The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-08-25
creed broad enough to embrace oil such de.
voted. patriotic men witnin II.

SEVERAL CLASSES or SOUTHERN PEOPLE.
lo looking at the people OF the Southern
country, We fod great diversities of prioci.
pie and belief, as many shades Of opinions
and OF purposes a. We HuG among ourselves.
l bave already spoken Of the fact of . clsss
OF original and bitter secessionisis who have
been dominant in tho Confederscy during
the var, but this was by no means . msjori-
y OF numbers. They had succeeded 10
grasping the reins Of power and acquiring q
control in tho government of these States;
but there was Q very large portion Of the
people, their equals in intellect, and their
superiors in morality, who were opposed to
q division of the Union. aud who resisted
the doctrine Of secession until the ma
cbinery Of the rebellion, having been used
to produce an actual collision betweet, the
Federal Government and the rebels, these
men. Influenced by the notion that allegi.
aDce was due to their State, and not by
their love OF the principle Of secession itself,
were induced to submit TO, rather than cor.
daily unite in tho rebellion.
THE SOUTHERN UNION MEN.
During the whole var they have consti.
tuted q party. in several States, exceed
ipeIy influential, and at times seeming al.
most able to obtain the control, known as
inal submission TO tho rule of Davis and his
Cabinet. thoy sought BY every means. with
in tho scope OF what they called o constitu.
tional opposition, to weaken the power of
the rebellious central government, and to
force the Confederacy into negotiations
which they hoped to be ablo so far to con-
troll as to bring about peace upon the basis
Of re union. 1t would not be correct to say
hn n NJ hnU s.,lv anraoA IN ha M
sitions which havo just stated, but think
am not mistaken in saying that. had it not
been for the crushing despotism which the
Davis Government succeeded iu establish.
ing. and the ruthless severity with which
military government was applied 10 the re-
motest portions of tho community, in each
OF the seeded States, this party would have
openly avowed aud probably succeeded in
carrying out the purposes and doctrines
which have described. When put iu peril
OF their lives. such men frequently avowed
their allegiance to the rebel government 10
terms much stronger than their hearts re-
ceived, and thus their apparent courso was
far from consistent, although their purpose
and their disposition wore so we'll under.
stood by the rebel government that they
wore never trusted, but were kept under
the strictest and most consta mt surveillance,
and we're constantly upbrsided as tories by
the party in power. 1t is from this class of
persons that President johnson has select.
ed the men to whom he has intrusted the
re. organization OF the reoellious Ststes.-
Had there been . body of true aud deter
mined loyaiists thore, of course the Provis
ioDal Governors, and other officers intrusted
With that duty. would have boen selected
from them. But the despotism Of tho Da.
vis Government was such that no class OF
loyal persons could cxist within their do.
minions. They we're killed or exiIed. The
few who were found still faithful, we're gen.
orally men whose humble circumstances
aud lack Of positive influence secured them
some degree Of immunity. Ir the noun
tain Businesses of North Carolina and Of
Georgia, little communities of poor and un.
educated farmers might be found, among
whom the fire of loyalty still burned: but
even these we're often hunted Outs their
young men we're merciIessly impressed into
the rebel army, and forced TO fight against
the Governments which they loved. aud the
homes of those who persisted in their st.
tachment to the Government, were de.
stroyed, and their households forced to flee
beyond the rebel lines for security II those
who were thus forced into the rebel army
deserted and returned home, ,partisaD bands
of rebels secured the country, seizing and
hanging them without form of trial or pre-.
tense of investigation. Under such q rule
tie existence Of any considerable body of
avOwed loyslists became Of course an impos.
sibility. and the whole South. below the
border States. took on the complexion of o
uniform subserviebce to the rebel rule,
which II otherwise never would have had.
TIE POLITICAL DRIFTWOOD
10 every cOmmaoity there 10 q large body
OF persons whose personal opinions have 80
little OF fxedness that they readily follow
the prevailing sentiment, and attach them.
selves with more or less fce elity to the pre-
vailing government, whatever il be. In the
South, q largo portion of the poorer classes
we're thus blindly allied to those whom they
were accustomed TO look up to 10 their own
neigbborhood, and followed the rebel lead.
ers as they would have followed the Con.
eervatives, had they been able to obtain q
real control In the Government The close
OF the war has now set free these different
elements, and II remains to be- seon in what
direction the opinions and purposes of the
different classes of society will tend.
THE PRESIDENTS POLICY.
The experimental policy Of reconstruc-
ton devised by the President 10 testing this.
The time has not yet come when We Gao af:
firm With certainty what will be the result.
From personal acquaintance with some of
those into whose hands the work of re.or-
gsnixation has been given, incline to the
belief that the conservative party, so called,
in the South, will gradually collect about il
enough Of the floating mass of people to
whom bave referred TO give them the sub
stantisi control, and enable them. for some
time. at least, to guide the destinies of these
States. I believe that this party, in seve.
raj Of the States, will be found desirous Of