The day book. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1857-1867, 1866-07-18
General sheridan on the Affairs of the
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himself as follows; 41lt i-i4t
He said there was ain indodibted change
for the worse in the attitude of the South
within the last six months, and bad symptoms
anpeared to be increasing. 1t now looked as
# these infatuated people were about once
more to precipitate their own misfortune
Nothing could have been more censiderate
than the disposition of the nation toward its
defeated foes even in the heat Of passion and
flush of victory, and had the Rebels only
manifested a temper correspondingly reasona
Bile. as, indeed, was very natural to be expec-
ted after such chastisement, there could have
been no further difficulty. The South evil
IDENTIFY had no statesmen, else SO plain prob
lem would not continue to be so bungled
Fnr it should be clear that no class, once set
free. can long remain disfranchised and as
thay ought to have forestalled their foes in
Giving freedom to that class in war; so after
ward common sense ought to have prompted
at least the later prudence of making allies in
ueace of those with whom they are bound
henceforth to live. Instead, however, it ap-
reared certain the Rebels had learned moth
Ing from experience, and would, in fact, drive
their only chance into nnfriendly hands The
safety of the public peace and of the private
rights Of Union men in the South still re-
ouired the mediation ola sufficient military
force. and if called upon to give his testimo-
nv, it should be, that the United States troops
ought not yet to be removed from the
Soutli." af9e6is gast 81.
We clip the above from the Baltimore
American In the first place, we are to re-
,eeive cum g,'u,lo sails all such reports rea-
tive to the opinions Of distinguished OF PROM
iueut men. In reporting them a color may
be inadvertently given to them which may
tend to exaggsration, OF fail to reflect them as
really entertained. We are not aware, nor
are the people Of the South, of this ''undoubt-
ed change for the worse" which is assumed to
exist, nor is there any proof adduced to sub
stautate it. On the contrary, we have al
ready published the testimony of an intelli-
gent correspondent Of an influential Northern
paper to the contrary, who has visited the
South, and mingled with the people, in order
to ascertain the true state Of Southern public
sentiment. This intelligent correspondent Of
the Northern press had no motive to convey
false impression, and his facilities Tor OBJ
seryation were as ample as General SHER-
InANs, without the f,roclivity which he may
be supposed to have to view matters from an
adverse standpoint .95q f,is gaia 4
As to the disfranchiscment of the blacks,
+
conceded in the South that it is tile desire of
her people to do all in their power to render
the condition Of the freedmen as agreeable
aud useful as his new relations admit The
churches have advocated his moral and in
tellectual improvement and steps have al
ready been taken, as i'll Charleston, South
Carollna Petersburg, Va, and many other
places, to educate and elevate him.
s- Ii, by saying that "no class, once set free,
can long remain disfranchised, it is meant to
lHslnllate that the freed-negro is to be clothed
with the right of the franchise, we shall place
General SHERIDAN in the category of those
ultra radicals who seek among other uncon-
stltutlOpal measures, to wrest from the States
tine control they have over the ballot box
Why, we may ask, this hot haste to give to
the freedmen of the South the right of suf-
frage when this inestirnable privilege of free
men has been withheld at the North, and has
been recently refused by more than one State?
II they are justly entitled to the franchise, why
have not the Northern States conferred it
upon the freedmen, long ago? This refusal
fhen of the South is no evidence whatever of
that "change for the worse" which the cor
respondent attributes to General SHERIDAN.
unless the North be included within the cate
gory,., for adhering to the rule it has estab-
l'shed IN relation to the same subject. To
assert that Hthe safety Of the public peace and
The private, rights Of Union !. men in the
South, require the presence and mediation
ol the military" is absurd, and maybe placed
npon par with General Order No, A.
p which IS equally uucaled for, as unnecessary,
arbitrary and Unconstitutional As evidence
oi the absence Of necessity for the interposi-
aon OF the military, we refer to the murder
"Coionel HILL, who was brutality killed with
an axe. IN Victoria, Iexas, and then hanged
outside OF the walls OF the Jail which had been
inriously broken open BY the lawless mob of
ssoaldiery, by whom he was put to death
Comment On this fact is unnecessary. 4 II
speaks with trumpet tongue Of its own
The Virginia and Kentucky Railroad.
ia meeting of the Stockholders in this COM
pany has been recently held in Bristol, as we
learn from the LynchburgA tVirginian, and
among other papers, those of Norfolk are re-
qaeated to publish the proceedings This re-
guest we proceed to comply wtn.ostiu
.sPnrsaant to the call of the Board Of Pub
heiWorksj the meeting of Stockholders was
n ned in Bristol on the l2thi Instant. Col
hobert W. Hughes was called to the chair,
ana key. George r. Barr was appointed Sec
1nstafy The act Of the Legislature, passed
reo9fgary H. 1855, empowering the President
aug Directors Of the company to contract for
completion Of the road within FIVE years
h9aa January 1st, 1866, and authorship a
sale OF the States interest on the same terms
az majority of the private Stockholders may
as[ee to dispose Of their interest.
J., PURSUANT to this act, the meeting was called
reorganize the company. The private
ssocK, and the three-ifths of the State, were
Ipeppf5ed as.represented. The report of the
n leSdent was read, after which Francis B.
Zane, Esq, addressed the NEE ing on the
Importance Of completing the road. He adj
hs''ea to the Hefeulean work accomplished
c' .he States of Virginia and Tennessee in
NOnS1runtil1cr