Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1867-02-21
General Sheridan UP at Pittsburgh--Ifis
Account OF things In the South.

from the Pittsburgh Gazette, of last Frday.l
This distinguished soldier is temporari-
ly guest in our city, stopping at the
Union Depot Hotel. Yesterday, with
other citizc<ls, we called to pay our re-
spects to the gallant hero, and were
delighted with the interview. The Gen-
eral is n compact and stout specimen of
n man. of medium height, and strikes
us as Il person of unlimited powers of
endurance. a few silver hairs are dis
coyerable amongst the fine thick, black
locks which cover his head, while his
compleXion is suggestive of the prolonged
| Southern field service through which he
has passed. Ordinarily the expression OF
his countenance is mild and gentle, but
his character Is flashed upon us as he
warns in the discussion. OF subject
which more than interests him.
In conversation the General Is free,
suave and intelligent. Singular as 1t may
seem, he Is earnestly and bitterly oppos-
ell to war; thinks that civil rule should
Mt all times be preferred to military rule,
but not under all circumstances. From
his conversation we inferred that his
diagnosis of the Southern patient indi-
Gates the sword; that an excrescence re-
mains after the four years treatment
through which they have already. gone,
that can only be safely removed ny the
|
Southerner is that he believes disparity
exists In favor of Southern intelligence.
He hus been taught that Zone rebel did
not equal ten Yankees in battle" " but his
fuith i'm the superiority of hisintcllccts still
remains. While acknowledging his
cause hopelessly defeated, he maintains
its Justice. This Is the Southerner's great
and mischlevous error, and 1t tends more
than all else to delay restoration.
Wide spread poverty, destitutton and
dcsolation pervade the South. Pictures
of the suffering in some sections which
have reached us, are no creations or I'M
agination to stir the North to an exercise
of charity. They are true. Gaunt pow
erty, suffering, want for the actual neces
aarics of life are with many of the South
T ern peope. Nearly all of the plantations
In Louisiana arc mortgaged TO their ful
, value, and If thrown upon the market
, would not discharge the incumbranc'
with which they are burdened. To rais'
any money by increased liens Is thereior'
! impossible. The Southern people have
, not, as yet, been properly educated In th'
, Northern and Western idea OF emf
! grafton. They look upon the emigrant
/ not In the proper light, regarding hin
/ only AZ n mudsill or laborer, They mus
! learn to sub-divide their large plantations
! so that one family may live comfortabl.
: and grow rich on an hundfeau acres
land whereas In days gone by, singh
individual or family lorded 1t over three
four, five or six thousandacres, of whicl
y vast estate but small proportion wa
o under cultivation. Allthismust be chang
ed. The South must have roads, schoe
, houses, churches aid factories. Sh
y must get them as Illinois, Iowa an
Minnesota have acquired them-by film
up her waste lands with an mtelligen
= and Industrious yeomanry, no matter {
+ what nativity. With these, her capa'
tiles cannot be estimated. The oligarch
N of the South must imbibe more OF th
p philosophy, skill and enterprise OF th
n people of the North, ere they can VI
. with the North in wealth and solid pr
IN gress.
r. The General referred to other matte
ID which have escaped our memory W
= regret that his stay in--our city was !
IN brief, as we learn that he took his depa
ture westward last evening. Our citizei
Va would have been glad of an opportunit
RI Of paying their respects to the distil
I'M guished hero and defender Of our COUNT
n. In the hour of peril. 'iAt iYr