Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-04-10


would there be anything like return of the old
feeling. | ask that because you used the ex--
| preston 'acquiescing in the result p
| A. [ believe it would take time for the feel
ings of the people to be of that cordial nature
to the Government that they were formerly.
Q. Do you think that their preference for
that policy arises from desire to have good
feeling and peace in the country, or from the
probability of their regaining political power?
A. So far as | know the desire Of the people
of the South, it is for the restoration of their
civil government, and they look upon the policy
of President johnson as the one which would
most clearly and most surely re-establish it.
Q. Do you see any change in reference to
| the poorer people of Virginia as regards indus
try? Are they as much, or more interested, In
developing their material interests than they
were?
| A. have not observed any change. Every
| one now has to attend to his business for his
support
Q. The poorer classes are generally hard at
work, are they?
! A. So far as I know they are know no
thing to the contrary. have noticed no change
in their relations to the colored people. So far
as know, the feelings of all Of the people of
Virginia are kind to the colored people. / have
never heard any blame attributed to them as to
the present condition of things, OF any response
bility.
@. Can capitalists and working men from
the North go into Virginia and go to work
among the people?
| A. do not know anything to prevent them.
Their peace and pleasure there would depend
very much on their conduct. IF they confined
themselves to their own business and did not in
terfere to provoke controversies with their neigh
bors, do not believe they would be molested.
There is no desire to keep out labor or capital.
On the contrary, they are very anxious to get
labor and capital into the State The manner
in which they would be received las said be-
fore) would depend entirely on the individual.
They might make themselves obnoxious, as you
can understand.
By Mr.. Howard-Is there not general dis
like of Northern men among secessionists?
A. | suppose they would prefer not to asso-
ciate with them / do not know that they would
select them as associates
Z. Do they avoid and ostracise them So
A. They might avoid them. They would
not select them as associates unless there was
some reason. [ do not know that they would
associate until they became acquainted. think
it probable that they would not admit them into
their social circles.
By Mr. Blow-Do you think the colored per-
sons would rather work for Northern man than
Southern man?
A. [ think it very probable that they would
prefer the Northern man, although have no
facts. | know of numbers of the blacks enga-
ging with their own masters, and [ know of a
good many who prefer to go off and look for
new homes. Whether it is from any dislike to
their former masters or from desire to change,
or that they feel more free and independent, [
| do not know
material interests of Virginia you think they
will be equal to what they were before the rebel
hon, under the changed aspect of affairs?
A. 1t will take a long time for them to reach
their former standard I think that after some
years they will reach it. hope they will ex-
ceed it-but it can't be Immediately, in my
opinion. It will take a number of years.
Q. On the whole, the condition of things in
Virginia is hopeful, both in regard to its materi
A. | have heard great hope expressed, and
great cheerfulness and willingness to labor.
Q. Suppose that this policy Of President
johnson should be all you anticipate, and that
you should also realize all that you expect in the
improvement of your material interests, do you
think that the result of that would be the grad
ual restoration of the old feeling?
A. That would be the natural result, [ think,
and see no other way in which that result can
be brought about
@. There is a fear in the public mind that
the friends of the policy in the South adopt it,
because they see In it the means of regaining the
political position which they lost in the recent
contest-do you think that this is the main idea
with them, or that they merely look to it, as
you say, as the best means of restoring the civil
government and the peace and prosperity of
their respective States?
A. As to the first point you make do not
think that ever heard any person speak upon
it. never heard the points separated. Ihave
heard them speak generally as to the effect of
the policy of President johnson. The feeling,
so far as l know now, is that there is not that
equality extended to the Southern States as is
enjoyed by the North.
@. You do not feel down there that while
you accept the result, that we are as generous
as we ought to be under the circumstances?
A They think that the North can afford to
be generous.
G. That is the feeling down there?
A. Yes, and they think it is the best policy
those who reflect upon the subject and are
able to judge.
! G. [ understand it to be your opinion that
generosity and hberality towards the entire
South would be the surest means Of regaining
their good opinion?
A. Yes, and the speediest
Z. understood you to say generally that
you had no apprehension of any combination
among the leading secessionists to renew the
war, or anything of the kind I?
A. l have no reason in the world to think
so.
O. Have you heard that subject talked over
among the politicians?
A. No, sir; | have not. [ have not heard
that matter suggested.
O. Let me put another hypothetical case
suppose the Executive of the United States
should be filed by President, who, like Bu-
chanan rejected the right Of coercion, so called,
and suppose Congress should exist here, en-
tertaining the same political opinions, thus pre-
senting to the once rebel States the opportunity
to again secede from the Union would they or
opportunity, or some of them?
A. suppose it would depend upon the cir
cumstances existing at the time. If their feel
ings should remain embittered, and their affec-
tons alienated from the rest of the States, |
think it very probable they might do so; pro-