Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1866-09-24
SOLTLOQUY OF A sOUTHERNER.
BY "BalcS PoMERoy.

Dog gon my buttons If us folks down
here don't amount to a little bit Of a
melody after all. We were but hand
ful of towards before the war killed of
half of us, yet the great big North is
afraid to have us in the Union We
uns helped make the Constitution and
helped make our common country great,
and when we saw danger Of our rights
under the Constitution being ignored af-
ter we were educated by Abolitionsts to
believe we had the right to secede, aud
to save ourselves, did secede, dog gon us
if these same men who wanted us out
didn't want us back again They said
we were bill of expense to the Union
that it cost more to furnish us mails, rev
enue officers, etc, etc, than it come to;
and when we wished to relieve the libe-
raj North of this taxation on our ac-
count, dog gon us but they incurred
more expense to keep us in than we
were worth while we were in And they
didn't want us to work nggers, yet were
willing to sell them to us, aud to buy all
the niggers raised, and pay us in gim-
cracks for the same. They drove us
out Of the Union, They said we had
better go out We took them at their
word, for such COCA Christians as popu-
late the North must be honest; and they
sent armies here TO drive us back They
said we'd a right to secede, and advised
us to do So We took the North at their
word, Then they said we could not Sc
cede
And they sent soldiers and thieves
down among us. While brave men
fought us, thieves stole from Us the
things we bought Of them. and now insist
on selling them over We could stand
their fighting, but, dog gon EN-, not their
stealing. When we sent our wounded
home, we found our homes were burned,
or our goods stolen. They destroyed or
stole all we had, then blamed us for not
caring for their wounded They carried
on war against US TO drive US back into
the Union. And when we were driven
back, they discovered that we were out
of the Union
They wanted us to- send members to
Congress, and they sent them back
home. They say the war was brilliant
success. They say fighting alone can
restore the Union, and still, when the
fighting is over with, say war divided
the Union We have been subjugated-
neutrality-suspicious.
and des-
olated.
We have quit fighting, yet are warrei
upon. We want peace, yet are promised
war We want to be in the Union, yet
are told we shall not come in. They
call us in6dels, yet forget Christianity
themselves.
five are now withou. money, influence,
power or prestige, why is the North
afraid of us 2 If we are expected TO be
good citizens why do not the radicals of
the North set the example? If we are
not in the Union, where are we? Ifthis |
is our reward for disbanding our serried |
ranks, what was the use Of disbauding? !
Why not keep on fighting If we are
conquered, why not accept us as such |
If We are not conquered, why not 90 on |
with the war, renew the murderous cru |
sade for cotton, mules, niggers, jewelry /
and furniture The men who fought us /
like brave men now say that fair play |
shall be the order of the day. The cow !
ards, thieves and plunderers who robbed |
and desolatrd and desecrated us, now are /
anxious for another war upon Us, that ]
the balance of what we have may be /
stolen from US, and their pockets still |
further filed, and we are blamed for not
laughing at our own funerals. We are
asked to sing melodies while sitting on
bayonetsl We are asked to dance while
the slow match is burning still brightly
~. IL a.. -.
and be insnlted by the men who stole
from us-who insulted our women-who
stole while Others fought We are asked
to be good citizens, when We are treated
like bad citizens We are asked to be-
lieve others who will not believe US, even
in tears. We are asked to grow flowers
in the face Of wintry blasts yet piping
from the North and.to deck our grave
yards with flowers, while dogs are bark
ing at our heels. The North claims the
religion ofthe country, yet jabs and stabs
US with puritanical haze.
All we want is peace. We wish 10
repair the damages the war made We \
wish to live as brothers of a common
heritage, yet are treated as servants. As
one Of the Southerners Itry to bear all
Of ihis-I try to smile----l iry 10 dance
while our conqnerors are hddliug in
drunken gicc--f an in t.lfasst IN asking
for the peace ~kieh =as promised Us ii
We disAssaed CTR srnies-i kept faith
With the North, yet the North viii not
keep faith with Us. And / tel you that
Il we cant have the peace and the rights
promised US, life is burden and We had
letter lose it az once. But viii wait