Year: 1866

There are many trite old laws and proverbs
about the "good in things evil" the "sweet
uses of adversely, the silver Innings of clouds,
the Christening hand of misfortune, the illness of
the wind that turns none to good,n ETC., etc.
all tending to reconcile men to inevitable hard
ships by leading them to hope that, in some mys-
terious way, good may come to them in compen-
sation for the evil they suffer. Never had dis.
tressed people more need of these consolatory
teachings than those of the desoated South, weep
ing over slain kinsmen, lost rights, cheerIess pros
poets and blighted hopes-yet never have people
found so little to console them in their adversely,
so little to solace their distress. The war, not of
their own invocation, has swept away the accumu-
lated wealth of centuries, and now radicalsm, to
great extent, denies them the poor privilege of
attempting restoration of their dilapidated
estates. The results of hostile and oppressive
legislation meet them at every turning, and every
where the hands of official unofficial meddlers
are doing open or secret mischief. The frank ac-
ceptance of the result of the war, and the uni
yersal recognition of Federal authority, called for
conciliation and magnanimity- was there SO
little of either shown by the dominant majority.
The sword Of the conqueror is attempted to be
converted by them into the scourge of the tyrant,
and the captive of war is made the victim of tor
ture. remorseIess, yindictive clan of partisans
have the control Of the government, who stop at
nothing that tends to perpetuate and increase
their power. The nations who applauded
the skill and energy with which the Titanic
war was waged, now execrate the uses
to which the victory is perverted. They
witnessed with wonder the gigantic move
ments Of the war waged for the purpose Of retain
ing the eleven Southern States as members of the
Federal union the war ending with success, they
are astonished to see those States persistently
excluded ....


The denial of seats in Congress to Southern
Representatives and Senators, and the exclusion
from all offices of all who will not take the self
stultfyng test oath, are not unmitigated evils,
since they may cure any remnant of the han
kering after Federal offices which was
once SO prevalent. The men Of talent, charac-
ter and experience among US will now
seek distinction in such positions as they
may attain under the governments of their respec-
tive States. When State offices are held in esteem
and are sought for by our ablest citizens, State
pride will be fostered, the State government will
be regarded with respect, and the political rights
of the State will be guarded with greater vigilance.
To hold public positions of trust and honor is a
laudable ambition; to make office hunting an oc-
cupation and to rely on official perquisites for
subsistence, is notwise or praiseworthy. We have
but little to expect from the United States govern
ment, even when restored reason and justice give
us a due share in its administration. As
long as the radicals are in a dominant ma
jority, the presence of our representatives
would be nearly useless. Southern mem
bers would cooperate with the anti-radicals,
and this would have the effect of counteractng
the disintegraton with which the political unity Of
the radicals is so evidently threatened. The arbi
trary and illegal exclusion of our delegations
cumuated with the many villainous schemes OF
the extremists will open the eyes of the moderate
and conservative members of the Republican
party, and show them that they have been panders
to a shameless tyranny. That exclusion was a
spasmodic effort to retain supremacy in Congress
and the prospect is that it will react upon the per
petrators and lessen their power.