Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-04-17
FEELING OF THE PEOPLE OF THE NORTH
TOWARD TIE SOUTH.

TOWARD TIE SOUTH.
One Of The main arguments uted by the leads,fI
dugins the existence o. the late rebellion, to keel
alive ths passions Of those whom they had dupedI
iato an advocacy Of ther rerncious heresies, war
the assertion which was constantly reiterated opI
the stump, In the newspapers, from the pulpit inI
public and private everywhere in iact that the peo-
of the North in the war for the Ulion, were &C \
mated by the most dcaily hatred towards the peo-
pje Of the South that they did not desire to re
store the Union, but simply wreak on them lorgj
boarded vengeeuce that they would rather cut Il
throat or bc7n house than 70 save life or stop the
flames. These Misrepresentation OF the motives oiI
those who were putting their lives In peril to save
the country from anarchy had their effect in mskine
The people Of Dixie not only willing to acqni5sce mi
The tyranny established by JEFF. Davis, but aid Il II
s7srT y7sv How strocouslY false snd ba5eiJ ua
Inst we're these asperslona will te known ere long
Srise 4 now 70 quote, IN refutaton Of them, solt
words uttered by the most prominent RePuolc2f
icurnal IN Northern New York. Ga the reception
az the news of the surrender Of Gen. Lee and biz
army. that ilurnsl, instead Of saying "bang all oil
them" as Il would have done had 1t only been . Il
vengeance, spoke thus
General Lse surrendered hll whole army, with a
he artillery, baggage train, munitions OF war, sma \
arra e.:, and Grant, with proper int respect
Eor have soldiers treats the oicers and mea With
due courtesy, and gives them liberty On their parole
Of honor.
In the surrender Of an army which, during four
wears. has set at defiance the whole power OF the
nlghtles. military nation on earth, we have theI
rSndest tribute ever yet paid TO the u1corquerable
st-enctb and mstchleSs prestige Of the republic.
4 tbute also, to the wonderful genius and heroic
perseverance of Ulysses S Grant, who has brought
sbout the termination of this gigantic war.
We treat this as virtually ending thestruggle, be
oauss Il Is not conceivable that any Of the Confed
crate Generals will feel inclined to protract the war
aad waste more rivers of blood after thelr com
m,ni ? IN CHEF, whose tremendous resistance In
Yrrna has besn the min stay Of the rebellion, has
abandoned all hope, and thrown himself and his
army upon the generos'ty OF the victorious G1aut.
Il ever a beaten and surrendered army, fighting
i- bad cause, earned for itself the respect of
-boss against whose baanor it had bsen arayed, IL
l.rely is the Confederate army ju0t given up by
Lee Into ths hOnds Of tl5 victorious Grant -
vhs men cf that army on many an ensangu'r ej
eeld-oY many perilous march On ma day
er suffering and Eardship-haTe proved ttemEelves
soldiers worthy Of the proud American race. ID
must ever be a sOugco Of Tsgre. that such army
ehould have been found fighting ag2irs. tie dag
urdc- which the race had been rendered immortal.
And now. az the close Of the nj hty struggle when
4his terrible army, which has been for tour yean
rsisn Of sorrow and blood by bringing US peace as
4 once brought us war, we feel that we should be
.irrllsh end mario W-minded indeed could we refuse
thls parting tribute 10 the soldiers Of the great
Confederate army Of Northern Virginia. They
fought we'll SO long IS there was a hope of success
for their cause and II their discipline, their corr
age tbelr stealnesa, their perseverance and endu
rance. .hey exaltel the American name In the eyes
of sT the world not less than did our own gallant
veterans. TIE nea who have fought out such a
c.rac' cor afor5 Il close It without hentburnInes es
o. Aat-el They have me. IN deadly strifs, and
know ,a D other hencefor.b TO be men worthy of
the American r5cs.
We speak now Of the fcl6iers q the rebel srrcisz
OF the political chiefs who have driven them on !
ever farce we do not now care to speak. We!
fonybt for liberty and peace, and having eecured|
them both. we shall deal with becoming magns
nInty with the soldiers of the conquered armies
They would have protrac'vd the struggle, but have
chosen 20 submit to inevitable fate, aud by 80 doing
tbey have secured the return Of peace to their desc
lated homes, and put an end to useless bloodshed
For 90 much they 6esrve our consideration, and re,
should harsh en- IN e5ling did we not ackrowledle
this much They have struggled for q great end |
and they have not been without great Victories
Paey have Ccn times when their object seemed al
most certain. How fearful, then, must be thsiII
prefe7s disappointment, chlgrin and humiliation.
Tas,s remarks are from the Albany Eem.Hg
Journal, and are certainly anything but vndlctlva.
Gould hlndsomer things be said of men who haveE
been doing their best for four years to subvert the
Government. We believe tbs people of the North
are disposed to forgive all those who "bring forth
fruits meet for repentsnce" If the leslers areE
hung or otherwise used up, thsy cannot complain,
Hardly anybody will regret 1t, yet we repeat tha
our people are forgiving in their disposition anoI
are not bloodthirsty. .-Aler, StIts Journal
Col Gamble, commanding the Union forces at Fair.