The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-01-07

mentioning any obstacles 10 success, eSp0-
cially such AS may arise from neglect on
the part of officers entrusted with any duty
in connection with the organization Of this
corps.
BY order OF Mai. Gen. Hancock.
Headquarters lst Corps, Washington, D.
c., 1i.h Dec, 1864.
rOhicial,
FrNLY ANDERSON,
Assistant Adjutant General.
w. q. MITCHELL.
Brevet Col. and A. DC.
The Renovation Of the South.
The changes to I've wrought in Southern
society as 4 cOnseg1 erce OF the war will be
greater and more important than could
have been realized in any other way--tEan
temp. to bring about, except by the slow
operation Of moral forces. Slavery might
have stood for centuries longer, in defiance
of all the assaults Of philanthropy and re-
lgion, so far as We can Judge, had not the
madness Of its supporters brought it to
speedy end by civil war in its behalf The
abolition O! slavery not only involves
radical revolution in the industrial and So
c!al condition of the Son;h--Rn infusion OF
new activity and enterprise and conse-
quent development of material resources,
but a renovation Of Southern character, Il
fresh impulse in everything pertaining to
civilization and culture.
The tendency Of society where slavery
exists towards barbarism has long been
considered one ri the worst evils attending
the institution. But how powerful this
tendency was and how low the masses of
Southern people had already sunk under
its influence, we very iinperfectly apprehen-
dea previous 10 the revelations OF this war
Within tho last four years the secrets of
Southern society and life have been ex-
posed as never before, and the North has
been shocked to see degree OF ignorance
aud degradation existing in nearly one
half the Union, such as we had thought OF
as only to be found among nations that we
seif-complacently pity as heather. We
had known the South before chiefly
through its rich and cultivated people,
Their culture was seen to be superficial
enough, with rare exceptions, and spiced
with Il coarse element of rancor and cru
city, but they we're hospitable and luxuri-
GUS. and q certain air Of aristocracv and
chivalry made them attractive. But this
class Of Southern people was very small
We now know that the white masses in
the South are as ignorant as the slaves
and in many respects more de-
graded in their social life. Some Of our Of
iicers who have just passed through GeOr-
gia, and have seen As rich and thrifty a
population as exists anywhere in rebel
dom, express great astonishment a: the ig-
norance of large part Of the rich people.
those who constitute the best society. An
educated man or woman is exceptional, and
islooked upon by good society with aooutthe
same mixed feeling of envy and contempt
as the Yankee. Men owning hundreds OF
slaves, and making fortune every year
out Of the cotton they raise, are more ig-
norant and illmannered than our day la
borers who wait for jobs at the street cor
ners, and their sons and daughters grow
up untaught, awk ward OF gal, and speech,
and brutal in oil their instincts and habits.
Wealth with them is only appreciated "a 4
means of grosSer sensual indulgence. The
knowledge and art tina. adorn and elevate
human life are unknown to them. The
CHIEF difference between them and their
slaves is, that the latter are driven by the
whip to healthful and useful labor, and are
not allowed to kill themselves by gluttony
and beastly indulgence. The poor whites,
the corn crackers anu clay-eaters, are but
little lower intellectually and morally, and
differ chiefly from this class Of planters in
living poorly and stealing promiscuous'y,
instead Of plundering the negroes accord
ing to law and divine prescription. More
than nine-tenths Of all the whites Of the
South are included in these two classes,
and as compared with the laboring people
OF the North they are barbarians, and were
sinking lower aud lower every year in ig-
norance and brutality. In this Ignorance
has been the strength II the southern polit-
lea! leaders. There could have been no
rebellion if the southern people had been
ed Icated like those Of the North.
After the removal Of slavery and the res
toration Of peace. the great work Of edu-
cation will begin in the South. It cannot
he imposed upon the people. and does not
fall within the scope Of the national gov
eminent. 1t will come through the infus-
ion of q northern elementinto southern 500
cie,y. The Yankee will find his way into
every habi.able section Of the South. He
will carry the common school with him
the southern whites will be inspired by his
example. and not only the freed negroes,
but the degraded whites of the South will
be educated. 1t will necessarily be slow
process: but, under the stimulus OF such
mental and industrial activity as will pre-
vail throughout the whole country after the
war, we may expect more rapid progress
than in the history OF any other nation.-
An army OF our educated young men and
women will he wanted as teachers and
preachers in the South, and there will be
abuno ant work for all the philanthropy
and Christian zeal Of the North for years TO
come. For this opportunity, already open
ing upon W., to extend the influence OF
Christianity and civilization over our whole
broad and glorious domain, let us make
ready.
GOODWIN SIXTH ON GEN. DUTIEn.--
Describing a visit 10 Gen. Grants army in
u letter to the London Daily Neacs, Pro-
lessor Goodwin Smith suys:
saw, with the greatest interest. the me-
gro troops, encamped close to the scene OF
one Of their most gallant exploits-the
storming of the intrenchmenton Newman.
ket Hight. There can be no doubt,
think. that these men are now the &C.
knowledged and respected brethren in
arms Of the whites. This, to give the beast
as well as the Devil his due, is the work OF
Gen. Butler. That mans indomitable
energy and iron will qualities written on
his face more plainly than on any other
face ever beheld, unless it be the por.
traits of Cromwell,) have crushed all the
obstacles that stood in the way Of this great
moral and social revolution. bcrro as Ab-
ertcs prouenict-the bayone shall be their
lsberator-is the motto Of the medal he has
caused to be struck for the negro soldiers
and he has made this motto practical
truth. Twin not attempt TO anticipate the
calm Judgment OF history in an hour OF
passion by discussing the controyerted
ps rts Of his career. TO me he seems in all
points, good and evil, the model of a revo.