Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1867-05-01
SOUTHERN OPINION.

fging to its friends, and to all well wishers
Of orr equity. Tranquility IS being re-
stored throughout the South. The tur-
bulent spirit of rebellion and treason is
subsiding, and the people are fast adopt
INC those most important and fundamen-
tai rules of civil action, acquiesence In and
obedience to the laws of the land. They
plunged the country into a long and
bloody civil war, because they would not
submit to be governed by the decision OF
the majority. For short time during
the summer of 1865, while the South was
stunned and overwhelmed by their defeat,
shey were docile enough, but after awhile
s.eir cid arrogance returned, and
ike Milton's Satan rising from the styg-
ian pool into which the wrath of the Al
mighty had plunged him, they cast about
their eyes to see what evil they might do.
Fortunately for our nation, their proud
spirit has again been curbed and their de-
Sims frustrated. Another class of men will
take the reins Of Government at the
South, and shape the destinies of that
country. These coming men are those
who were prescribed and prosecuted dur
ing the war, men whose property was con-
fscated by the rebel authorities, men who
were banished from their homes, or hun
ted down by hloodhounds through the
sWamps and canebrakes.
The union sentiment Of the South
among the whites, concerning which so
much has been said and so little known,
is being rapidly developed under the
present suspicious circumstances. A I'm
ion Republican party has sprung up IN
nearly every State, latel y in rebellion, and
the members Of this party at the South j,
consisting Of the loyal whites and the ever
loyal freedmen must In future control the
destinies Of those states. Treason and re-
bellion, even in the place which nursed
and reared them, will become odious and
a stencil in the nostrils Of the people,
The leaders Of the rebellion will not be
remembered as heroes and martyrs, but
viii be denounced as wicked and designing
men, who for ambitious motives brought
great calamity upon their country.
The new Mayor Of New Orleans
lately removed the portrait of Gen.
Lee from his Office, and supplied It's place
with oae Of the martyred President. This
is an index of the change which must take
place throughout the south. It viii be
accomplished in due course CT time, if our
Government only maintains a policy which
will place rebels in the back ground, and
give encouragement and protection to
loyal men Of whatever race or color.
CHECKMArED AT LAsr-The railroad
lobby, which swarmed around our Legs
latiye halls last winter, labored hard and
persstently, and finally secured the pas
sage1 of the famous Senate bill mo
81" It mattered not that vested rights
were to be trampled upon, that the peo-
pie were calling loudly for protection
against the oppressive railroad monopolies
of the State the voice of TIE people was
unheeded, and the rights Of individuals
were disregarded The railroad lobby
carried most Of their measures, and were
iubilant at their success. But they have
suddenly come to grief The preferred
stock holders Of the road fled a Dill in
the United State Circuit Court for an in
junction to restrain the directors Of the
Prairie du Chen railway company from
issuing bonds and stock under the act on
tie ground of its unconstitutional ity. The
court decided the act unconstitutional
The Sentinel says: The effect of this de-
cision is to inyalidate the fifth section Of
the act, which was the section most vehe-
mently opposed in the legislature as auth
orizing the soHdation of the Milwaukee
and Prairie du CHEN and Milwaukee Il
st. Paul roads, and ratfying the action
Of the directors IN purchasing a railroad
in Minnesota.
It may be interesting for some of our