The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-09-22
Shall the south be Distrusted

From the New York Times RepubIcans =
President johnson, in his late speech to
the great Southern delegation, expressed
his belief that I" the South would be true
to her ancient instincts of frankness and
manly honor" and that when its faitt
was pledged, every pledge and promise will
be fully carried out. This was no idle
Establishment on his part. It was an ut
terance of an earnest conviction, upon
which he has shaped and is still shaping
bis practical policy of reconstruction.
In the dispatch sustaining Gov. Sharkey
in this matter, he used these words: "The
people must be trusted with their govern.
ment and, if trusted, my opinion is that
they will act in good faith"
President johnson POUNDS all his practi
cal policy upon the presumption that tn.
South is fit to be trusted. His radical OBJ
ponents found theirs upon the presumption
that the South is unfit to be trusted.
These seven millions of Southern white
men are our countrymen. To represent
them as utterly unworthy of trust is virtu-
ally to affirm that they are unfit to be
Americans. Were it true it would be the
very strongest of all possible eondemna-
tons of the war. 1t would have been the
height of folly to incur all this expenditure
of blood and treasure to keep 80 vile race
in national association with US. If they
are the faithless, soulless people that they
are called in some quarters, it would have
been blessing to be separated from them
forever, and to have wall like that of
China built between them and US. But it
is all false. These Southern people mean
what they say, and will fulfill what they
promise. At least, the policy of the gov
eminent is wise which promises this.
When the contrary is shown, then, and not
until then, will the time come for differ
ent policy.
Harry Leslie Taken for the Devn.
From the Buffalo Courier, September IL.
On Friday afternoon last, Mr.. Leslie
thought he would delight the people of
Bayfield,, G. W., on the Grand Trunk Rail-
way; and, having stretched his rope across
the James River, distance of 600 feet, he
proposed not only to perform his customa-
ry feat of walking over it, but also to as.
tonish the natives with display of his
acrobatic skill. At the time appointed, he
and his balance pole started across the
river together, and upon reaching the cen
tire of the rope, he enacted ali that was set
down on the programme; but upon near.
ing the opposite bank, he saw crowd of
men, who were evidently excited, aud
could hear them say, Damn him, he's
the devil, J." "cut the rope" "cut him
down. &c. Leslie continued to move
along on his rope, but before be could
reach it's terminus the slender bridge was
cut, and he was allowed to fall a distance
Of nearly twenty five feet. In his descent
he caught hold of tree, and thence rolled
down the embankment to the waters edge.
Finding that he was pursued by the ruff
fans, he made his escape into the woods,
and after travelling about mile and half
he managed to get horse and buggy, with
which he reached Seafor,h Here be pro-
cured assistance, and spon returning to the
vicinity Of Bayfield, he learned that man
named S. S. Skinner, who was acting as
his agent, had been badly beaten, and that
about dozen of the ruffans had been ar
rested. Upon going back to Sesforth he
was again beset by some of the gang, but
the vigorous use of loaded hOrsewhip
made his progress comparatively easy, and
he escaped the second time. Harry has
discovered that Canada is hard road to
travel, and he will propably avoid Bayfield,
and the James River hereafter.