Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-08-31

The great body Of the sodiery have acted
with us;and will continue to do 80 unless
they arc driven off by q want Of tolerance
for their views and opinions. They have
spocuated but little, but they have observed
much. And though their theories may be
less advanced than those of our earnest
people who have reflected and studied deep.
ly, they are still honestly held and worthy
Of respect. Their assistance and their in
fluence cannot be dispensed With in this
struggle any more than upon the field, and
we shall be short sighted in our policy if we
do not keep our creed broad enough to en-
brace all such devoted, patriotic men with
in it.
THE SOUTH FROM THE ARMY STAND POINT
No one need to be reminded that the
standpoint alters the view, according to the
German proverb. The different employ-
monts of men, and the different parts ta-
ken by us in this struggle with the enemies
OF the the couutry, naturally modify the
! opinions which VIC may have formed as to
the best practical mode of solving such ques-
/ tions OF administration as have arisen, or will
/ arise. The actual view OF the condition of
/ things in the South itself, which those who
| have been in the army have had, naturally
/ induces them to believe that they appreciate
more clearly and more fully many Of the
conditions Of the problem. 1t may be that
in this they overrate the advantages for OBJ
servation which they have enjoyed, ,,and that
in their preference for practical views as
CONTRACTED with theoretic ones; they may err
in giving too much weight to circumstances
which may themselves radically change, or in
placing too little reliance upon conclusions
drawn from general principles by those who
have not had equal opportunity of seeing
things as they are. But when we compare
views in friendly manner, if we are actu.
ated by the same spirit, and are conscious
of seeking the same general end, these diff
ferences will then appear to be what in fact
they are, simply differences 10 the mode of
applying prnci pies, and not radical differ
ences as to the fundamental truths of gov
eminent, or Of the rights of man. incline
to heopinion that no man can rightly judge
OF Southern society who has not had some
opportunity Of observing it, and that our
theories concerning the condition of affairs
there, will quite uniformly be modified, to
some extent, at least by actual observation.
SEVERAL CLASSES OF SOUTHERN PEOPLE.
In looking at the people of the Southern
country, we find great diversities of prin.
ciple and belief, as many shades Of opinions
and Of purposes as We find among ourselves.
have already spoken of the fact of class
OF original and bitter secessiOnists who have
been dominant in the confederacy during
the war, but this was by no means a ma
jorty in numbers. They had succeeded ia
grasping the reins of power and acquiring
control in the government OF these States
but there was very large portion of the
people, their equals in intellect, and their
superlors in morality, who were opposed to
division Of the Union, and who resisted
the doctrine OF secession until the machinery
OF the rebellion, having been used to pro-
duce an actual collision between the Federal
Government and the rebels, these men, in.
fuenced by the notion that allegiance was
due to their State, and not by their love of
the principle Of secession itself, were in
duced to submit to, rather than CO. lialy
unite in the rebellion.
TIE SOUTHERN UNION MEN.
During the whole war they have consti-
tuted party, in several States, exceeding
ly influential and at times seeming almost
able to obtain the control, known as ICON
servatives. " While they yielded nominal
submission to the rule Of Davis and his
Cabinet, they sought by every means, with.
in the scope of what they called o constitu.
tional opposition, to weaken the power of
the rebellious central government and to
force the confederacy into regulations which
they hoped to be able so far to control as to
bring about peace upon the basis Of reunion.
1t would not be correct to say that all of
them entirely agreed to the positions which
| have just stated, but | think am not
mistaken in saying that, had it not been for
the crushing despotism which the Davis
Government succeeded IN establishing, and
fha rnfb1aSa soyarifu tvith yyhiah
government was applied to the renotest
portions of the community, in each of the
seeded States, this party would have open
ly avowed and probably succeeded in carry
ing out the purposes and doctrines which |
have described. When put in peril of their
lives, such men frequently avowed their al
legiance to the rebel government in terms
much stronger than their hearts received,
and thus their apparent course was far from
consistent, although their purposes and
their disposition were so we'll understood by
the rebel government, that they were never
trusted, but were kept under the strictast
and most constant surveillance, and were
constantly upbraided as tories by the party
in power. 1t is from this class of persons
that President 0Jshnson has selected the
meD to whom he has intrusted the reorgan.
ization of tho rebelious States. Had there
been body of true and determined loyal
lists there, of course the Provisional Gov
ernors, and other officers intrusted with that
duty, would have been selected from them.
But the despotism of the Davis Govern
ment was such that no class of loyal persons
could exist within their dominions. They
were killed or exiled. The few who were
found Still faithful, were generally men
whose humble circumstances and lack of
positive influence secured them some degree
OF immunity. In the mountain Businesses Of
North Carolina and Of Georgia little COM
munities Of poor and uneducated farmers
might be found among whom the fire of 10y
atty still burned; but even these were often
hunted out; their young men were merci-
lessly impressed into the rebel army, and
forced to fight against the Government
which they loved, and the homes of those
who persisted in their attachment to the
Government were destroyed, and their
households forced to fee beyond the rebel
lines for security. If those who we're thus
forced into the rebel army deserted and re-
turned home, partisan bands of rebels scour
ed the country, seizing and hanging them
without form Of trial or pretense OF inves-
tigation. Under such rule the existence
of any considerable body of avowed loyal
lists became of course an impossibility, and
the whole South, below the border States,