Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-04-20
MARCH ING ON.

lfdIsembodied spirits contin ne to take an in
terest in sublumary affairs, then the soul of
.'old John Brown" may be supposed 10 ex-
perience some degree Of grim satisfaction at
the change OF Affairs in the Old Dominion,
which has taken place since the aforesaid soul
was released from Its earthly tabernacle and
sent .'marchIDg on BY the ruling powers in
ssDistrict MOL" The age OF prophecy has
certainly departed, a no seer arose at that
time 20 predict that in g. tew years the degraded
colored population would be a power in the
State. However, If such prophet had arisen
IN virginia, he would not only have been
without credit in his own country, but wouId
have run some risk of receiving the crown of
ma-tyrdom.
Changes since that time are so wouderfnl
that II is not strange the late slave owners
ind II hard TO realize that their chattels have
become their political equals, and chafe under
the penalties brought upon them by their in .
sane attempt TO destroy the Union Persons
who have lived all their days in the free
States can form no adequate conception of
the magnitude Of the social and political reyo
lutien in the Southern States To the minds
OF many Northern people it would merely
present itself as question Of giving the
elective franchise to class of peonIs
heretofore excluded from the ballot box be.
class go small in most OF the Northern States
that they WOULD have no appreciabIe in
nuerce as a class in shaping legislation
The Southern aristocrat on the contrary, from
ms stand point, regards il with the same hor
Tor as was experienced by the nobility of
France at the revolution which broke mn the
foundstions of society in that country. In
Iast' the Southern press are continually draw
lng parallels between thetwo. They overlook
the great difference, however, that i'm this
country every violation of law has either come
from the class in the Sonth who made war
upon the Government. in which they had a
voice, or has been the direct result of their
nerce assaults upon the government of the
people, necessitating severe measures TO save
the life OF the nation. 1t is needless, how
ever, 10 pursue this theme, because the intel
hgent masses OF our countrymen cannot
DC oeceiyed by the sophistries which fill
the Southern press. As we have said
the revolution is a sweeping one, but il is
founded on justice, and will yet result In rails
ing the South to degree of prosperity that
section could never have attained under the
old reSinie. The colored people their former
masters admit) have conducted themselves
with great prudence and moderation so far,
ana are not likely to be less guarded in their
conduct as the work Of education goes on
There is really no good reason why the two
races should not work together harmouiouslv
for the development of the South, and the
present generation may yet live to see that
section as prosperous as the North and West
When that day comes, (as come il will, and nor
uii tAen- will the result of the great work of
the past six years be fully seen and appreci.
ated, and the men who have taken part in the
Struggle for ard against freedom in the Soutb
be estimated at their proper value.