The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1867-05-15
Notes ON the South.

Notes on the South.
Mr. Prime, editor of the New York journal OF Com
] merce who visited the South few weeks ago, ma
i commenced series of Editorial Notes on the South
We copy below his first article which appears in sh
!. Journal Of Commerce of the 9th ult.:
IT. to be remarked at the outset, that the inorma
nation which has been published in Northern paper
has been 80 diverse aud contradictory that but lit
Edependenee could be placed on it and traveller IL
the Southern States daily astonished at the inaccu
racy and apparent Misrepresentation which nave Guar
actersed the accounts be has read before leaving th
North While in some cases this is to be attributed
to international alseWitness by political paFtlsans
is by no means necessary to charge such motives OF
i all the correspondents even OF violent partisan
presses For it is next to impossible for any man tt
judged of the real condition OF things by residence
in any one locality or to form an estimate bT hor
nation received at any point remarkable
feature of Southern life present is the want OF com
munication between different sections The people
travel very little; poverty forbids it. The railways
are in very good order; but the trains run with few
passengers From New Orleans to Wilmington it is
rare to see train with over twenty-five first class
passengers There is, therefore, but little comIning
ling of the people; and as necessary consequence
| there is no expression of public opinion.
It is almost literally that there is no such thing
at present as public opinion in the South. The peo
pie are isolated, every man thinking for himself at
/
cities there general discussion OF public subjects
and very little interchange of opinions and views In
large hotels where crowds congregate, there IS no
general talking, almost no conversation at all. On the
contrary the people sit silent around the stoves, or
scattered here and there, speaking in low tones when
they speak at all but for the most part SILENT down.
cast and apparently in deep thought If loud voice
is heard the chances thousand to one that it
proceeds from Northern man, and it attracts the at
tenon of all something curious. Whatever lnfor-
nation is given general facts, If it is to be trust
worthy must be derived from observation in different
places and by free intercourse with all classes of peo
pie in different States The condition of things varies
much in various localities, both with the white and
black population But there some facts OF unlVer-
sal truth. No representative men are to be found
anywhere. No one has the authority to express the
views even of his neghbors and there are no leaders
in opinion. No talks politics, no one thinks
politics, no one seems to care for politics. This is
the general rule everywhere. Very few politicians
are to be found The grand fact is that at the pres
there is desperate struggle for the means OF ilfe
the actual necessities of the day, with nearly every
family in the South, and no cares to think of or
discuss political que sons unit! the food and clothing
question is settled.
It's impossible TO cxaggerate the poverty and dis
tress of the entire Southern people Here and there
men are found woo have wealth. and Others who have
at least the of comfortable support but these
are the exceptions Some sections are better OH than
others. But distress is visible everywhere 1t is not
alone the laboring classes who suffer- Those who
were wealthy impoverished, and countless families
once rich are seeking food by manual labor without
finding it. This state of things includes all classes
and among tie greatest sufferers those who, during
the entire war swerved il their affection for the
Union In considering the South as whole, it Is too
often forgotten that there such persons there who
were not protected by the government, and who have
nearly peri shed in the common ruin 1t would be i'm
possible for any pen to describe with sufficient power
the mourpu condition of things in the cotton States
A dark cloud seems to hang over all the land. Sun
shine utterly fails reach the heads of the suffering
people. Heavy, depressed disprted, there is al p
parent absence of all ygor and spirit from the minds
of men This is mainly due to the uncertainties of
the future.
There is an earnest desire to have some definite
plan of government The traveller does not hear com
plants of government measures so much as questions
whether these measures are final. "Gge US whatever
government you please but give it to definitely
and dec vey, and will go work, is the uniyer-
sal idea
There is general determination to proceed under
the m airy reconstruction bill; but there is great
want of confidence in it as a fnality. This is
present the chief of the South 1t is the
oppression of the BILL the fact thati DISCREPANCIES
labor and demoralizes the negro but it is the anticpa
ton that it must not be regarded final measure,
and that new complications, military bills, penal
ties and confscatons will be administered on them
hereafter.
The failure of crops last year was great affection
but would have been felt severely bad this year
opened with steady system of government, and
definite pls,n to which they might look. The anticpa
ton of new evils to come has always the depress
ing effects the human mind. The Northern people
suffering from the retroactive effect Of this
Southern OPPRESSION. 1t is impossible for one portion
of the country to be in such condition without its
Atfeet other portions The health of the whole
nation, its vitality prosperity, tax-paying and tax
bearing ability, all are affected, all might be vastly
benefited by Southern relief
If it were asked what would now be the greatest
blessing to the South, the answer unquestionably
would be 'the assurance that the military reconstruc-
ton bill is hnalty" 1t is probably true therefore,
that the con sefvative men among the Republicans
have it in thei" power do for the good of the
South and of the whole country than any Others If
they can in any manner convey to the Southern mind
the conviction that the of radical legislation
has been reached and that the rank and file viii not
follow the leaders any further they WILL by SO doing
add millions to the wealth of the country, and con
tribute vastly to the immediate benefit of the South
and its population, Hack and white. The demand is
not for the repeal of the military measure but for the
assurance that it is definite and final