The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-04-12
Letter from the National, c....,
WASHINGTON, April 8. 1877
THE LAST PRo-REBEL RELIANcE-,vr .,u
THE SOUTH THINKS

who had Just arrived from an extensive busi-
ness tour throughout the South. He travelled
through seven states, and while mainly occu-
pied with business matters, had kept eyes and
ears open to the talk and acts of the people
The first thing following the passage of the
Military Reconstruction Bill, was general
feeling of astounding surprise-a shock ran
throughout the South. BY that act alone the
North rose forty per cent. in the Southern
mind. 1t was an exercise of power, and that
they can and do respect, if nothing else wins
upon them.
by this time, however, they seem to have
partially recovered from the shock. Now, they
are looking about to see how many loopholes
there are and how much they may still hope
to keep. There are two distinct ideas present
in the Southern mind. / use the word collec-
lively and to express the rebel majority.
Those who stand by the first are not the
most numerous, though generally they are in
luential politicians and their following. These
confidently believe that if they can control
their underlinys, they will be able by plenti-
fui application of soft words and kind treat
ment with diligent showing up of all radical
shortcomings to wheedle a majority Of the
hewiJ enfranchised into voting with them
Nearly the entire Southern press is engineer
ed by that hope. Such men as Wade Hamp-
ton, Pollard, Henry A. Wise Ch liners and
others are its leaders. But they have TO mil
up hill, with most of the load behind. The
frantic appeals of the press to ''accept the situ
alton are the best proofs of the arduous task
they have undertaken
Mr.. johnson and the engineers here seem to
me to be OF this mind. They will probably be
"hoist with their own petard"
Those who thus ''aceept the situation are
not the most numerous portion of the people.
Three-fifths OF the men who sustained the re-
bellion, and all of the women, are bitterly,
though not so noisily as CT old, according to
my informant, opposed to any movement look
ing toward reconstruction. This class let
themselves out when a week ago Connecticut
ebbed back in their direction. The principal
hope of these obstructionists is that the Su-
preme Court will in some way come 10 their
rescue. The few clearer sighted leaders and
editors who see that If it did its only effect
would be to unite the loyal millions closer to-
gether, try to exercise the deldsion. but in
vain. Just as year ago these people went
wild over the Presidents course, now they
are so affected by the Milligan and Garland
decisions as to hold the delusion that the
Court will bind the nation firmly and deliver
it into their hands. Everywhere my friend
Travelled, and among all phases of the old
Southern opinion, he found this same extrav.
agant hope of what the Supreme Court will
will do tor them.
But one good has resulted from the adop-
tion of plan which barred the sword. and
thai is that outrage has largely ceased.
When my informant went South last October,
he heard everywhere denunciatlons OF the
"niggahs"-of their lazness, insoience, &C.;
OF whippings and snootings; bat as he turned
his face northward from Alabama. a change
had come over the spirit of the dream, until
a few days ago when 1t eliminated in his
hearing in Richmond, Henry A. Wise deliver
a most labored eulogy upon the industry, in
telligence, &c, of these formerly despised
people. One effect of all this is certain. The
politicians are scrambhDg to control the ne
gro vote. They will not succeed, and in their
chagrin at having consumed so much dirt for
so little purpose, there may be reaction; or
real spirit lurking behind their present aspect;
but in either case their own aid as well as tie
power given to the freedmen will prevent fer
ever public sentiment among them from sink
ing to the low level on which so lately it ran.
The clash of the sword was the signal for an
earthquake, and as the ground settles again It
is on higher level than before
As to the negroes my fiiend is satisfied,
that with anything like decent canvass and
a judicious use Of simple documents among
them, taking care these la tier fall into the
hands of those who can read, there need be
no doubt that the newly enfranchised citizens
will all register, but also that they will all
vote on the side of Radical Repubiicanism-
Slavery has left among its legacies great fac
ulty of cunning, which the freedman uses un-
scrupulously to conceal his own opinions,
when it seems necessary to him. My inform.
dut uCCidICo III
through seven States, after talking with hur.
dreds of persons of all grades, he had not
found half dozen men who had been enslav-
ed, that were not open, when they ielt assur-
ed they could be trusted as Northern Radicals
in declaring that they had no confidence
whatever in the Southern born whites. He
thinks the Republican managers should make
a strenuous effort to send speakers and
shrewd canvassers South, especially from
among the freed people OF their race. The
pro-rebels in their greed ior power and In the
hope now entertained of controlling the ne
their best behavior.
About the great distress reported there, he
is not inclined to confirm the stories told. He
declares that there is now enough to support
the people and to spare, but the profit attach
ed.to the distillation OF wtiskey, has mole
than doubled the price. The collection of in
ternal revenue, outside Of few of the chief
cities, is throughout the South nothing but
stupendous farce. Witness the fact that but
one gold watch Is reported from the S ate of
Georgia. Whiskev distillation has largely in
creased but the revenue has not. In locali-
ties where this time last year ccrn was worth
but sixty cents it now sells at one dollar and
a half per busheL As much corn is in the
country as then.
THE RUSSIAN TREATY.
This seems to be the last excitement of the
Administration. The most strenuous efforts
are being made by Mr.. Seward to carry il
through the Senate. One reason for the
slowness with which nominations are sent In.
is doubtless the hope that his personal influ-
enee and the appliances he can bring to bear
upon Senators, viii enable success to crown
the efforts at ratification. Everybody you
talked with week ago denounced it as job
or laughed at it as ridiculous. There has been
a considerable change. Mr.. Sumner stands
firm, but his colleague, Mr., Wilson, with Sen
ator Wade, has changed front. There are
lurking behind it two fears; one that 1t is an
effort Of the Premier TO embroil us In ioreign
difficulties, and the other that some big plum
is concealed behind it for Thulow Weed,
Clarence Seward q Co.
ITEMS.
Cen. Kilby Smith, of Ohio, one OF the
Bread and Butter apostates, has been diligeut-
" seeking the U. S. Marshalship of Louisiana.
He received instead nomination as Consul