Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1867-05-10
THE SOUTH As IT Is.

Brick Pomeroy, who has been travelling In
the South for two months past, writes the
result of his experience and observations in
the following letter:
We have travelled in FIVE of the Southern
States, most eager and attentive observer
and questioner, known and incog. We eS-
pected to find turbulency, rebellion, ugliness,
violence and great insecurity for life and
property. We have been in town, city and
country, by day and by night. We find the
people Of the South, governed b, the homes
ty of purpose, as when they fought, as they
believed they were doing, for their homes,
and their loved ones. -
quered people--sn honorable people pD3s
scientious people, truthful, patient, safhfst
in their fidelity to promise, and outspokeSf
beyond even our former belief for the Con-
stitution and the Union. At times an out
law, with no friend North or South, commits
violent act. At times a robbery is COM
mitted. At times an unkind word is said /,
but the great mass Of the people are brave
patient, honest, honorable and patriotic. In
Missouri and Tennessee, where radical rulers
continually irritate and rob, forbearance
ceases to be virtue at times More robber-
les are committed in the cities of New En-.
gland, in proportion to population, than in
the Sonth. Half Of the acts of violence are
committed by adventures, and bad men
here from the North, and we believe before
God and man, that they are paid by North
ern agi,ators to disturb the people here and
to provoke them to acts which may call for
military interference.
a. -; 90 he
damages of war--they talk over and regret
their hasty action of the past-they are ear
nest supplcants at the feet Of power for the
Constitution we all fought for in the North,
and are better, braver, more deserving citi-
zens to-day than are those who seek still fur
ther to oppress and humiliate sons Of our
sires, brothers of our blood, aud fellow
workers for national and Personal prosperity.
They were ill-advisedly led into a war
They fought bravely. They have laid away
their banner, and braver one never saw the
light as the often decimated ranks Of supe-
rlor numbers testified. They gave in to in
exhaustibe force-they have reformed TO
their alegiance--they have done all that
was required of them by the force which
conquered them-they deserve better treat
ment than they are receiving.
II is matter Of wonder TO US why and how
they can be so silent here as they are. Peo-
pile travel with fewer arms than 10 the North.
There are fewer crimes. We feel more safe
here than in many Northern cities--there Is
desire TO live, to labor, TO restore the coun-
Try TO her former greatness and II Is the
duty Of the North now TO be inst, to be gen.
erous, TO let these people alone--to allow
them TO build up their homes and re-estab-
| lish themselves in business. There u no
need of reconstruction. No need OF military
interference. Slavery is dead and so consid-
cred The, South needs the labor of the
negro. We do not need il in the North
The Southern people, II let alone, will do
better by the negro than we can or will do
IN the North. They see II Is tor their inter.
est to treat the negro kindly and 10 win i'm
to labor by pay and kind words.
| The Southern man and the negro under
stand each other better than the people Of the
North understand tn m.
Southern loyalists sgitate the North anC
fill that section with lies. for personal gain.
These persons had no character before the
war, or were themselves bitter secessionists
Northern agtators I'LL the heads OF the ne
gro with foolish stories Of idleness and
brotherhood in the North, and advise them
to do no work. Agents of the Freedmen =
bureaus are swndling the goyernment--are
charging for transportation never furnished
are taxing planters from ten to twenty-five
dollars head 10 furnish them with hands
are taxing negroes the same for procuring
them situations--are robbing all parties and
keeping back industrial success by their in
reference. The avenues Of travel are open
negroes win not stay where abused-the peo'
pie here know II and act accordingly.
To take labor from the South is TO injur'
the country. To take away labor is to In.
crease the cost Of raising cotton and to lesser
the crop. To keep sgitating the people her'
is to wear the life out Of them, To destro!
energy, to tear down credit, TO stop enter
! prise, TO hasten financial crash. To le
the people alone, is 10 aid the country, an
: to hasten the day Of peace and domesti
) tranquility.
The South wants more labor than she hai
e Let her alone and she will get il. She wanl
e money, give her peace and Il will come, ec