The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1865-09-01
TaIk OF a GoYsrnor.

Proyisionai Governor of South Caro-, |
Ina, delivered 'areconstraction speech |
at Greenviile, in that State, whichris'
rather severely criticised. La bricf,
Governor Perry asserted he was OPP
posed to ,secessionsgt the outset; de-
clared it to have been a mistake
blamed: the rebel Congress and the,
people for its failure; complimented
General Lee, and asserted that no one
felt more the humility OF returning to
the Uhion than be did. sThrougholt,
however, he dWett largely On thd1
duty necessity, and benefits Of G0n
forming faithfully to the laws of the
Union, and accepting the destruction
of slavery as a Atoregone conclnsioh.
What are blamed, and we think IN
justly, are Governor Perry's rem, tks
on secession. Some people labor un.
der the mistake that, Southern
crowd Of people, composed OF seces-
siopists, sore. and hIIniliatedl by desT
feat, should be, e,talked to asg one. wonld
talk, to a crowd composed pf, ardent
lloyalists, who never saw but the, right
side of the " ar. Such critics labor
undor the wrong impression that men
are to be absolutely led, or driven by
speeches whereas they can, only be
Influenced by those who can address
them, pretending to be controlled, in
a great measure, by the sentiments
which the speakers know TO. beupper.
most in the hearts cot their hearers.
No man can, stem the tide of human
passion or prejudice; but by humor-
ing it, and Appearing to fall in with
it, in a a,measnre be may divert it, by
degrees, from one channel, and cause it
to flow in the desired COURSE. A change
in direction produces a. corresponding
change in the character as we'll as the
object of the the. Had Perry spoke to
the Greenvillians aseWiIson speaks to
the Bostonians, he would have inten.
siied their rebellious feelings, and rem
dered the task Of harmonizing and re-
construction impossible. But he knew
the character, disposition, prejudices,
and sentiments OF those with whom
he had to deal and, while falling In
j with their whims on minor and unim-
portant matters, established himself
! in their confidence; thus enabling
| him to carry them with him in the
consideration and treatment OF ques-
tions of vital Importance to them and
to the Nation. If all thoseto whom
is entrusted the work of-reconstruc.
4 ton deal as wisely and adroitly with
their fellow>citizens as Mr.. Perry has
done, the task will be comparatively
light. We, cannet expect in a day, or
a week, or year even, to eradiate
the passions and ?prejudices (which
have tor years accumulated in the
Southern breasts, and which the
eventsof the war have served to inten.
sify. They can only be overcome gra-
-dually, and by being treated as they
are treated by Governor Perry, They
must bes met, overcome,f and finally
dissipated by Southern men who have
theinterests of their immediate neigh
bors as well as that of, the whole
f Union at heart, who can appreciate
the situation, and who have The intel.
lect to rise above the contracted info,
u ences and narrow bitterness created
by local circumstances. To accom-
plish the good eall desire, even such
men will be powerTess without first
Z DEobtainfbg the confidence of their fell
low citizens, and this they can only
obtain by appearing at least TO be i'm.
bued with some of their preiudices
and opinions on minor matters, ,thu us
partially falling in with the current in
wrong direction, that they may di
! vert it to the proper cbann ef.-S. n
eau.