The daily clarion. [volume] (Meridian, Miss.) 1863-1866, 1866-03-17
From the Mobile Register and Advertiser.
Letter from DR.. Mott

Mr.. Editor Permit me to thank you fol
your critique on my article in the last num-
Der of De Bows Commercial Review, on
Climates of the South in their relations to
white labor" as it gives me an opportunity
OF making an important correction in the
publication alluded to.
Mr.. De Bow in passing through Mobile
requested me to write an article on the
above subject for the forthcoming number
OF his Review, and to oblige him, | very has
tily wrote it one night and sent it to him
by mall the next morning. / mention this
as an apology for not celebrating the sew
eral points more fully, but there is no opin-
ion therein expressed, that has not been de-
liberately formed and long maintained
But my object at present, is to draw your
attention to an extract you criticised, and
which has been so changed in printing as
| to pervert entirely my meaning There are
several other misprints of less import which
! l will pass over
/ Again, DR.. Mott says:
/ "lt must be confessed however that the
climate of the Gulf States particularly is
untavorable to mental cultivation and high
intellectual development. The people are
! tull OF genius, courage, ChiValry, and all
! the high qualities that adorn humanitv.-
/ Such characters as General Washington,
/ Patrick Henry, StOnewall Jackson, General
Lee, the Lowndeses, the Rutledges, the
II,
/ can no more be grown in Grtreme Northern
ATTITUDES than cotton, sugar, pine-apples and
oranges, and yet the heat of the climate for
four months of the year puts a stop to
steady, plOdding, intellectual labor and the
! South IN my opinion, will never equal the
| North IN profound learning and general lite
rary attainments. Too much time is lost
ont of each year to keepup in the race"
The words l have italicised, extreme
Northern latitudes," are not mine, and do
not express my idea. 1t should have been
the Ne,c England States.
l do not contend, nor do l believe that
such characters as Washington, Patrick
Henry, Gen. Lee, LOwndes, StOnewall Jack
son, ct I'd Omne gtnus cannot be produced in
ertreme Northern iatitudes, but that they can
not be IN Ne,C England Such moral pro-
ducts do not depend on latitude, but on the
institutions, OF social organization of a
country. In plain English, the chivalry
and nigh tone of the upper class at the
South is result of African slavery, and /
greatly fear will go down with African
slavery. 1t has been the result of cdstes-of
the relation of master and slave. These
men of the South have been a species of
Arlstocracy, rs President Johnson calls
them. approaching nobility. They have
been accustomed to look down upon an in
terlor class, and to commands they have
had wealth, and no one can deny that they
have been prOverhially brave generous and
hospitable, to an extent wholly unknown in
the farming and manufacturing districts of
New England.
do not believe that the highest develop-
ment of character can take place to any ex-
tent. IN other countries than those in which
castles or grades i'll society exist. Where lies
the high tone and chivalry of Great Britain,
ever ready to maintain individual or nation
al honor at any cost ! Is it not among the
mol lHf nrn1 lnV, Id
country! The House of Lords is composed
of the finest body of gentlemen in the world,
which serve as models for others, and in
tiuence to great extent the whole tone of
English society, and which, may add con-
traSts painfully with the Senate of the
United States.
Where does the English traveller in our
country find men after his own heart? Has
1T not always been in the old States of the
South as Virginia and South Carolina And
there were nurtured the Washingtons the
Madisons, the Patrick Henrys the Lees, the
Jacksons, the Lowndes. the Pinckneys, the
Rutleges, the Cheves, the Calhouns, and a
host of others.
Now am free to admit that slavery has |
It's evils, but like every other evil it has some |
good tied to it. l have but one regret at its |
departure, and that is the fear that the high |
tone OF the South goes with it. The same |
causes produce the same effects, and when |
all are placed on the same level in the great
struggle for the Almighty dollar" the
danger is that posterity will be thoroughly
YankeeiZed. Those beautiful models ofchar.
lcter that once adorned our society, chal-
enged the admiration of the world, and
served as models for youth to emulate will
40 longer be produced in the Sunny South.
The people of New England felt no shame
when they learned that their pet beast
5utler was robbing ladies of silver spoons in
\ew Orleans, or when General Sherman was
'oasting of his supply of fine wines taken
rom the cellars of gentlemen in Carolina
ut what would the people of Virginia or
'arolina have said had they been told th at
ieneral Lee, General Johnston, or Stone
Tail jackson had been performing such
Eats in New Englandl They would have
ung their heads in shame
1t is to be hoped that President johnson
ill live to drive from power the men who
an thus disgrace nation. humanity, and 7
he religion they profess. j. C. MOTT.