The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1865-07-21
Friday aorning, July 81, 1865.
THE SOUTHERN PRESS: A WORD OF
WARNING. a


A writer in the last number of The Ndtiol
warns Northern readers against the mistakei
idea that the leading newspapers of the Soutl
have, with all their protestations and pretend
ed changes, become in any true sense loyal OF
trustworthy. 1t asserts that they have mere
ly been compelled, like suspected thieves, tc
adopt disguise and an alias, that in all essen
tials they are the same that they have ever
been, and consequently too much caution can
not be used, in accepting any views or state
ments which they may put forth. The Matt n
says:
Because we no longer read envenomed ex-
tracts from the Sentinel, and Eraminer. and
Dispatch, we imagine they are dead-but the
truth is, the newspapers of the South are un-
changed, In character, in animus, in all but
name The same capitalists own them; the
same proprietors manage them; the same ed
itors write for them. 1t is true that the pub
lshed names OF editor and proprietor are often
new. 1t is true also that their columns are
not Tiled with the same noisy but vapid de-
nunciation of everything Northern, but this is
the effect of fear. t lT = =
We do not propose to leave this general
assertion. We will make it good by specifica-
tlons. The principal papers in Richmond are
the wing, the Repubttc, the Commercial Bui-
letiR, and the Times.
The Richmond Whiq has neither changed
its name nor its editor-Mr. William Ira Smith.
the present proprietor, bought a half interest
In Il during the war, it is limited, to save him
self from conscription. Two others of the
tirm who owned it were colonels in the rebe,
army. Their names no longer appear in con-
nection with the paper, but it is more than
suspected that they still possess an interest in
It, Of all papers in the rebel capital, it was
perhaps t1f there were any difference) the least
obnoxious. 1t was inclined to be conserya-
tive, and secured some respect from the North
by Its persistent opposition to the Davis ad-
ministration. But it was never suspected Of
real Unionism or it never could have lived in
Richmond And though it acquiesces in the
restoration OF the national AUTHORITY. and sinh
mits to the Pierpont government. it cannot be
said to give cordial support to either. IL Is
not regarded as their organ by the loyal men
OF Virginia, nor does it enjoy their confidence.
The Richmond Republic is ostensibly new
paper. 1t was started very soon after the
evacuation of Richmond In its prosne csrs II
promised great things. Securing the editorial
services of the former corresponding Of a
Northern newspaper, the loyalists hoped to
md In 1t the expression of their views. But
its proprietors control its columns and give
character to its utterances. These are the
proprietOrs respectively of the Richmond Er-
dfnlaer and the Richmond Dis1dtch-s iii lin
reality a resuscitated form of those defunct
newspapers. ~
The ConamerciaI Bulletin is simply Davis
olu organ, tne Richmond Sentinel, in a new
name, but without changed spirit.
The Times is the newspaper Of Richmond
~ mas much the largest circulation. 1t is, per-
maps, not too much to say that it equals that OF
ali the other papers combined; this it has ac-
qulred by its audacious secessionism Its edi-
tor is Mr.. III. X. Pollard, formerly Of the Erdna-
aner, author ofa Southern History of the War
and ior time a resident of Fort Warren Sc
ouSpoken is its secessiOnism that it has lately
been warned by the military that its course
must change or its publication stop. And
such with some exceptions, is the press, not
only OF Richmond, but Of the whole South
we are taking great pains to put loyal men in
the gubernatorial chairs. But here is a pow
er greater than that of the government, WELD
ed Almost wholly IN the interest of an aristoc-
racy as yet far from dead.
There IS nothing which is SO much needed
In the Southern States as loyal, liberty-lov-
ing press, yet the South cannot, win not sus-
tam It. In State where the Governor de-
clares that nineteen-twentieths of the people
would be disiranchised by being required to
M cs'"A uSAotC NobiAS bIltL tney EaVe not
voluntarily aided the rebellion, there is no
nstatueacy strong enough aoso to sustain the
'tght Rand Of dneacspdper. In some form or
other assistance must be obtained from abroad
We commend this matter to whom it may con-
Germ in New York. - -
Meanwhile, we warn the public to remem-
Der that the extracts which they constantly
read from the Southern press, concerning the
condition Of society, and especially the con-
duct CT the negro, are prepared for our in
formation by The same men ohose atrocious
catunnies Of the North did more to produce
the "ar-achose unbtushtng .tdlSehoods, during
ter ii, than all other Influences combined