House
who, aided by sour and reveDgeful politicians III


bis cabinet and by fossil and servlie bench, balks
| Congress and resuscitaes half-dead rebellion. Com


pared with such colossal sin and evils as bis Forrest
| Mayor Monroe and Surratt mean game for ma
| tion to follow WENDELL PHILLIPS