Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-05-10
THE True PHILOSOPHY AND POL
ICY OF THE SOUTH.

Under the above caption the New Or
leans Piodyune INDUCES in the following
well-timed remarks, which We cannot COM
mend too highly to the careful consideration
of our readers:
A great many of our people do not fully
comprehend and appreciate the effects of
the great political and social changes which
the recent war has produced, and cling too
tenaciously to old ideas and opinions. This
is not surprising, but quite natural and in
the usual course Of human affairs. 1t is
vain to argue against such tendencies and
feelings. They must be left TO the gradual
cure and eradication Of time and events.
Very few of us are philosophers and logi-
clans enough TO conquer and restrain our
prejudices and habits, our cherished opin-
ions and notions. They are fortunate in
deed, and largely endowed with practical
wisdom, who can Immediately adapt them
selves TO sudden changes of condition and
circumstances. And truly unhappy and pit
liable are those who, like the Bourbons, for
get nothing and learn nothing. who cling
TO exploded systems ard ideas, and seek to
perpetuate prcjudices and habits, which
events have or ought to have abolished and
rendered obsOlet.
1t is to be hoped that our people will learn
from the sad history ofthis family, and from
all who have initiated their folly, the great
wisdom of the opposite course, of quick
and ready adaptability to their, new circum-
stances, cheerful acquiescence in what is
determined and inevitable, an earnest spirit
of progress and just appreciation of their
present circumstances. This should be the
leading characteristic of the new programme
of Southern rehabilitation. We must tdrn
away from the dead past, and prepare for
the living present and certain future. No
thing can retard our future growth and pros
perity more than vain and disastrous
struggle with the new ideas which events
have produced and established beyond our
power to assail, exclude or extirpate them.
And if our peopledo not pursue this obvious
course of wisdom and policy, the inevitable
result must happen that they will be crowd
ed and pushed aside by others who will.
Now we have a firm conviction that this
people of the South are the equals, if not
the superiOrs of any in the world in capacity
for all human enterprises.
What advantages have been gained over
them by other people, have been due to cir
cumstances-not to intellectual, moral, or
physical superiority. Given the same situa-
ton, the same motives aud impulses, the
same arena to operate on, We do not believe
that any race can surpaSs ours in all the
undertakings and enterprises which enlist
the faculties and ambitions of men. This
has been abundantly shown in this cosmopo-
Titan city, where the Northern and Southern
and the principal European races have been
brought into conflict and rivalry on equal
terms. In no department Of business, in
no sphere of life, have our people failed to
hold their own with the best representatives
of the capacity and enterprise of other peo-
pie. So it has been in the past; and so it
will be in the future if our people display
this virtue of adaptability, and do not per-
NIT Themselves to be hampered and impeded
in their contest by oldnotionS, preiudces, an
obstinate pride and vain aud weakening
contests with inevitable events and conse-
quences. In this spirit we should not fear
or deprecate rivalry or competition of any
sort. All manifestations of hostility, Of
prejudice or Of contempt, or jealousy, for
other people who come among us to embark
in the battle of life, are diScreGitable to our
manhood.
We should scorn to claim any advantage
from the accident of our position. We
should shriHk from no contest with any
people who may enter the lists of honest
rivalry with us in any of the emplcyments of
human ambition and energy. Let us learn
from them, and profit by whatever they may
bring of ideas, skill and habits which may
be useful or valuable Let us try and beat |
them in their new field. We cannot afford, |
even, if such 4 course were ever wise, to |
despise any class of men who may contrib |
ute to our source of knowledge and expert |
I l. L
amples of the polished and philosophic Gre |
clans, Who when conquered by the superior
force of the Romans, turned their defeat into |
a substantial victory by impressing their
ideas, their customs, their philosophy and
their literature upon their naughty con-
querors. This they did by process of as
similation and Of pOlicy-of wise adaptable
ity to circumstances. This can never be
done by a course of naughty contempt, tim
orous jealousy or vain and useless strife and
prejudice