The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-02-03
LOYALTY In THE SOUTH.
kEoKuK. Feb. /. 1866


EDITOR GATE CRY: SIR saw in vour
paper of this date a notice of my arrival in
your city, in which notice you speak of me as
being late Major of the Third Cavalry and
more recently of the Freedmen Bureau, but
fail to notice my connection with the l3sth
colored
AS am now a citizen of Iowa, and acted
with you in the late rebellion, in the capacity
of soldier, wish to keep nothing back, and
while | am proud of my connection with the
Third Cavalry, | do not feel disposed to shirk
the responsibility of my connection with the
18Th colored. Should any object to such
connection, have no apology to make; and
in the future if | can in my humble manner,
as citizen, aid the Government in the anne
Iteration of the cnndition of the late slave my
services will be as freely given as they have
been the last four years in the army.
| regard the freedom of the slaves, the re
suit of the war-a thing unbargained for in
the beginning-and if the elephant is large
think by and through the system Of free schools
the United States is competent for the task.
have been questioned by different persons
since my return in regard to the feeling of the
Southern people towards the North. And by
way of answer would say, have failed to
find in Georgia any love in the hearts OF
Southern men for those of the North | have
often heard Southern men say, ~ will be as
loyal as | can, because have taken the oath,
but to live in love with the d-n Yanks | will
not while God lets me live
Thisfeeling of hatred, towards the Northern
people, is not confined to any particular class;
it exists among the intelligent as well as the
less influential and most ignorant. The young
men and women are almost unanimous in their
animosity against the Northern people. The
educators Of public youth do not manifest that
true spirit ofloyalty and aequiescence in the
new order ofthings which is due the Govern
ment for the kind treatment they have re-
ceived since they have been compelled to lay
down their arms.
1t may as well be understood first as last
by the Northern people that true and gen
uine loyal feeling towards the Government is
almost entirely unknown to the Southern
people. | speak of the mass of the people;
they regard the National authority as their
inveterate enemy, and hope that the Govern
ment may become involved in financial con-
fusion, and then they again hope to assert
and maintain their independence. At pres
ent there is not the slightest reason to sus-
pect the existence of any design on their part
to take up arms, unless the United States be-
comes involved in foreign war. They hope
to make an effort in Congress for repudiation,
and will try to satisfy the West that their in.
terest is with the South and they will claim
compensation for property destroyed by the
Federal army. Non-combatants, they say,
should be paid even for their slaves, and this
being the case, how many combatants could
be found in the South? Not many.
have been asked concerning the condi-
ton OF the negroes. They are admitted to be
innocent parties yet must say that tbey are
treated rather roughly, and with much cru.
city, and injustice; | shoeld not like to be
free negro and live in Georgia.
A majority Of the people South are unwil-
ling to compensate freedmen for their labor,
and the remark is often made by Southerners,
there will be no negroes in fifteen years;
they will all be killed of; which, doubtless
will be the case to some extent, unless the
United States authorities prevents il.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
GEORGE CuRKExpALL,
Late Lieut.. Col. l38th u. s. C. /.