Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1865-05-10
RICHMOND w HIG.
WEDNESDAY MORNING. MAY 10. 1865.
From the N. Y. Evening Post
THE SPIRIT OF THE SOUTHERN
DHnDI

PEOPLE.
Ifthey are only let alone by the insidious
an reckless rebel politicians, there is fair
promise that the Southern people will ut
once settle down to their agricu Itural and
other industries, and become peaceable and
contented citizens Of the Union. The pa
rolled men of Lees army, with few eXcep-
tions, are making their way homewards, full
of good nature, and eager aud thankful TO
return to their families in peace Weare
informe by an officer Of Sherman's army
tnat acorreSpondent of a Cincinnati journal,
who left Sherman's headquarters, thirty
miles from Raleigh, on Tuesday Of last week,
rode with two orderiies three hundred miles
through North Carolina, to Suffolk in Vir-
ginia, where they arrived safely on Monday.
He was not molcsted in his journey
through what was q month ago enemy's
country; he met numbers of rebel soldiers
on their way South, who badO him "God-
speed, but in no instance were even unciv-
il. The following extract from last Sundays
Times details the adventures of another
newspaper correspondent, who journeyed in
Southern Virginia through different re-
gion, but in equal safety:
uAfter witnessing the surrender OF Lees
army a; AppOmattox Court House, | had q
great desire tO know to what extent the
people of Virginia, who were at home, ac-
quieseed in that event as a return TO the old
order of things, for such il was considered
throughout the Rebel army. With this oh
iect In view | started of, accompanied only
by a servant, and thus travelled through por-
lions of AppomattOX, Prince Edward, Not
toway, Dinwiddie and Prince George cOuD-
ties, cncouatering on the way the late men,
Il. Iaer 90 V...fo
W. II. +. Lees men, Rosser'S men, Filzhugh
Lees men-siDgly and in squads; some VINO
had been paroleG; more Who had not; some
without arms, but more carrying gun, pis-
tol or knife, and sometimes oil three-all
loing home. On the line of the Danyille
Railroad il was no uncommon sight t. sec
men from both armies walking along to-
gether as il they never belonged to hostile
forces.
"The one absorbing IDEA with all was
that the country was at peace again, and
they were intensely gratliied at the p! aspect
OF Immediately returning To civil live; they
felt released from the trammels OF Lee and
Davis, and no power on the earth, | venture
o assert, can ever force these men Fl ON
their homes again to fight against the Union
cause. indeed, the rebel SOldiery seemed
10 have been completely transformed by. the
capiIu alton Of Clover Hill and they now
talk as glibly Of our country 1meaning the
UJui' ed States) as the most devoted OF the
Union supporters.
g. The people everywhere emed to inter
pret the surrender OF Lee as a surrendering
of the whole cause for which the country
has been submerged in blooi during the last
four wears. What a change One week
before this it would have been the height OF
folly to travel about alone; my life would not
have been worth q rush. Now, without
knowing exactly why, l felt perfectly safe,
and was safe for, in a ride OF one huldred
and fifty mi es, did not see one threatening
look or hear one unkind word. The people
we're more prone TO tears than hard words
TO agricultural pursuits more than the pur-
suit OF Yankees.
"It seemed impossible that so great 4
change could have taken place in so brief
time. Soil that had not teen under cultiya-
tion for two years, owing to the turbulent
times, was now being prepared for seed on
every hand. White flags were everywhere
display ed, and it.was no uncommon thing
20 see women in tears-some overiOyed,
others mortified at the result. One lady,
smiling through n shower of pearly drops.
said TO Inc, We'll, sir, / hope yun are now
satisfied; We are at last Subiugated.' Did
t hurt you much p inquired, pleasantly;
and the person addressed at once made her
self agreeable, and before lett her, frankly
confessed that suhiugation, after all, was
more q bugbear than anything else. This |
found to be the prevailing sentiment. The
oeOple, almost without exception, hold the
ire-eaters of South Carolina responsible
for all their troubles In the Union, and Davis
and Lee are now blamed for their final di.-
cOmiture."
The people of the South are evidently
glad to get home again, and willing to re-
turn to their peaceablc and long-neglccted
industries. 1t Is possible that here and
there some one Of he rebel leaders will try
to stir them mp to new rebellion, or to make
them uneasy by misrepresentation and in.
cendiary appeals. We trust, if any such
abandoned wretch appears, he Will fall a;
once into the hands of the military authori-
ties, and receive promptly the punis hment
viii h such barbarism merits.