The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1865-08-04

The Richmond Wight Resumes
Publication.

The Richmond Wight Resumes
Publication.
We take the following from the Rich
nond Wing, which is again allowed to be
published:
is THE WAR OVER?
We suggest the above inquiry, not that
We have q particle of doubt on the subject
Ourselves, but because the tone and Ian
g9ass OF the Northern press, in connection
~. Mltn The singular and distrustful course of
sne General Government itself, would
s sSs 70 Indicate that in their Judgment
une wa! Is not over. Let us endeavor to
o onueosave the people of the North and the
~ .h ues at Washington on this point.
:. III .uo 1lst place, then, we assure them,
ID an candor and honesty, that the South.
ern people, at the present monoent arc
emphatically the most neaceahIa and the
most peaceably disposeS naonle ". ~ the t
face of the earth. There Is pot q mon
woman or child in all our hordo" S m ua'
ever their regrets in regard to the ros %A ~
whose mind there fingers the fssrtppat tV son -
timent in opposition to the natsona, ON sn.
thority. There is not one who doss n no
sigh for peace, for quiet, for securitv Ivy w
who does not honestly intend to abide IN
good faith, the results of the war. II
there be solitary rebellious or refractory
spirit among US, he keeps bis ridiculous
thoughts and purposes all to himself: So
far, then, as the people of the South are
concerned, the war is unquestionably over
permanently at an end. And we sin
cerely hope that the Government at Wash
ington and our considerate Northern
friends will at once recognize and acknOwl-
edge the vital fact, and conform their SEN
timents and action to state of peace.
We repeat that, in spite of the represen-
tations of few sensational newspaper cor
respondents to the contrary, there is no
wish or disposition on the part of any sane
Southern man, no matter what his opinions
or conduct before and during the war, to
continue resistance, for single moment,
to the constituted authorities of the land.
From the very moment of the surrender of
the Southern armies the war was practi-
cally and forever at an end and the South
ern people, civilians and soldiers alike,
promptly and wisely admitted the fact, by
forthwith resuming their usual avocations
and employments. Nor at any time since
the surrender has there been any exhibi-
ton of violence, turbulence, disorder or
refractory disposition on the part of any of
our people.
Frankly acknowledging themselves
whipped and overwhelmed by superior
numbers, all have demeaned themselves
with quiet dignity and manifested sin
cerely loyal and patriotic spirit, and all are
now resolved to support the Constitution
and the Union with honest hearts and hon
est minds. And none are more peaceably
inclined, or more intent on the discharge of
every duty incumbent upon them, under
the new order Of things, than the brave,
gallant and noble soldiers Of the South, who
for four terrible years endured, without a
murmur, trials, hardships and suferings
such as no people ever endured before.
Nor can too much praise be awarded
them for their orderly and gentlemanly
conduct since their surrender to the armies
of the United States. If there is the
slightest spark of insurrectionary spirit ex-
isting at the South, it is not to be found
among those who lately composed her
grand heroic armies. But we again repeat
with emphasis, that there is no warlike or
factious disposition prevailing among any
portion of our people. We are all peace
able, docile, well disposed, law-abiding
citizens, and wish to be regarded and
treated as such, both by the Government
and by the people of the North.
And surely, if we were not peaceable
and orderly-if we ever had 30 great an
itching for another fght-would we be
fools enough to attempt to bring on anoth-
er when we have no means of resistance
at all? Are not the Southern armies VS..
banded? Is not every man in the South
disarmed? Is not the use of even the
smallest sort of sword-cane sternly pro-
hibited? What absurdity, then, to sup
pose that anybody in the South is disposed
to create disturbance! And if we are
not thus disposed and if we have no arms
at our disposal, why the distrust which
seems to pervade the Northern mind and
even the policy Of the Government itself,
in regard to us2 Why such large stand.
ing armies in our midst9 Why such un-
accountable delay in substituting the civil
for the military authority Why is it, too.
that even the common convenience of mail
facilities is withheld from us2
We make these interrogatories in order
to call the attention of the authorities at
Washington and of our Northern fellow
citizens to the actual facts of our present
condition, our present temper, disposition
and purposes. We wish to disabuse the
minds OF the people Of the North and of
rulers OF the mistaken impressions under
which they appear to labor. We are all
peace men here now and loyal citizens of
the government of the United States, and
we wish to enjoy the real and substantial
blessings Of peace, and to enjoy the equal
rights and privileges of common govern.
ment In numerous letters and addresses
President johnson has proclaimed that the
war is over and that peace exists. The
like announcement was made from thou
sands of rostrums and pulpits throughout
the North on the Fourth Of July. Let us
all, then, North and South, rulers and peo-