Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-01-02
(From the Metropolitan Record.)
True Southern Feeling.

There is no more contemplate sight on the face
Of the earth than man who is false 10 bis coun-
try. and depraved beyond all measure must be
he who unblushingly proclams himself so in The
face of the world. The Soulherner who can truly
say that during the last four years, he never felt
the first emotion of sympathy with the Confeder-
ate cause, that is heart throbbed exultingy at
the VS. CT u Southern victory, Or sank at the
rumor Of a Federal triumph is a man we would
not care to trust. He who could live in the very
midst Of such struggle, the courage with
which it was sustained and the sacrifices unmur-
muringly endured, that it might prove success
full, who could live amid the fluctuations of the
war, mark the tide of success ebb and flow, see
society breaking up around him, feel the agita-
ton and upheaval caused by the throes of the ma
tim IN its agony, and remain uninoyed, his equs
nimity undiS Sturbed, his pu.se's beat unac-
celerated or unretarded, is a moral phenomenon,
or a man to be marked and avoided forever. The
veriest schoolboy as he pores over the pages OF
Greek and Roman story takes side unconsciously,
and the calm philosophic student of history glows
as he reads Of brave deed, or glorious strug-
gle. Every one who remember for himself
the absorbing interest with which he followed the
Of this or that hero OF antiquity, how real
was his interest in Caesar how genuine his sym
pathy for Hannibal, how glowing his admiration
Of Aristides. And are the qualities we admired
in the men Of old to excite no enthusiasm when
Are the virtues that challenge our rev erence in
the patriots Of other times and other lands to be
sneered al W hen Illustrated in the lives and deeds
Of our fellow countrymen. We say, without fear
of contradiction that the Southern man VIZ took
no part in the glorious struggle Of his section,
who felt no interest in the result, and pride i'll
the noble qualities displayed by his countrymen
would never have shouderod his musket In the
Revolution, never have starved with Marion, nor
he'd wit lat Snnh q
bounded Washington to death had he been un-
successful he would have been parasite to
Howe and lick -spittle TO CORVALLIS he would
have blazoned fort h his ''loyalty" to his King by
denouncing his countrymen as rebels, and proved
his featy to Britain by treason to his native land
There are some such men i'll the South to-day, but
not many not many who would purchase place
or preferment by befouling the names of the Con-
federate leaders, or insulting the memory Of the
Confederate dead.
The Southern people have nothing to be
ashamed Of in their struggle and nothing to be
sorry for but that their sacrifices were made in
vain. Even the true hearted Unionists Of he
South glory in the prowess, endurance and the
dash of their people, their energy and action,
their fertility in resources, their moderate ton in
triumph, aud their fortitude in defeat. They
exult in the deathess fame they have acquired,
the lofty qualities they have display ed, and the
immortal names they have added to the worlds
roll of fame. They reverence the halowed spots
ssW here the veteran dropped beside the springald
Where sank strength aud sy mmetry i'll line
They sympathize with the victors Of Chancel
loIsgille and they stand where stood the few
and fearless followers of Lee and Johnston when
they surrendered, and realize with a sense of
sympathy, that is painful in It's genuineness,
chow patriots fall when all but life and honor's
lost" Ten thousand times better are such men
than thoSa YyLn fouGht thrOu 0hOuC the war. and
at its close fall in with the yictors and cry pee
cnyi