The Bossier banner. [volume] (Bellevue, Bossier Parish, La.) 1859-1952, 1866-04-28
Getting into Southern Society.

The inquisition Of fifteen at Wash
ingtop, fearing the effect upon thepuh'
lie mind of the testimony Of Genera
Lee and other Southerners who arr
familiar with the sentiment of the south
have FASTENED to fipod the country will
the evidence Of General Terry. This
officer starts out by stating that Il DE-
dc not come in direct personal contac
with the people of Virginia, y
and | have no social intercourse
with any except those known 10 be
Union people" After Terry has sworn
that he does not come in contact with
The people of Virginia, he proceed.
10 swear that they are disIoyal, and that
they would gladly embrace an oppor
tunity to secure their independence
General lee, who is Virginian, swears
that they are loyal, and would not avail
themselves of the embodiment of the
United States with foreign power 10
renew their war against the Govern
ment. Who is the most reliable 10
this case, Lee or Terry9 We need not
answer the question.
If we examine Terry's testimony
closely, we shall find the explanation OF
his hostility, and that of many another
Federal officer in the South. lie says
there is the same hatred among South
erners, the same contempt for Northern
men that there always was. The Vir-
ginians do not seek him, he says, and
it would not become his position as a
commanding officer, ncr consistent with
his self respect, to seek them. 10 other
words, Terry very Enthusiastically shows
that he is chagrined over failure to
get into Southern society. What is
true of Terry is true of great many
Other Federal officers in the South ;
and this chagrin finds vent before the
Reconstruction Committee, in the shape
of deadly hostility TO, and intentional
or uninteutional Misrepresentation Of
the South.
There are two points of prominence
connected with this question of admit
lance to Southern society. Southern
women entered upon the contest for the
of the South with an en-
thusiasm and determination that ex-
ceeded those of the opposite sex. The
failure, therefore, was more disastrous
in Its reactionary effect upon their
feelings than it was in the case of
Southern men. The Southern women
are more disappointed, more FRUSTRATED
by the failure than the men. When to
this is added the fuct that almost all
these women are mourning for the loss
of some relative, it can scarcely be ex-
pected that they would be willing to
look favorably upon men whom they
cannot but regard as the instruments
by which their pride has been humbled,
their hopes blasted, their property de-
and their fathers. sons, lovers
aud brothers slain. These facts are
so glaring that the Federal officer who
attempts to force himself into the sooie-
ty of Southern women, or who indul-
ges in chagrin because of failure in
such an attempt, is brute in one case
and q fool in the other.
Suppose the case reversed. Sup
pose that the South had conquered,
aud that, to-day the North was desert
held by Southern troops; would our
wives and daughters wish to associate
with staggering graybocks who had
been instrumental in reducing them 20
poverty and in depriving them of their
natural protectors We should regard
Dur women as coarse and unfeeling if
hey ventured to take any such course.
The other prominent point in this
natter is, that in Southern society, as
n any other society, gentleman is
admissible, whether he come from
Boston, Paris, or Kamschatka. No
gentleman will force himself into
house of mourning, and propose game
II euchre or dance in connection with
he obsequies of the deceased; and. in
ike manner, no gentleman will seek
admission into Southern society until
Is people have buried their dead In
line the dead will be buried. the period
If mourning will DO passed, the bitter
less of recollection will become les
'ened, and then the doors of Southern
mansions will swing on oiled hinges for
he entrance of the gentleman, regard
ess OF his nationality.
We cannot conscientiously promise,
when that time arrives, that these doors
will be wide open to New England and
he entire North. Blatent abulitionists,
Who Extensively insist that the Southern
legress is the intellectual and social
equal of the Southern white woman,
will tint it as hard to get into Southern
society then as they do now. This fact
alone will probably bar the doors of
Southern houses against nine.tenths
If the Puritans. Respectable society
1T the South is like respectable society
Everywhere; it is au aggregation of
social elements, and it
'epudiates everything uncouth, brutal,
md Offensive Chicago Times.
New ENGLAND PULPITs.-Ttis re-.