The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1866-05-24
PublIo sop,iment in the so~th.

ter a soiosrn in the Southern States
since August last. 1t giv-s such a
clear v,ea of the condition of southern
society That we quote at lcngth:-
At the close of the rebellion, Mr..
Truman remarks. the southern people
were stunned and paraIyzcd; they had
long been assured by newspapers and
political demagogues that the north
ern people were fierce, blood-thlrsty.
greedy barbarians; they saw them
selves at the mercy Of the North, and
expected momentarily to see the be-
ginning of hanging. confscation. and
general determination, At this time,
says Mr. Truman, they would have
submitted to anything-for they were
dcfencelesS, hopeless, and waiting for
the destruction they had been led to
expect in consequence of defeat,
When the lapse Of time showed their
fears to be groundlcss, reaction fol-.
lowed:
THE boisterous dcmagoSues, and es-
pecially TIE reckless editors, whom
not even the iron despotism of Davis
had been able to awe into silence, soon
became rcassured by the moderation
Of the government, and finding their
lives still in their own hands, have not
ceased to pour forth those obnoxious
uttcrances, which are takenas evidence
and proof of an increased disloyalty.--
1t IL with difiidence that | venture to
dissent from the published opinions Of
many distinguished witnesses who
have taken this view, bnt am free to
declare my firm conviction that it is
altogether supe, fetal, and not found.
ed in fact. 1t is my belief that the
Sonth-the great. substantial and pre-
vailing element-is moro loyal now
than = it was at the end of tho war
more loyal today than yesterday, and
that it will be more loyal tomorrow
than to day.
He explains that he believes the
southern people to be loyal to the Uni
ted States, to-day, very much as the
North was loyal Ito james Buchanant
They will not rebel; they will obey the
laws and respect the authority Of the
Union. They are "indilforcnt" toward
tho federal government If we are
wise. we will seek such policy as will
turn that Indifference into regard. -
We believe Mr. Truman speaks cor
reclly, when he says, fully one half ol
the southern people never cherished ar
oducated and active attachment 10 any
government thai was over them; anC
the war has lcit them very much as i
found them" Tho south was, before
the war. n great border land, in whicl
''ailegiance" was Il sentiment scarcely
known.
lie adds, wha, is confirmed by eve
ry witness who has seen the Soutt
since the war, that 1.-The rank and filC
OF the diSbandcd southern army -thost
who remained IN it to the end are thu
backbone and sinew Of the South :
the moderate and sensible men who's,
counsels at home now are wise and con
cilatory. 1t is the skulkers, those VIII
ovaded service in the army. the elias
of political demugogues known in tn
South ~ bomb proofs" who now edi
fiery newspapers and try to inaam
sectional halreds. We heard the 9th
CT day OF n case Of this kind; one of th
newspapers printed at Jackson, Miss
is extraordinarily vindictvo, and fd
Of hate for Yankee" it is conlrollcc
we learn, by u person who fell into ger
craI contempt amongst the people dr
ring the war by his alacrily in runnin
away from the Union troops, and hi
Ingenuity in eyading the Conicderat
conscIiplion officer,
There is a growing conviction {
mongst the people, Mr., Truman r'
purlA, that their struggle was hopelcS
from the first; THAI they were fghtin
against fate and Providence. Their
arc parts Of the South in which no {
crn men could not yet live in safe
~. or with sell.rospcct; where law ha
not yet been ro established The frecC
; men are making hcadwsy by their ii
, duslry and thrift which are "Overlcal
ing all Obstacles In jackson, he IT
ports there are at lcast two cOl0re
craftsmen Of most kinds to one Of III
whlies Tho negroes lett their OI
homes almost universally, as test I
their freedom; "sueh thorough chat
and couImnglng ot population h'
seldom been seen In thus general W
heav2l thousands OF long scattered fan
llics were joyoUsly re-uniled, 1t il
strange fact, however and one whlc
| have nbundantIy established by I'll
testimony oi hundreds of the negroe
themselves, that II large ma ujority I
them have finally returned voIuntur
ly, and settled down in tNe cabins
thor former quarters " They posses
arms, are inclined to assert their IRE,
dom everywhere, andlwl not, eve
in the most remote districts, suffer I'll
lash to bu used. n.
Iho Freedmen's Bureau, he dcclar,
was most useful aud necessary.
dida good work, but it will not ue r
4 Quired after this fall or winter Their
after the blacks will be able to look o.
Tor themselves. As tor negro sutiM,
ho remarks that were 1t imposed upo
. the South now, it would cause, not
war Of races but much III troatmeI
of tho freedmen. But he udds:
"lf tho politicians Of the South ha'
the absolute certainty laid before the
that in 1870 their representatives
). Congress will be diminished largely
consequence Of the nOu cntranchi'
ment ot the negro, they will sec TO
before that time that the proper rciol