The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1865-08-15


productive the white lands, but it will
compel the negro element to work OF
starye, without the intervention of as
stringent laws as must otherwise be the
case"
The Norfolk Post Of the 4th says:
"There is a marked difference between
the political sympathies of the people Of
Norfolk and the public sentiment in other
portions of the state and the South. Here
there is a real and undisguised Union
feeling among the majoritysof the people.
There are no replnings over the downfall
of the Confederacy, and no disposition is
manifested, by either the mass of the
people or the leaders Of public opinion, to
oppose the march of events, and place
themselves in an antagonistic posistion to
the government. Our citizens are real
Unionists, as a general thing, and are con-
tent to be considered such. Good feeling
pervadcs oil classes, Rnd even our return
ed Confederate soldiers are as good natur-
ed a set Of young fellows as We would
wish to meet with; and we feel satisfied
that their professions of loyalty are sin.
cere. They DO not stand sulleniy aloof
from association with their fellow citizens
who were opposed to them during the war
but freely associate with them in all the
relations of life. They appear, by their
conduct, to be anxious to obliterate every
vestige of the past five years, and to frat
ernize with their old friends, as in days
of yore. This happy result is mainly due
to the healthy state of public opinion
which has been gradually developed by
the wise system of mutual concession and
forgiveness long since adopted and the
CONSTANT mingling of our people in busl-
ness pursuits, as we'll as in the social
walks of life. BY meeting together and
calmly discussing the questions of the day
in fair and conclliatory spirit, a good
understanding has been arrived at, and
we have become almost a unit in feeling"
The Richmond Republic says:
"The other day two young men were
talking on a street in city. They were
diving deeply into the fundamental prin-
ciples. One of them asked the other what
loyalty was. Ideas have been so unset
tied about what it really consists in that
an answer did not come very readily to
the respondent; After some deliberation
and an anxious, puzzled expression of
cOuntenanee, the others face suddenly
frightened up. 'Why,' said he, I'll tell
you exactly what it is; it is swearing to
ID lie.' Did or did not this young
man, in the candid impulse of youth,
speak the popular sentiment, or describe
in few words the sort of loyalty which
is manifested around US ?"
The Lynchburg Tirgimian of July "a
says of sentiment in Virginia:
"Tbey acknowledged that they were
beaten, and claimed only such terms as
were guaranteed to those who would lay
down their allegiance to the supreme
government. They have accepted, with
singular unanimity, the Emancipation
Proclamation and if there is a man who
contemplates testing the validity of this
act we are ignorant of his whereabouts.
All agree that slavery is "gone glimmer.
ing with the things that were" There
is scarcely wish expressed to revive it
and only desire felt to make the best of
our present cOndition-adapt means to
ends in the altered state of our affairs.-I
This is the sentiment of our people now
They are no sycophants to favor and fat
ter but they are as loyal to the govern
ment and as sincerely desirous for peace
quie: and social order as the people of
any state IN the Union. They may be
won by kindness, and Virginia may be
made in few years the bulwark OF
restored and happier Union. We claim
then, that justice be done to Virginia j
That the need of sincerity be awarded to
her. That she have credit for rectitude
of purpose and honest endeayors to sub
serve the public veal Her people are
not the sallen, implacable, obdurate 'reb-
els that they are represented to be. They
have renewed their allegiance to tho fed
eral government ; are supporting the
restored government of Virginia, and sus-
tanning Governor Peirpont Ali this
they are doing in good fatty, and it is
both unkind and unjust for northern
journals and politicians to be asserting
the contrary, attributing to them 'trea-
sonable' intentions; and by these means
retarding the work of Cancellation and the
restoration of that era of good feeling
whose advent all should desire to hasten"