Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-09-12
SYMPATHY WITH THE SOUTH.

4 SYMPATHY WITH THE SOUTH.
i It is still a reproach IN certain circle
Ito be called a sympathizer with th
J South. An American may sympathiz
with Mexico or Brazil, Russia, India G
China, without any imputation upo
| his patriotism or morals, but to have
kindly feeling toward his own flesh an,
blood, his countrymen of the South, i
in those circles still discreditable, stii
sdisloyal." To speak we'll of the South
ern people in any respect, commend
their courage, advert to the sudden anC
wonderful development of mechanical
]skiH and industry among them during
the war; to their perseverance and en-
duranee; or to praise tha good faitI
and good spirit in which, the war over
they have submitted to its award anG
gone to work to reinstate themselves as
taithfal citizens, all this exposes one to
Observation-Disclosures With the peo
Iple to which we allude nothing upon
the subject is acceptable that is not de.
predatory, condemnatory, defaming,
Insulting. A fallen foe excites no pity
in their hearts; the gospel of hate
which has fed them for so many years
has eradicated the very germ of all gen.
tie sentiments toward the objects of
their hostile passion.
And yet to an unwarped nature moth
| ing would seem more deserving of pity
and sympathy than these eight millions
of our fellow citizens. 1t is true their
leaders led some and forced more of
them into rebellion, but how have they
suffered for their fault! War never
more thoroughly scodrged, impoverish-
ed, ruined any country in four short
years than that. All the accumulated
capital, the result OF decades of prosper
Gus agriculture, is swept away. This
may be replaced, it is true, bat it will
never be replaced by those who have
lost it, and but in a sur all degree even
by their descendants, for they are dead.
Over two-thirds.of all the men enlisted
in many of the States have c disappeared.
Another generation of another people
must replace them, and inherit the poor
remains of what was theirs. Thousands
upon thousands Of families, once com.
Portable and happy in their homes as
any that the world has seen, are now
destitute, suffering, deprived of all stay
and support, and dependent upon char
ity and the scauty returns Of their own
labor for a bare subsistence. Il would
seem that any degree OF enmity might
be satisfied with this-even that of a
philanthropist.
But the temper to which we allnde,
though il exists, is not the dominant
temper of the people. They do sympa-
thize with their lately febellious coun-
trymen, and none more warmly than
those whose hands have chastised them
for their treason. A brave foe, brave
ly vanquished and now submissive, ex-
cites in the soldiers of our armies no
feeling but a desire to aid him in resto-
ring the prosperity of the past, and re-
building the Republic in more than its
pristine graz deur and glory. And in-
deed this is in a great degree the actual
work awaiting our disbanded heroes.
After a briet visit 70 their old homes,
multitudes of them will return to the
South, and find their better opportuni-
ties for their energies than the North
can afford them. They will goto assist
il building up free South, carrying
with them Northern thrift and North
ern methods of labor, and by their as
-sistance and example firing the South
ern heart with friendly emulation in the
work of renewing the old and opening
new ways of prosperous enterprise.
Settling in the South, they will feel its
interests to be their own, and will hear
tily join the native people in resisting
lyranny, claiming and asserting the
same liberties for their new home that
was theirs by right in the Old There
is nothing in the way of complete fra.
ternization between emigrants from the
North and the Southern people, who
are even now calling for them to come
and help. The same blood flows in the
veins Of both, the same thoughts and
aspirations, tho same courage to en-
counter and subdue the distractions of
nature, the same principles of liberty,
and the Same glorious recollections OF
the old past, the brotherhood of the lev
olution, the war Of 1912, a1d the Mex
lean campaigns-ali bind them far more
strongly than the past struggle can sep
arate and the same future now assured
to both guarantees unity and commu-
nifty OF heart against which no narrow
sectional hatred can ever prevail.
". 7. Neaos.
The Richmond Times, referring to the persis-
tent attempts of the ultras and radicals to keep
up passion, prejudice and excitement, says:
Eight millions of people, without vestge of
Confederate Government, without armed SOL
der in the field, or bushwhacker in the woods,
have frankly admitted their defeat, and conceded