The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-07-06
letter froum ths Ii4th 0. R,glm.nt.
T''''7 ITT-71 - : N : m m = - = =
MOBILE, Ala, June 18th, 65.

iH hobiLb, Alh'i june 1oLn, %.
Dear Gazette:--The rowing chivalry
Of three months ago would scarcely
recognize the last ditch =. Of the late
Southern Confederacy, deceased, so
marvellous has been tho transition
from ennui to enlivening business,
Almost every man has bethought him
self of some handicraft by which he
may earn his bread and contribute
his mite to the cause of raising the
city to tho station she once occupied.
Those long, sorry faces have disap-
Ipoared doors, that had not been
opened for years now stand apart and
traffic--wcak and timid it is true
smiles welcome that is full of hope
on every customer that enters. Mo.
bilians are beginning to live, again.
The fearful menace of hostile armies.
no longer threatens them. Awful
beyond conception to the inexperien-
ced--.was the suspense that preceded
the coming of the Old Flag With its
attendant privileges. But those days
are ended, and may Heaven grant
that they return never more. .7s4 .
The work of effacing the deep marks
.
OF war has already commenced and is
progressing vigorously. Passion that
40 lately yhcId absolute sway, is yield
ing to reason and cordial feeling. Tho
great machines Of destruction that lie
lat the door and about the city are no
longer the dreaded messengers of a
fate severe and inexorable; she has
Joined hands with her sister, NewOr-
: leans, and IL fast recovering that life
4 Which business awakens. The unpre-
: ljudiced observer cannot evade the
concession that the heart of the South
is after all not so corrupt as we were
| wont to believe; that her people are
like our people and that they bear the
smart of disappointed ambition with a
|, fortitude becoming Americans. 1t is
unfortunate that so many of our most
accomplished writers continue to give
themselves to the little work of dis
paraging this portion of our people
who are again citizens of the same
united country. OF course every one
says gentle things to conciliato the
masses because rough handling has
little effect on that ambiguous ele-
mcnt which may be everybody or no
body, bat things that smack Of paro-
dy seem to be the coveted gleanings to
set before our friends at home. 1t is
no triumph at all to bring victim
into ridiculc whose very soul bleeds
. with the humiliation Of defeat. Or
IS it the counsel of generous heart to
tantalizc with q fallen adversary? 1t
can hardly be deemed a thrust at the
freedom OF speech and the press to
ask those who only chronicle the his
tory Of the past four years to be, at
, least, 0s liberal as those who made it
1t was the same spirit of fault-fnd.
ing that strove to strip great leader
ofhis. honors, and with Jewish incon-
sistency to cry "crucify' at the very
man to whom we sang 'Hosannahs.
We arc entirely too fond of pull
ing down prodiges for the pleasure o.
chatting over the magnificent rains
: This, without approving the vindictive
retorts the General hurls at his calum.
niators.
1 frankly grant that Mobile has her
J peccadillos, and what city has not
D Even your little Lancaster has her
weaknesses to which the critical cos
mopoiite would take exceptions. You
, think that the axis Of the earth sticks
out on Mount Pleasant, and You have
q right TO; besides this tho question
of water works is discussed at every
/ fire by the city fathers, bat always
comes to naught, and the stranger is
. shown the Pivotbridge over tho Canal
as ono Of tho wonders not down in The
d, guidc-book. Tho only difference is
you ride oEd hobbies. gsndr ag DID,
: Mach Of the life of the city is due
to the presence Of the army. Soldiers
0 must have all the Establishments Of
: civilization, cost what they will, and,
having been recently paid, they gen
oronsly pour their treasures into the
, lap of the city. They run tho Theatre
and HTho Star Minstrels, ;, furnishing
, both with music for "Grand Balcony
Serenadesn and an audience to enter
tain. Not unfrequcntly you may see
q tender of thanks for valuable SER
vices rendered theprcss, although the
Mobile Ne,cS now holds her own with
! tho best. Printers are handy fellows
: leverywhere, and many time during
} the late struggle the type that. a fcw