The New York herald., 1866-09-26
TIE GREAT SOUTHERN MAIL ROUTE.
Chattanooga Battle Fields and Sol
Giers' Cemetery.
Conversations with tho Pc0pIc-0pposition
to Negro Suffragc-Thc People Or.
derly and Well Dlsposed-ne-
futatlon Of Radical Lies.
&c. &c. Ae.
FROM A TRAVELLING CORRESPONDENT.

New ORLEANS, la, Sept. 10, 1909.
havo Just made a rapid tho great Southern
NAL route from York to this point, and will give
you few lines relative to the country which
passed..
Leaving Alexandria by the Alexandria and Orange
pesroad, we passed over the old batteaelds of the
.r.cos ~ ,na "S%sep Alexandria and Gordonsville
turned. Not milo Of fence could bo along thu
entire route The crops, however, look splendid,
especially the corn, which equals any previous year.
Very little tobacco raised along that line OF railway
Indeed, may say the only crops planted and
potatoes
The people seem active and hopeful Farms that for
years have gone waste beneath the tread OF hostile
armies with the golden fruits Of the industry
Of the white man well the negro, for all classes
work The people are quiet and well disposc' ana
the universally expressed wish that QUO general
government will reconstruct the s-'cs as spoeuhy as
possible that Northern capital IA industry may how In,
and make Virginia what onoo "as-'ne saraen Oh she
South.
After Using GordonsvIlle failed to discover any
tae of the bloody contest that has seriously affected
gne South Fences remain intact, houses exhibit no
rents Of shot and SHE'LL the many beautiful lawns and
ornamented grounds beautiful in their green
dresses as over The planters have largely titled their
Brounu anu rroViuence promises bountful yield
The valley about Lynchburg is one of the
most fertile l have in the South. Tobacco
and corn are the staple products, which will give
more than an average yield Lynchburg the home
Of General J. A. Early and many of his command
Is beautiful spot, nestling down behind the hills her
people prospering and happy. We arrived there on
Sunday afternoon and the people in their holiday
rig Tho negroes, was surprised TO soc, dressed
better than the darkey Of your Northern Cities and seem
contened and happy About two hundred OF both sexes
collected about the depot tho arrival OF the train
and never have I more intelligent or better
behaved crowd They entertain the same respect for
their old masters that they did before the war; and
failed to discover any desire their part be admitted
TO an equality with the whitos convcrsed freely with
many OF them and found them, strange to say nearly
all opposed 10 the radical view of political affairs One
bright darkey dressed in blue approached and asked:
,weli, Sam, how do you like your freedom2''
Pretty well, Massa we gets lots OF cash and good
.'Do you belong to the Freedmen's B.reau p,
mot by long shot; ise a free Niger. De bureau
darkies am lazy debes dat won't work.
well, what ticket would you support II you were
Lord soy, rde vote Tor Mr.. Johns,ug nos dc best
man God ebber made-he and Massa Lincum."
President johnson don't"
"we, what OBJ dat De rcpublicanders only wants
our votes to ect demsebes; den dey to de dorie
90 to De debil !ill mex lection day Johnsing US
to be free and hab all necessary rights; he don't
want 90 dam repuDlCander3 70 mix Wild people and
marry our nisger women He want de race kep pure,
and won't hab any dam republican blood put into US
Many Others with whom converscd expressed similar
sentiments In colored car, between Knoxville and
Chattanooga took vote Of the negroes after explain
ing fully the objects Of both the republican and Union
party and out Of thirtyseven votes only for
the policy OF the disunion convention.
Of one thing am satisfied: the negro Is too ignorant
70 understand political questions they will almost TO
man 60 the way their employers instruct them Ever
since the radicals have been camoring for negro
suffrage have been convinced their only aim to
yniA for afra -
their power 10 not from any love for the
negro They have become impressed with the crronc.
for the radical ticket. From many yenrs residence
among the negroes think am pretty familiar with
shoud the suffrage extended 70 negroes they would
vote with their employers and the radicals would sud
denly discover rolled up against them from tho South
democratic vote that would make them tremble with
sstonisbment and they would bc the rst 10 advocate
tho repeal OF the law.
We left Lynchburg Virginia, in the evening and had
no opportunity Of witnessing tho beautiful scenery OF
thc valley, night threw its mantle down over the
Hue Ridge Just after the conductor had cried 'sAl
aboard Daylight found us rolling along at tho rate OF
srsn.y ass miles Per hoa, towards knSsvs where we we
Chattanooga The whole country about Knoxville stl
bears the traces Of warfencelcss farms rooess huts
esrhworks, redoubts, forts and rnc pits oil.
Ing up the picture Of ruin and desolation
The people Of East Tennessee, white aud back, look
just as they did in 1854, when was there with the
srmy-ragged, squad and melancholy The females,
especially have the same half starved look that they
had when living upon the slender morse issued to them
ny Burnside's commisssries They seem 20 have
esy about thcm desire to once more attain copd
tol OF Independence OF the wolf that continually hows
NJ hur doors They have planted but little, and exc out
aprecaous subsistence by committing acts OF plundcr
tween tho ,yasts aud Coufedcra,os st burns with all
the fury tha characterized them during the war; and
horse Stealing ,nd murder arr acts Of almost daily oc
oslrrayooaA rrvS
at nine " and wes compelled TO remain over night,
hv nm nnnF lnzl. IL -...t@
with the remarkable changes that have been wrought In
the town since the winte Of 1854 when I shivered
civilian population did not exce, nfecn hundred Now
there seven thousand Industrious mechap les
traders aud professional mon mosy ex.onicers and
shadow OF Lookout Mountain % carvo out
thor fortunes and build city upon th, ruins OF the
ncs, OF the post Forts Wood, Sheridan Hooker,
Phelps &c, look grmly down. but they no longer woar
athrcaenng frown for the artillery has all been re-
moved North, aud thoy remain en- dishabile-,o com.
memoaie the vaor OF the brave living and heroic dead
who at Mission Ridge and Lookout Mountain under
-scai'd tho rugged heights
And set the stars OF glory there.
rHE SOLDIERS CEMErERY
Among All the points Chattanooga rich In historic
incidents none forms more interesting study than
Orchard knoo, where sheridan and Wood, the day be-
foro the batlc OF Mission Ridge, dsodged the enemy,
and where our chie, Ulysses Grant the following day
that was broken and whipped q, chlckamauvs In dsobs
dence OF orders 70 halt nj the nrst limo Of rihe pls
charge srsnsy up %. steep slopes O. the ridge and
up upon Shenans right shsli never forget the glory
OF that dsy when With the brave General Charley and
Harker I rode up that ridge aud Witnessed Brass's
broken regiments ny before tho impe,uosy Of shcr,.
dams Woods Bards and Johnson 9 charging dlysIons
Tie ridge covered with green foliage and waving
corn. 6at Orchard Knob, whore Grant and rhomss
stood that day and Witnessed the glorious charge OF the
Army OF the Cumberland, ts . more sanotined spot
soldiers cemetery where sleep the brave who FELL NJ
Mission Ridge and Chickamsuga
Cold IN the dust their prison'd heart may Iie
But that which warmd II once shall never die
IMPOSITION upoS rnAvsrLsRs
Thus far way had cause 10 complain ol
SOW rate " speed The Alexandria and Orange road,
and the Virginia and East Tennessee line far Bris
to make spiendid time, aud have elegant accommo
eation. The eating houses too all that the mos
confirmed epicurs could desire But between Bristol
anr Knoxville gentlemen were showed into cars with
'sToss, wh.n an entire car was occupied BY three