New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-05-21


many years the dream ofindependence had been
cherished and nurtured in the breasts
of thousands; for years that dream was living |
fact penetrating the CONSCIOUSNESS OF all, and re-
ceiving the sympathies of scarcely less than all |
and then came the sudden and appalling crash
the awakening from this dream, TO the unwelcome |
but memorable truth that the pleasing vision had
vanished, AS weeks months and years steadily
accumulate, the yearuing for it will grow weak
and inoonstant The dream will never be revived
in my opinion, never; aud if l am satisfied of any
thing in relation to the South, it is that the great
majority of its leading men have forever renowned
all expectations of separate nationality.
Ii were asked to reconcile the above state
ments with the grossly palpable appearances that
argue to the contrary, especially as seen in some
OF the late constitutional conventions, | would
simply answer that this apparent contradiction is
an inevitable product of human inconsistency; or,
rather the consistency of politicians" For four
years they found themselves required-most of
them by preference, all Of them by circumstances
which they could not if they would, control-to
argue in favor of the right of secession and indie
pendent government 1t is strange how soon and
how inevitably defense leads to conviction. can
not say that, when the Confederacy went down
there was not in all its borders a citizen who dlu
not yield it so much of allegiance as he ever gave
to any government; but do not hesitate to de-
clare that there were not five prominent poiltl-
clans, still remaining within it, who could truly
and conscientiously declare that they had not
given it, first or last, their sympathy. 1t has fur
nished me an interesting branch of historical study
to look up the antecedents of those men who, when
our troops made their appearance, were forward
in their professions of unwavering Unionism Alas,
! for political human nature! Scarcely one of them
but had either accepted an Office under the Conted-
eracy or signifed his willingness to do so.
Mr.. Truman next treats Of the opinion of South
ern politicians as to the right of secession:
| record it as my profound conviction, gathered
/ from hundreds of Intimate and friendly converse
tons with leading men in the South that there are
EV5ln
| the - constitutional right of secession, though
/ they are exceedingly slow to acknowledge 1t IN
/ published articles or public speeches. Our con-
/ Versations generally ended with the confession
which to me was entirely satisfactory, as meaning
much more than was intended" Whatever may
be said about the right of secession the thing itself
may as well be laid aside, for it is certainly not
practicable, and probably neuer loW be-"
Of the social aspect Of the question he says;
There is prevalent disposition not to associate
TOO freely with Northern men, or to receive them
into the circles of society but it is far from insur
monntable. Over Southern society, as over every
other, woman reigns supreme, and they are more
embittered against those whom they deem the au-
thors of all their caamities than their brothers,
sons and husbands 1t is noteworthy, ethnolog
ical fact, and one have often observed, that of
the younger generation, the Southern women are
much superior to the Southern men, both in intel
leet and energy and their asCendancy over society
| is correspondingly great. However this disparity
| is to be accounted for whether by the enormous
wastage of the war, or otherwise, it nevertheless
exists, and to its existence is greatly due the ex-
clusiYeness of Southern society.
He refers to the reported persecution of North
erners and pronounees the reports false yet states
that there are portions of the South where North
ern men could not live with any degree of self
respect, and others where they would not be safe;
| but these he considers exceptional and "about
equally unsafe for any man who possesses attrae.
tive property" He says.
/ For some Urlknol0n cause, a large mstnbe1' Of
persons are engaged an qerittag and circulating
| fdlsehoods. For some N1pdtT5otic purpose OF
other, reports of dniHcendiday character concern
ing the Southern people are transmitted North
Il 70 learn The JdlseneSs of these reports 1ee need
only 10 obtain the facts. am personally acquain.
ted with most of the officers OF hundred odd regi
ments of volunteers, and out of these could name
thirty regiments, one-half of whose officers and
many of the men have returned to the South, and
J as many more that have left large numbers there
upon being disbanded. Hundreds even of the Off
. GERS of cOlored regiments-the most offensive t.
the South-have remained there and entered into
j business, the most of them having rented planta
tons and employing their old soldiers. Large mum
s bers of eX-Federa and exCOnfederate officers art
!, engaged together in mercantile pursuits and il
Q cotton planting.
Nearly all Of the cotton plantations in Floridt
4 are being run BY such parties. The banks Of the
Ii Mississippi are lined with plantations which have
been leased by Northern men and Federal officers
7 Arkansas and White River plantations are being
e run by officers who have served under Gen. Rev
t. nolds, while large number Of the Red Rive
\, plantations have been placed under cultivation
by eX-oficers of General A. J. Smiths command
i Fourteen officers Of coIored (KentucRy) regi
Is ment are engaged in planting aud raising cotton
near Victoria, Texas. The First National Bank o
/, Texas, at Galveston, has for president eX-Maio
ii General Nichols of the late Confederate army
a. and ten of its directors are also exrebel officers
a while the cashier is exMajor General Clark of tn
10 Union army, and who formerly commanded di
A vision of cOored troops. In all of these COnDec
= tons the utmost harmony prevails. E0twithstand
i ing the above facts, and | could multiply them
q maintain that in many sections of the South Their
d is widespread hostility to Northern men, which
however, in nine cases out OF ten is sueedilV dis
PEELED by individual contact and the exercise of
a generous regard for private opinions. In fine,
at will say that all who can be spared from the indus
le try OF the North to 60 South can readily flu
e places OF business, where they can live in quie
d and prosperity.
d BE discusses the comparative loyalty of the PEG
Il pie of different States and devotes the remande
{ of his report to a long and elaborate essay upo
it freedmen Henotes with some little surprise the fac
g that the Southern people retain their belief i
the Justice and propriety of slavery and speaks o
the illiberal spirit displayed towards negroes b
: discriminating laws. He notes the fact that negroe
/. have generally procured arms Of some kind, an
h their disposition to manifest their freedom b.
: leaving home and rambling about.
i tits strange fact, however, and one which
n have abundantly established by the testimony O
hundreds of the negroes themselves, thata large ma
ority of them have finally returned voluntarily an
:. settled down in the old cabins of their fOrme
/ quarters. The negroes cling to old associations
1t was only temporary impulse of their new
G found freedom to wander away from them, and a
: last, they returned, generally wearied and hungr
and forlOrn; it was not SO much from any affection
toward their former masters, as it was from mer
instructive attachment to the homes OF their youth
the familiar scenes in the midst of which the
9 were born and reared
; Mr. Truman testifes to the kindness and CON
! miseration shown to negroes by their forme
owners, and insists " that there was in most case
a real attachment between master and slave an
still is, especially between the family and the hons
servants"
It is, then, the former slave owners who ar
the best friends the negro has in the South, thos
who, heretofore, have provided for his mere PLY
steal comfort generally with sufficient means
though entirely neglecting his better nature, Will
it is the poor whites" that are his enemies.
am pretty sure that there is not a single negr
, in the whole South who is not receiving pay fl
his labor according to his own contract; but as
S general thing the freedmen are encouraged to co
lect about the old mansion in their little quarter
J labor for their former masters for set terms-r
I ceving, beside their pay, food, quarters and met
g ical attendance, and thus continuing on in the
t former state of dependence. The cruelties