Daily State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1865-07-19
The Ric nm ond Deiegation-AB error
COrrected-sho Poor People OF the
south Original sccessiontsts.
lFrom the RIchmond Balle.ll


IL is matter of much regret that Mr.. johnson
should have given 40 liltle encouragement to the
committee from this city. who waited upon him
to consult upon the 800 900 exception in the
Amnesty Probation. A great many hopes were
raised in connection with this visit, and promise
of brighter futsre for the commercial interests
of the city involved in the hoped for modif-
cation Of that clause As il il, however, our
capitalists must venture the best way they can
toward rebuilding the city. and take such chances
"a exist 90 long az tho thirteenth exception re-
mains in force
Viewed from Mr. Jobnson's standpoint of
opinion, il was but natural that he should re-
fuse TO remove the penalties attached to the class
affected by the clause under consideration. As
he has started out with the avOwed determlnr-
ton 10 punish those. in his opinion, most respon
sble for the late war, and as he evidently thinks
that the men of wealth throughout the South
were those persons. he took occasion to renew
the expression both Of bis opinion and his deter
mination by refusing to remove the penalty a..
tachod 10 that class
IL is not our province to comment here upon
what would seem 10 be prejudice entertained
against wealth by Mr. johnson. That he has
made himself the especial champion OF the poor
man" against the rich man. is sufficiently
evident
That he should entertain these feelings person
ally anu IN MS Character OF n private cttlZeD,
is of no moment to the people at large, but that
he should allow bis personal feelings to bias his
political action may reasonably be met with the
charge of unfarness. The rank and file of the
Southern armies in the late war are character
lied "poor unprecedented men, who but
followed the lead of designing politicians Ii
may not be generally known to the peopls OF the
North that among the Southern people there
were found but few, during the four years ofwsr
fare. and az its commencement. who allowed
themselves to be duped Whatever was done
by the people was done Of their own free will
The rank and file were composed of the best
blood of the land mingled. Of course with the
unwilling conscrpt and the possibly "deluded"
patriot.
The fiery enthusiasm that led TO the popular
rising in the North, also urged. on their side the
impetuous youth, and sober middle-sg aged men of
the South to seek the field OF battle. Politicians
and capitalists were held of account in the
surge of popular opinion, and il ever. in the his
tory Of the world. there vas an occasion 10 which
the people proclaimed themselves. it was when
the necessity seemed to arise that called Tor the
use of the bullet in place of tho ballot.
True il was that, in the South, there were
many who were not as extreme in their views as
the mass of their fellow citizens. But when the
alternative was presented to them-when il be-
came necessary TO abide BY the arbitra ment Of
war the history of the conflict will testify TO the
fact that these were equally 50 determined
as the more impslsivs class.