Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-09-27

| the favorable Issue of the Presidential cleo
ton, and in order to make assurance
| doubly sure" the votes of the Southern
States are to be excluded. Terms of admis
sion will continue to be offered that canno
be accepted, and we are prepared TO see Con
gress, during the next session, exhibit the
| boldness which Stevens say was wanting
at the last. Those men care but little where
| their measures may lead, lie it to anarchy
and war, so long as they control the gov
eminent and command the armies.
The Southern people have learned moth
| ing from the stern lessons of adversely, o1
| if they have, it has been forgotten already.
We look in vain for any evidences of shat
rigid economy, that outstanding Of our re-
sources which one would naturally suppose
| would have been the case among people
bankrupt and impoverished by four long
weary years of terrible warfare. 1t is true
that, at the termination of hostilities there
was more produce found in the country
than the most hopeful could have anticipa-
ted. and that large amount was realized
thereby, but our people seem to have for
gotten the fact that the amount then on
hand was the proceeds Of several crops
which had accumulated during and before
the war. The money realized from that
produce, instead of being applied to the
restoration of the farming interests of the
country to the improvement OF agrlcultu-
raj pursuits, has, to use strong express
sion, been spent i'll "riotous living. -
The moment the war terminated, or as soon
as the means could be obtained, there was
a perfect hegira from the South to the
commercial emporiums and fashionable
watering places of the North. And this, too,
from all sections of the country. 1t seemed
as if our people had determined to ignore
the lessons of the past, to take no thought
of the future, but to live solely for the pres
ent. We thought at the time that they
we're q little excusable, for the reason that
they had been for four years entirely exclu-
ded from the world, and that the exube-
rance of feeling attending that condition,
like the Joy of school boys released from
restraint, would soon be quoted, or wear it.
self out. We are sorry to say that such has
not been the case. Our people to-day are
as extravagant as at any time before the
war, and pay no more heed to the rough
teachings of the past, than as IL no such
teachings had been administered. Gaudy
equipages glitter Oh our streets the hum
of the spinning wheel is no longer heard,
and the honest, serviceable homespun has
long since given way to the purple and
fine linen We do not refer TO any parti-
cular locality, and would not he so under
stood we speak of the appearance OF things
generally throughout the Southern country.
Go into any of our fashionable churches
on Sunday IF it is not saerilege TO use that
word in connection with any building dedi
Gated to the services of the Almighty and
see the magnificent display on exhibition
within it's sacred walls. Silks and satlns Of
the costliest patterns, laces IF a texture 50
fine and delicate that a breath would al
most crumple into nothing, and flowers sui
ficient in number and III beauty to form a
garden that Shenstone might have en7led.
Is not all this wrong? 1sit a true evidence of
the condition of our people, even admitting
we can afford all this style? Is not the ez-
hibition of it, to say the least. IN very had
taste? We fear that our people are no
wiser than they were that the sad expert
ences of the last four wears have taught
hem nothing, and that " Ephralm is still
oined to his idols. The future looks dark
and lowering enough if there IS indeed
silver lining to the cloud that enfolds us.
We cannot distinctly see IT. we know not
what miseries are yet in store for us. it be !
looves us, therefore, to keep our houses ID |
order; to practice economy i'll all things; to !
i've soberly and honestly, SO that we may be |
prepared to meet with tirmness whatever Of
rouble the future may bring to us, sus-
aimed as we shall then be by the inward
of having discharged Our du-
V in all the relations of life.