Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-17
SOUTHERN INTERESTS.

The people OF the South have other inter-
ests besides those Of representation in the
fanatieal Congress at Washington. To CONF
munities enjoying high state of intellec-
tual and moral cultivation, a government,
just wise and permanent, is indispensable.
Such are the Southern people, and such with
them is great and pressing want. We
have, therefore, given in these columns much
attention TO the subject Of our political con-
dition at home and TO our abnormal and UNI
satisfactory relations with the other States
of the Union, brought about by the factious,
revengeful, unrepublican and unpatriotic
course of the present Congress. We shall
continue TO do so for, 70 free men, reared
under the institutions of republican liberty,
an impartial constitutional government is
indispensable to happiness and prosperity.
But the South has other and very grave
interests, which may be better described as
imperative wants, and which are 50 con-
slant and so pressing as never to be lost
sight Of This people want an opportunity
to improve their physical condition, to re-
pair the ravages of a period Of war more
destructive, in proportion to the duration of
hostilities, than any other known to history.
They want to restore houses, in thousands
of cases, to the lonely chimneys that stood
amidst the flames as the only surviving
monuments of happy and peaceful home
steads; to replace the trees that were
withered by consuming fires; to plant anew
the sweet shrubs and flowers that were
nurtured by the hands Of love in the bright
hours of peace; to bring back the skele-
tons of the precious sons who fell
before the hot sirocco of battle, and are
yet crumbling to dust beneath soil owned by
strangers; TO restore their wasted fields to
the bloom and harvests that once filled their
tables with Injuries to reproduce the focl1s
and herds that aforetime decorated their
pastures, gave their plenteous yield to the
dairy, the harder and the loom, and in their
own untutored patience and content instruct
ed their owners in the prime elements of
human happiness; to adapt themselves to
the new conditions of life and labor; to re-
concile the domestic relations, mental and
social, Of the present with those of the past;
TO study the new wants Of the negro and the
disturbing influences that operate to his dis
advantage, and to show their humanity and
care and sympathy for him in his freedom
as they did whilst he was in his bonds.
And further, and as touching the tenderest
places in the human heart, they want to re-
pair and make good the sad omissions of the
education Of their children during these
dreary years, when fathers and sons, mothers
and daughters and husbands and wives were
torn assunder and cast about upon the
troubled ocean Of strife.
These are the sacred works for Southern
hands now to perform. The patience, self
denial and alacrity-the readiness and hope
fulness with which they entered upon these
labors-the courage and devotion displayed
by all classes in this great and noble work,
is enough to challenge the admiration of
mankind. While they are denounced as
criminals and as enemies of the Govern
ment, and have been met by officials, who
neither knew their nature, nor sympathized
in their wants and Affections, but appeared
simply as disturbers of their repose, and as
the real enemies but misnamed friends of
both races, these people have gone forward
in this great work set before them by neces-
sity, and are acquitting themselves as a great
people, conscious Of selfrectitude, should.
Their success, so far has been admirable.
1t is not now for them to look back. Their
road lies in the course of peace, safe and
enduring 1t leads to honor and prosperity;
to government regulated by law; to liberty
and justice and fraternity. II leads to union
and the ultimate realization of the bright
hopes of what the forefathers fought for and
endeavored to transmit 10 us in the testi-
mony of the Constitution. If new men,
with new schemes of ambition and new
patents of government come along, we must
go forward upon the path we have entered.
1t may lead through shadows and difficult
places; but there is a footing on the other
side, that will be enjoyed by our children.
We can leave our political interests to the
President and to the hosts of his brave sup
porters throughout the North. If our
chosen Representatives are not vouchsafed
their rights-if we are thus denied what is
inalienable, we may rest assured that the
wrong is only accumulating fund of indig-
nation and wrath in the breasts Of the friends
everywhere, which WILL in due time, sweep
the obstacles which now obstruct peace and
union and prosperity, as a consuming fire
from heaven -.s
Let the South go on in its work Of renova-
Zion and redemption-with industry. frugal
ity, humanity, justice and patriotism, and
ii shall have Its reward. t. Hr