Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1866-02-08
RUTLAND HERALD.
russDAY, FEBRUARY 8, 1896


IL ute aad report, or who talk ano re-
por, withoUt Investigating. The trntn
q. NJ. n look urou the same people ana
the e> ents thai tyanspire among them,
with eerent Il with minds trained
To different habits OF thinking, while
others look on without much thinking
Of any kind; this latter class acting
more from prejudice and passion
There arc men who are looki2g con
einually for bright and sunny pictures
of Southern life, while others habitual-
ly shut their eyes to all sunshine, and
are determined to see and know only
she dark shades of character and action
among Southern people.
All this may be natural, but 1t Is all
wrong, nevertheless, and can result only
in evil. Clear and impartial Judgment
and candid talk are more needed now,
in reconstruc0ug or readjusting the dis
cordsnt elements in our national affairs,
than at any previous period in our po-
ntical existence.
The South went 10 war with a bad
theory, a dangerous political heresy that
had no shadow OF foundation in the ma
tionsl constitution, and for an object on
the part of secession leaders, ss treason
able and unwarrantabie as any object
could be. Theory, practice and aim
were radically, wiCkediy wrong, and ap-
pealing TO the bayonet the Southern
men who we0t TO war have been most
thoroughly beaten before their own tri-
bunaI. This defeat they all soknowl-
edge. That they should feel unpAeas-
ant, that many should appear bitter and
revengeful, is the most natural thing In
the world. That many at the South
who fought braveAy in wreeched cause,
now Gee their error and talk and act
with O oommendable degree Of magma
nimity, is true; aud 1t ia equally true
that aauy CT the Southern people have
still the old rebel spirit in them and
will neither b %sf,ierted themselves,
nor permit otis ~ sStts&h0 vita
the now condi'a-u K alsAirs. Gut so
Ear ae States ana individuals profess
With apparent sincerity submission TO
the uationl authoFity~-accept IN appa-
rent good faith the changed condition
OF labor, and will give projection TO the
four millions who were recently their
slaves. 80 that they may have a fair
chance to labor and improve their con-
dition.-that their transfer from slavery
TO freedom shall be real and not a
sham, and they shall feel that they are
men and not mere bFutes, we should
accept such profession and action in
like good faith on our part, remember
ing all the while that we have the army
and the freedmen's bureau, with which
TO check and correct any abuse Of the
confidence reposed. We are now speak
ing more particularly of the official
action Of States and individuals, and
they should not be held responsible for
the malicious conduct and mean dislOy-
al acts of individuals, unless they for
maIly and officially sanction them, no
more than the general government and
Northern State governments should be so
held for the foolish talk and conduct on
disloysI men in our midst who have ex-
pressed only sympathy for rebels and re-
bellion all through the war, and who
now habitually speak OF colored men as
brutes, and would deny them all civil
and political rights.
The social condition OF the soath 10
evidently improving, and II fairly dealt
with the people thete win no doubt oome
up to q proper standard o. policy. They
are hamaa, down in Dixie, and due 81
Iowanoe shoald be made for the clrcuua
stances uadee which they are laborsag
Time end fair treatment, UNDER free Ia
Dor and the freedme0's bureau, will
work woaders. II Ia @ fatal mistake
that say OF our public nseu should thiab
that by legislation people can DO made
W tcIa nuu dOO JoSb os WV Wv 1A A"""~"~ee
OF our social relations, How common
was the belief that when the war wat
over large standing army would b
needed TO keep the Southern people IL
sub3echon, and how erandly have 81
been disappointed In this regard,
To soberiy thinking mind, there Il
matter Of cosgrstulatiou ia many prom
isipg Indications that exist at the South
To such mind the ratincaa":s. Of tai
constitu donal amendment by States re
Gently armed rebellion, the passage o
laws Tepudiaung oil rebel war debts
and protecting freedmen in person ant
property. are rapid strides 10 the righ
oirecticu, and are m 'ss auspiciou,
sigma. Ard new evidences are reaching
Us that the better classes of Soutberr
people arc gaining the sscendency Their,
In sooiai and poii teal III lirs; and whilt
many OF the Northern press aud people
are eager to arge on pubic attention the
bid Indications. we would have tAem
Be saa seooy,dze the good Also.
A. todisx,scas ~ ,,yovrpsa In ths