New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1861-03-02
THE NORTHERN DELUsIoN.

strange mlSconceptlon by the Northern people OF
the temper and spirit of the South, in respect OF
reconstruction of the Union. They continue TO
assert that the Southern movement is but a tenn
porary frenzy which will soon pass away and be |
forgotten. They declare, and perhaps heheFe,
that the secession of the Southern States was ac-
complshed by coup 1'etat, few bold leaders
overriding the people, and hurryipg them out of
the Union before they had time to consider what
they were doing. And, reasoning upon this belief,
they declare that time and opportunity only are
needed to develop the latent Union sentiment of
the South, and restore the Gulf States to their for
mer position in the old Confederacy.
All this is dclusion, and most fatal one But
we are inclined to the belief that the Northern
people are not so much to be blamed for making
this mistake as we at first supposed them to be-
We believe, in many cases, they have reached this
conclusion from wrong information gicen to them
from the South! In other words, we have reason
to suspect that there are people in the South-in
this very city, perhaps-who are constantly writing
letters to the North and to the Border Slave States
misrepresenting Southern sentiment, and creating
wrong impressions with regard to the true state OF
affairs among us. These letters are handed about
and circulated privately, and in some cases eX-
tracts from them are published in the papers, We
refer to no particular instance, nor do we assert
positively of our own knowledge, that it is de-
liberate design to misrepresent. 1t is merely
suspicion with us, butt is suspicion corroborated
by such circumstances as lead almost to absolute
conviction.
The evil effects of this are apparent. The Wash
ingon correspondent of the Charleston Mercury
states that leading member of the Peace Confer
ence from slave State, and true Southern man,
told him that if Congress would adopt the Critten-
den proposition, the Gulf States would be satisfied
and would return to the Union. The gentleman
undoubtedly believed it, and his belief founded,
no doubt, on Representations of the sort we have
alluded to-representations made by correspond
ents from Southern States who, either through
ignorance or design, have so wrongly interpreted
Southern sentiment. 1t can hardly be wondered at,
under these circumstances, that the Border Slave
States should cherish the idea of reconstruction
a thing utterly impossible now if not forever.
This State, more especially, is looked to as being
the most anxious to return to the Union, needing
only decent pretext for so doing. How mistaken
an idea this is, we need not say. The ordinance of
secession passed the Convention by vote nearly
unanimous. 1t was accepted, all over the State,
with feelings of eager satisfaction and relief Thus
far there has been no symptom of dissatisfaction,
except here and there in individual cases. No
public meetings have been held--no organized eX~
preston of hostility to the movement has been
heard. The people of this State are free and
brave and it is an insult to them to say that they
are living under " reign of terror" and dare not
give uterance to their honest convictions. II there
were such party here, of any consequence, it
would soon make itself heard and felt. And the
people here have an undoubted right to complain
popular sentiment, as we think is the case, is
msrepresented by letters scattered over the North
and written by submissionistS, some Of whom, of
course, are to be found in every Southern commu-
nifty
We claim for our own opinions no more consid-
GRAFTON than is accorded to those of other people,
Our assertion, therefore, will go only for what it
is worth when we say that large majority of the
people of Louisiana would not agree that the
State should Row rGenter the Union, under any
circumstances whatever. To talk about Critten.
denis proposition, or anybody eIse's proposition,
or of anything else that looks to a reconstruction
of the Union, is the sheerest nonsense and waste
of words. While the Border Slaves States are
anxiously looking to the Peace Conference at
Washington, large majority of the people of
Louisiana feel no more interest in that Conference
than they do i'll the proceedings of the London
Board of Aldermen. They believe that it was got.
ten up for patriotic purpose but that the North
ern States in it chance for delay, and have
merely kept it going until Lincoln could be inaug-
urated
The Northern people, and the people of the
Border Slave States instead of relying upon the
representations of correspondents, would gain a
clearer insight into the condition of things here by
watching the Southern press and by noting the
proceedings of our Legislative Assemblies and Con
ventions. If there has been any indication, in any
quarter of the seeded States, of disposition to
return to the Union on the Critenden or any other
proposition, we have yet to see it. The President
of the Confederate States has declared that, in his
opinion the separation ought to be final and per-
petual, and every representative man of Southern
sentiment has said the same thing. Nearly the
entire press of the South says the same thing.
Now, then, if people at distance choose to dis
card evidence Of this sort, and rely upon the loose
statements of correspondents, who merely give
opinions without showing any basis for them, they
may go ahead in their deluson. That's all,