Year: 1869

The President's Duty.


Nothing can exhibit in stronger light the


utter disregard Of the party politicians and


selfish political managers for the great mate


rial interests of the country than the efforts


which they are making to induce the President


to appoint distant day for the vote on the


constitutions and the elections in the three un-


reconstructed States. Virginia, Mississippi


and Texas are the three States in question


In each of these States constitution has been
framed by convention, and in two of them the


instrument has to be voted on by the people.
The constitution of Mississippi has been sub
mitted and rejected by large majority Of the
ton to the instrument as whole, but because
of dislike to limited number of its pro-
visions These the President wisely proposes
TO resubmlt for separate voting, and he desires
to advance the course of legitimate recon-
struction by having all three of the constitu-
tions acted on by the people of the. respective
States at such time as may be best for their
interests to hold the elections.


The great question, therefore, is, when will
it least interfere with the industry of these
States to devote the necessary time and atten-
ton to the exciting processes of a general
election? Among the republican politicians
of Virginia and Texas there are bitter di-
visions on this question of time, which are
entirely animated by the respective chances
of the section leaders Those who consider
their chances for nomination and cleo
ton good are desirous that an early
day shall be named, while those who
have been disappointed in obtaining
control Of the party machinery are clamorous
for delay, that they may have more time for
intrigue, management and canvass of the
chances for what may turn up. To them the
material interests of the country are nothing
when weighed In the scale against their petty
pockets, and they will urge reasons for delay
until they see chance for their own personal
success, if it takes to the day of judgment to
find them.


A point which is worthy of examination is
the time which the conventions originally set
for these elections. The members of every
SouVoh1ou OVmC ui6Oty AOM VIC COuutIy, uuO
they always have keen eye to anything which
shall interfere with the labogs of husbandry.
1t is point of marked interest that all three of
the conventions appointed very nearly the same
time for their respective elections. Virginia
named the I'd of June, Mississippi the 22d of
June and Texas the 5th of July. If we look
critically into the reasons which led to this
harmony of action we shall find that in each
State they are intimately connected with the
labors of agriculture In. fact, the time
selected is that which can best be spared by
an agricultural people for the absorbing excite
ment of a general canvass and election. 1t Is
the time when the wheat crop has been har-
vested and the labors of cultivation of the
others are finished and the crops, to use the
farmers phrase, ''are laid by Throughout
the three States in question it is the period of
the summer rest and Of preparation for the
great labor of the harvest.


To throw the election forward to later
period Of the year would be to throw it into
arrangement, or to postpone it to a
still further date. which would make
it equivalent to poslponing practical recon-
structIon for another year. No man now ad-
If he did so he could only be accepted as a
politician, who hopes to find in
further delay and confusion advantage for his
mercenary schemes. The question of delay,
then, is the one great question: Shall these
elections be held during the period of the
summer rest, or shall they be thrown into the
midst of the harvest labors, to their great de-
rsngement and injury? The crops are corn,
cotton and tobacco-the great staple Of food,
and the great basis of our foreign gold
exchange. Anything which interferes with
these strikes directly at the trade and revenue
Of the country and commits an injury which
cannot be- repaired. The excitement and
diversion Of labor which general election
would cause would be the most effective blow
that could be struck at these harvests


The duty Of the President in this emergency
Is, therefore, plain. He should consider the
great material interests Of the country first,
and the schemes Of the party politicians last.

Let the Presidential proclamation, then, be
issued, assigning date, not earlier than the
middle of jane or later than the middle Of
July for the election in the three States in
question. Except ip the State Of Texas there
is no question that this will allow ample time
for organization and voting, and if the poll
ticians there had not interfered to create hopes
of delay the election could very well have been
held on the 9Th Of July, the day named by the
constitution. Even now II can be held in July
if immediate proclamation be made, and we
trust the President will at once confide the
duty to General Reynolds to see that it is car
ried out Where there is . will there is way
After the election is over let all parties 90 to
work on the crops and secure for themselves
-. ...ls 49,