The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-07-18
A ouEsrIoN DIFFICULT TO SOLVE.

portion Ofthe people Ol tuc Ooutu, Wueuu'
Or native or adopted, is a matter thai
will give the Government much future
trouble, and the greatest apprehension
are felt that, once the bayonet is remov
ed and civil government re-established
1t will be difficult, if not impossible, fo
a Northern man to dwell at peace or il
safety any where South of Mason ant
Dixon's line. 1t is but too true that thu
great mass of the people are not only
disposed to prescribe and exclude from
their society all men from the North, nj
matter what their former politics may
have been--no matter how intensely
Southern, or Copperheadish their ante
cedents-but that that small class OF ma
tive Southerners who opposed secession
and stood by the Union, through gooo
and evil report, will be prosecuted for
long time to come. Let the army DC
disbanded, or reduced to peace footing,
and we have every reason to fear ana
believe that anarchy would become the
normal condition of the South. me
feuds of the Catholics and the Orange
men in Ireland would be no comparison
to the state of affairs that would exist
The original Union men are in a nope
less minority everywhere in the South
and, unsupported by the Government
would soon be reduced to conditloh
that self-expatrlation would be tneir
only remedy. They would be forced, in
order perhaps to savelife itself, to fiythe
country and seek refuge in some OF the
Northern States, where the people are
less embittered, and in whose bosoms a
settled and well-defned hatred does not
exist. The title Yankee, which is
applied to all who sustained
the Government, from whatever section
they may come, is used by Southern
aen as term of opprobium, and will
ways beso applied, until the reason of
be nation is again restored.
We do not wish to be misunderstood.
there are thousands of former seces-
ionists, especially among the leading
nen of the South, who are pursuing,
nd will continue to pursue liberal,
manly, and friendly course, and whole.
ire to bury all animosities, and welcome
With open arms, emigration hither from
Ill parts of the world. These men are
90 sensible to be blinded by prejudices
# so petty q nature, and have the true
interests of their country too much at
1eart to counsel or pursue ruinous sys-
em of ostracism and exclusiveness, that
would impede their growth and pros
perity and reduce them to the condition
Of the petty Republics of South Ameri-
ca, which have rendered themselves the
standing butt for the jeers and scorn of
the civilized world. There are many of
these gentlemen in Norfolk, and if they
will but assume the position of leaders,
which they are entitled to, and mould
the masses of the people, the thought
less and turbulent, to their opinions,
and if this course shall be adopted land dill.
gently followed up throughout the en-
tire South by these leading men, We
may, perhaps, escape some of the evils
predicted in the commencement of this
article; but the responsibility rests en-
tirely with them, and it rests with them
to say whether the rule of the bayone1
shall continue, not from dread on the
part of the government of any futurein-
surrection or rebellion, but because pro-
lection must be afforded to a class oil
people, who are only safe now, because
the military power protects them against
insult and open attack. The Govern
ment pledged its protection to the Union
men in the South, when they defied the
odium that was sought to be cast upon
them, and preferred martyrdom tc
taking up arms against their gov.
eminent; and it must protect them
until the most binding assurances shall
be given that such protection is nc
longer necessary. We do not see, unless
this course be adopted by these gentle
men, how military government can be
dispensed with, and it may even be ne
cessary for years to employ the bayonet
to protect the minority against acts
which the false prejudices and deeply
seated hatreds of the majority may inn
pei them to commit. Indeed, it may
soon become serious question as to
how long even the bayonet may be able
to afford such protection, for the people
are becoming quite familiar with the
sight of that weapon, and familiarity
may breed contempt.
In order that the drift of our remarks
nay not be mistaken, we will state, that
t is the white Unionists of the South
who will stand in danger if these things
should come to pass, and not the ne
yroes. There is still a strong bond OF
sympathy between the two races, which
will protect the colored man from undue
persecution. The former owner of the
slave forgives his once faithful thrall,
who was perhaps born in his household,
because 1t was not his fault that he was
made free-while he concentrates all the
bitterness of his hatred against the lab
olitionists" and Southern TRAITORS" as
the Unionists are still called, as the cause
OF all his losses and troubles. There