Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1866-05-17
THE WILMINGTON JOURNAL.
WILMINGTON, N. c., MAY 10. 1866.
A Northern View of the South.

the New York Times has at the request OI Tresi
dent Johnson prepared report of his observa
tons and conclusions during his long journeying
through the Southwestern States. Presiden
johnson has sent the report to Congress. 1t con
tains many truths so forcibly put that we extrac
some of them for the benefit of our readers.
Speaking of the sentiment of the white people
touching their relations with the General Govern
ment and the people of the North, he says, the
quietness, and even cheerfulness, with which the
Northern people once yielded obedience 10 Tue
rule of James Buchanan, whose ADMINISTRATOR
they hated and despised was an instance OF 1oyd1-
ts such as only American citizens could nave 1ur-
nished. -...
The North never rebelled against james Buchan-
an, nor seriously proposed to but, assert, with
out hesitation, that, now the war has swept over
the South, there is no more disposition in that
section of the country to rebel against the Nation
al Government than there was in the North at the
time above referred to.
Speaking of the Confederate soldiers he Justly
says:
The rank and file of the disbanded Southern army
those who remained in to the endare the backbone
and snew of the South. Long before the surrender,
corps divisions and
those of whom the South as well as any other country
reIe ary both Officers and men. look With great
dence as altogether most hopeful element
material of worthy citizenship. On thousand battle
fields they tested the nvncbe power OF that Gov
thousand picket lines and under the friendly flag of truce
they have learned that the soldiers of the Union bore
them hatred, and shared with them the common attr
butes of humanity Around the returned soldier OF the
South gathers the circle of adiring friends that we
see around the millions hearth stones in
on him they slowly learning the lesson OF
charity and brotherhood know OF very few more po
tent influences at work In promoting real and lasting re-
Cancellation and reconstruction than the influence OF the
returned Southern soldier ---
In srmising upon the course of the Southern
people in the event of foreign war, he thinks
much would depend upon the character OF the
nation with whom the United States was at war,
and great deal upon the action of the Govern
ment between now and any such event. Notone-
tenth of the Southern people have any sympathy
with England, and those not to extent that
would lead them to make any sacrifices in her in
terest. The South to-day hates England more
vigorously than the North does, and the South as
a people, is more anxious for q foreign war
than the North. There is, however, certain
floating population, at present largely dlspropof-
tionate to its former numbers, consequent upon
the general disruption of business occupations and
habits of industry, caused by the war, that would
be eager to enlist III any army, whether for or
against the United States
From actual observation, it is ascertained that
thousands of the rank and file. and hundreds of
their officers would gladly enlist in the United
States army against any and all foreigners. parti
cularly if they could be allowed to serve under
their old officers. The names of Gems. Hardee
McLaws, Forrest, Nichols, JEFF. Thompson and
others given, as having stated that in case OF
d foreign war, they would offer their services to
the United States Government in any capacity,
private.
Of the loyalty of the South and the universal
Sympohy Of the people with the Confederacy du
ring the war, he thus speaks
1t is my belief that the souththe great substantial
and prevailing clements loyal than it at
the end of the loyal to-day than yesterday and
that it will be loyal tomorrow than to-day would
tered evidences upon which base this belief but
tain it in all sincerity, and believe it to be consonant with
the facts 'No revolution goes backward, is con-
venen but shallow trusm Or rather expressive OF no
at least and lust as Certainly as for
four years the mass OF popular sentiment IN the South
Soans GoSseracy Inst so ee1an is ID that from the
date of it's downfall that opinion has been slowly return
independence had been Increasingly cherished and
tured the breasts of thousands for four years that
all and receiving the sypathes Of scarcely less than ALL
and then came the sudden and appalling crash-the
rabe truth that the pleasing vision had vanished AS weeks
months and steadily accumulate the yearning for
revived in my opinion, never and am satisfied OF any
thing in relation to the South it is that the great major
fy OF its leading have forever renowned all expeeta
tons of separate nationality.
If asked to reconcile the above statements with
the grossly papable appearances that argue the
tary especially seen in of the late Constitutional
Conventions, would simply that this apparent
tency; or, rather the Consistency of politicians. For
four they found themselves requred-mos of them
by preference all of them by circumstances which they
could not they would eontrolto in favor of the
right of secession and independent Government. 1t is
strange how and how inevitably defence leads to
down, there not in all its borders citizen who did
yield it so much of as he ever gave any Gov
eminent but do not hesitate to declare that there
not five prominent politicians, still re1naiaigg toaip it,
who could truly and conscentiousy declare that they had
interesting branch of historical study to look
the antecedens of those who when troops made
their appearance forward in their professions
wavering Unionism. Alas, for political human naturel
Scarcely of them but had either accepted an Office
under the Confederacy signied his Willingness to do
Of our social relations he remarks
There is prevalent disposition not to associate too
freely with Northern or to receive them into the cir
ces of society Over Southern society," as over other
woman relgns supreme, and they are more embttered
against those whom they deem the authors
calamities than their brothers. and husbands
1t is noteworthy, chronological fact and Of
zen OBSERVED that OF the younger generation the South
ern women much superior to the Southern men, both
III intellect and energy and their asoendency society
Is correspondnsy great However this disparity to be
accounted for whether by the enormous wastae of the
otherwise it nevertheless exists and it's exis
tenee s greatly due the excusVeness of Southern society
We might go on to a much greater length, and
extract from this report matters of interest to
people, and we may yet do SO. We have given
enough, however, to show that the very bitter pre-
Judices of Northern correspondents are wearing
Off The course of the President is having it's
natural and legitimate effect, and the people of
our section will yet be represented in their true