Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1865-09-29
THE sOITH.

We reprint from the Tribune very interesting
letter addressed to the editor OF that journal by Mr.
B. A. Aston of Georgia. flu.
The writer is evidently sensible, fair minded,
and well informed gentleman. He describes in
plain and manly language the real condition of the
South, its deplorable restitution, and the earnest
desire of all its people 10 do all which men who
still retain their own sef-respect can do to propi-
tiate and please their cohquerors and with earnest
simplicity he appeals to the dominant States to be-
leve, aud to act as if they believed, that the people
of the South have universally abandoned the doc
trne of secession and acquiesced in the perpetual
abolition of slavery, and that they striving each
with the other TO restore peace and harmony and
to out Of the future consolation for the
past" .4 .a
We do not think that any right thinking North
ern man, who shall read the truthful and touching
account that he gives of the heroic fortitude with
which, in the midst of the desol,ton which brools
over their once lovely aud abundant country the
MI and the gentle women of the South are ac-
ceping their hard fate and laboring as, they have
never labored before to earn their daily bread and
To rebuild and restore their ruined homes and tenn
pies, will have it in his heart to pursue them any
longer with his vengeance, or to drive them to
utter ruin and despair by any further efforts to
humiate and degrade them. rI-.as- raIiaat..
We have ourselves conversed frequently in the
last flaw days with a well known citizen of Yir-
GINA, who was distinguished representative from
that State in the Confederate Congress. He has
within the past four months Travelled extensively in
Virginia, the Carolinas and Georgia, and he fully
confirms the statements of Mr.. Aston as to the
perfect, universal and absolute submission of the
people of those States to the Federal authority
and of their unfeigned anxiety to do all that the
people of the North can fairly ask them to do to
demonstrate heloyaty and good faith in which they
have resumed their allegiance 10 the Government
of the United States. - ..ia lis. Il 1.a
We copy the foregoing from the New York Nep',
because of its perfectly truthful delineation of the
condition and feelings of the people of the South
And yet, strange to say, there those North and
South, who labor, with more industry than wisdom,
to keep alive the spirit Of discord by representing
our people as insncere in their acceptance of the
arb;.rsment of the sword and as harboring re-
bellion under the garb of submission. If such
continues to be the spirit Of the South the time TO
manifest it was when it had armies in the field and
arms In the hands Of its people, and not now, when
those armies have surrendered and the country is
left defenseless. The man who would now en-
deavor to arouse the spirit of rebellion would be
esteemed a mailman or fool. Their desolated
homes and ruined fortunes are to the people, argu-
mens in favor of peace too strong to be rebutted by
the factious outpourings of discomfort, were any
disposed to give them utterance TO the detrment of
the cause of humanity and the interests of the
country. Everywhere throughout the South, the
voice of the people, the outgivinY of the press,
the speeches Of candidates. and the acts of conven-
tons are for peace and tue faithful observance OF
the terms imposed upon us; yet all this does not
satisfy the radicals of the North, nor avert the
suspicious of disloyalty which they labor so faith
fully to keep alive. But this state of things can
not last always Truth will, ultimately, impress
itself upon the minds of those in authority In
the meantime, let the people of the South press
forward the work of peace and reorganization, and
by their ZEAL in the good cause manifest their sin
certify and good faith. .H