The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-01-19


From Me Times.
OF fcourse very few of our readers have oppor-
tunity to see the journals published in the South
ern States, and whatever they learn of the tenn
per of these papers is gathered from partial and
stinted extracts. When the great Rebellion
ended by the surrender of Lee and Johnston, we
all hoped that the experience of four years would
have had some appreciable effect upon the So
called exponents of public opinion in the South :;
we fancied that the stereotyped expressions of
hate against the North would at least be modified,
if not silenced. We could not expect an exube-
rance of love; but we did think that ordinary
courtesy was not too much TO look for, that we
might no more hear the coarse vituperation
with which the Southern tar-and-eather writer's
before the war assailed everything that came
from the North.
AS regards a large number of the newly re.
vived papers in the South, we are sorry to say
that we are disappointed. They are quite as
truCulent and as vlndiclive as in the most pros.
porous era of plide and hate. Nearly every
issue from the great cotton section furnishes
some evidence Of this undying malice. Northern,
and especially Eastern men, are cruCiied in
rhetoric as extravagant and with spite as ma
lignant as in the palmiest days OF women-whip-
ping glory.
What is 70 be gained? The North-we speak
advisedly--has treated the weaker party with a
courtesy as unusual as it is magnanlmous.
Saving here and there an exception, which
might have been expected Qor the afiiiCtion is
very confrmedly chronIcl, the Northern press
has been respectful, kind, and (not meaning
oflense) we may say iorgiving, There has been
no bowling for blood, no rav1lg 3 for confscation,
no clam orlng for that punishment which, in an
earller age, would have been deemed the inevita-
bic toTollary OF victory.
We do not claim special merit for this: but we
consider that after the bloody terrors OF the
grand conflict there is no intemperance ofopinion
here to compare with the utterances of Southern
fIe.eatng editors. These foolish instructors
argue, as of yore, from the mouth OF the pistol
and the point of the bo wie-Bnife; We resist with
cool argument They brand with opprobrious
epithets, and threaten with personal violence;
reply with offers Of pardon, and facilities for
return to the Union. They elect the most bitter
enemies to the Government to office; we simply
ask these enemies to promise ordinary fealty.
They hunt Federal officers, assassinate Federal
soldiers, and make the presence of Federal civil
agents most uncomt tortable, il not dangerous
To all this our rejoinder ls:-"Oome back, give
your word to be truly loyal, and all shall be for
given"
In ordinary cases the press is supposed to
reflect the tone OF the people; but in this in
stance we are willing to believe that the reverse
is the fact. For if the tone of certain leading
journals in the Southern States may be taken to
be reflex of the popular sentiment, completed
reconciliation is not so near as we had hoped
for. There is vein of ill-will apparently rum
ming through these journals which does not
betoken good for the Union; the covert sneer is
giving place to open defiance, and the names of
some OF our best men are used in q wav calcu-
lated to estrange and ALLEVIATE rather than to
assimiate and reunite.
Certainly this is to be regretted. The results
of the war are positive, the conclusions are def
mite, the changes thereby effected are complete
and final; there can be no possible gain in
cursing, while much may be achieved by mode
ration. We do not ask the conductors of South.
ern journals TO admire public man who may
have been their 6ete lor in former years; but one
little fact they cannot shut from their vision
these men are OF the victorious side; they may
say and do much that is offensive to the losing
party, but nothing can be gained by making
faces or calling names. Let them be met by
sound argument, by compact logic, by sincere
patriotism. and there will be, at least, chance
Tor the right. No cause ever advanced, no caus
ever failed TO lose, by vituperation. The mover
may be ever so offensive, his conduct ever 81
outrageous, his motives ever so base but thu
opposer who calls names gives up the contes
and SINKS below the level of respect.