Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1859-11-23
The Duty Of the South.

nd his aids at Harper's Ferry,has not chang eft
ID our views a whit as to the line of policy sc
should be pursued towards Northern ST
men who come to the South, professedly for n
the transaction of business, or as persons of Is
or many other account. We have been S
satisfied for years that Southern hospitality, t
ingenuousness and confidence were too liable Is
to be misplaced and abused by men coming |
from the North wholly unworthy of conf
dence.
As a people we are too unsuspecting, too |
credulous and too confiding on the one hand,
or too timid and suspicious on the other. In
a word, we are too apt to judge of men by
their appearance, professions, or outward sur
roundings. Hence a shrewd Yankee, a pre-
tentiousf foreigner, or a why Jew, can pr tdown
his stake at any point, and engage in almost
any enterprise, and in a fortnight secure the
trade and the good will of a large portion Of
any Southern community, ifhe only have the
needful quantum of brass and a few dimes to
start on.
Our own honest tradesmen or mechanics,
hAON xix dliOAlS - S'SN
greater advantages, will tug and strive and
labor with all their might, and we watch
l them with suspicion, hope they may get
7 along, but in many cases we never think OF
e giving them a helping hand, until by years
: of toll and effort we find them determined to
+ succeed without us, and then perchance, we
give them a lift. There are noble exceptions
e to this. Many of our most reliable citizens
act otherwise-but the masses, actuated by
If the almost universal desire to save a SIX
pence, will throw their trade and influence in
to the scale of men whose character and de-
m signs we know nothing of-who give no
proof that they intend to become permanent
: residents of the South, but whose sole aim is
s. to make enough out of US to return North,
a and become our abusers and v%illifiers.
tie Let it be borne in mind that we do not in
DE clude in this category that large class OF
40 Northern men and foreigners who come
NC among us to make a permanent home, and
ne who give evidence Of their good citizenship
~ by their readiness to promote the interests
ST. of the community and their devotion to our
llnSJlTutlOnS. OUCH men dIC always "NAOOAO
who become identified with us by investing
their funds in permanent property, and who
ON 4bo;r dos.
ath : oo."i
tiny with the Southern people. But there
are many who do come among US and grow
rich, often to the injury and downfall OF our
own people, who form no such bonds to bine
them to the country, and who are ready a
my any moment to leave when interest or incli
nation forces them away. These remarks
are not designed to apply to this or any 9th
y, err locality, but they are designed for genera
a aRfs f1aE Can and OF ",
live exercise of legitimate and proper MEANS
There is a homely proverb, but none the les
iefn true because it is homely-'If we do no
htp' take care OF ourselves, others will not tax
care of u.s." Selfpreservation demands tina
we take care of and patronize our own me1
sorry chants and mechanics first. And we call al
:, for 0ur OtoD who are identified with us in feelin
low and interest They have a claim upon us
such which strangers have not.
tino Moreover, it is not only necessary that W
should direct our own trade and patronage i
,ov that channel, but our influence and authorit
toto if necessary, should be exerted upon thos
vos over whom we have control. For is it not
only remarkable fact, that a large amount of tn
trade which goes to fill the pockets of tina
b;cb class of men who come South for the mer
shed purpose of making money, comes from tn
m of staUe population? They are deluded wit
the assurances of cheap goods, or other plea:
,s,v and hence they are seldom found expendin
# he their means to any large extent, where the
for are subject to the observation and surveillanc
of their owners, or that class of communit
10 whose opinions they respect and fear. Blu
h,+ we have just touched upon one point of il
stufr terest and duty which the Southern peopl
nro should ponder. We beg the careful consid
his ration Of our readers to the subj ect, and the
their own reflections will enable them to fill u
e vi the outline.