New-York tribune., 1867-06-25
WH4T SAW or RECONSTRU UCT0M
A TRIP THROUGH THE SOUTH.


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A TRIP THROUGH THE SOUTH
From Oar Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, u. C.. June a, 1861
NV trip through the unrecOnstructed states mas
heen somewhat long, and the circumstances sur
rounding and objects for which It was undertaken
opened to me most available sources OF Information 10
tar "a the procress of reconstruction is concerned pur
poss 70 present briefly the results Of my observations IL
will he my endeavor to present what has been areauy
ACCOMPLISHED by the work done under the Military anu
supplemental acts what hinderances ana malignant III
duepces have been developed what obstacles present
themselves and in what manner the working OF
tbe p,on might be improved. My Journey be-
gun at this point took through Virginia, North and
south Carolina Florida through Georgia, Alabama hs
far as Mobile through Mississippi, and home again
through Northern Alabama, Tennessee and Southwest
and Central Virginia. stopping at all principal points ana
many small villages, always meeting active Union men
as well as others occasionally going ont into plantation
districts and always asking questions as wei AS oDseI
ing All that bore upon the problem now being wrought OUT
l may assume TO nave iearneu SOino'"i"e Vi '"'
To proceed with these results Is certain that foremost
The eject of dividing the "white" South into two or
more classes It isalso true however that TINS division
does not promise BIZ any large results n IL did
SIX weeks oil t6 nTh from the white House pciudcai
aong m CCs lave produced to considerable degree the
oeet sought Then the malconents have the advantage
of social position and the women OF the south ot any
educaton or influence almost universally the strong
esf deyoees OF the "Iost Cause" IL Is qufe dicut 70
withstand tho social persecution when these people
SO systematicany put into operation An IN
stance in point was gwen me IN MoniSQmIeig IeIg
firms there insisted upon being placed on KepnDchh
Committee as Us secretary The leading Republicans
urged him not 90 press the matter It would only bring
tho ladies about his ears and ho would not be able TO
stand 10 it, He persisted In few days, however.
dcnOuncng the Republican movement as lkey to SET tbo
against each other Now there IS niue doubt tis
s really converted, but he was not hDo 70 ehuuio
the Sights and insults constantly thrown at him.
The division, them s not by any means as large az ~
neutral II is fact that everywhere the leaders Of the
present opposition 10 reconstruc9n are from me ranks
OF quasi Cnionism. Gov Sharkey has greatly lliesed
and encouraged tho no convention pOlcyi hhco MS
return TO Mississippi He, IKE Perry ana Persons & ae
elares there viii be reaction IN lho N0rth aSast Oon
gress then the South must DO ready TO take adya
SGey Worth, in Sortb Cafoina has the same purpose
In Florida those IN authority are OF the same mind
But, nevertheless, We have accOmp shed Omcwhat In
the shane OF a division greater lessor In different
States In Virginia most OF TIC southern element VIII
tents will vote against it, The main reason is that in the
Od Dominion tho Rebels really hope to carry me state
sary obligations the same ume 40 80 ialse Dy so Iar
sentiment and purpose are concerned IN hoin Caro
lima the Rebels will divide about equally on the COnYen
ton question All OF them Will unite on the delegates
however. The law amiably gives tnen Two chahccs-to
vote against Convention and to vote Or delegates there
to. In South Carolina Orr's "nOpaity" party VIII
not have ghost Of chance The vote OF the whites Ia
the low country will be almost unit against cOnvcn
ton In the six mountain districts where the whites
control, the Republican policy, II properly presehtfd
viii mainly 20 against CONVENTION Georgia presents
most interesting scene There is faircr tc-anguar
Gght there than elsewhere. ExRebel Gov }. T. Brown
appeared 10 be month since IN lar way 10 divide inc
entire Rebel vote Of the state In favor OF econsrucng
Tho prospect Of heavy for his policy Is growing
less and will continue 20 do 30 Sul his canvass dOlng
great good 1t at any rate enables tho push
on their work comparatively mOppOs5d, as the anti
cOnventioniss mostly with lighting Brown Alabama
has well defined mo Convention movement outside
of the Southern portion. Yet majority OF the press op
pose more or less strongly the Young ior ~ On
m
yenton The position OF man on the question OF seces-
sion at the outset OF rebellion but little evidence Of his
position In fact 1t is true that OF the original po:
itcal element South, there more genuine friends OF
non and were originally in favor Of robelon than there
is among those who known Unonsts and opposed
a recourse to arms know no reason why u should be
Sc the loss Of their slaves has embcred helatter
while the former, taught by the stern logic OF war or
originally In defense OF State sovereignty than the
"peculiar Institution"
Another and even moro important result is the in
aggressive creative policy is that OF the national
party. The passage Of the military acts especially tho
supemcntal one assured the Radical UniOnists that for
the first they could obtain definite protection The sword
thrown into the scale with free speech There has
been immense work DONE but there much more
TO do. The active Republicans are In nearly every case
very poor as TO be unable IN justice 70 home duties 10
give even time. But they do. The unknown heroes"
OF the loyal South labor with immense zeal Ihey
are not always wise but Their mistakes sS, should s
and coored Unioniss Is their lack OF political informa
of obtaining knowledge OF the modes used In dis
semnatOn OF political education Northern men canvass
among them are btfucK tilb tnc HTbt
freedmen apt In learning about organiza-
tIon than the whites. Their craft into play here
and in those classes who lived In the cities there was
great deal OF benevolent and religious organic
alton among slavery which formed good school
for the work hand. / found the most val
liable agencies at work from the outside
the Union Leagues and the organizers and speak
ers employed and the documents circulated by the Con-
gressiOna1 Union Republican Committee II Is little
amusing TO Northern with what aydity docu.
ments under Congressional frank received by
classes OF the whites, and what amount OF social
importance thereby added TO that stature who is
the constant recipient OF them Tho southerners fear
only power and respect only Its representatives and
sgents This trait win illustrate the wisdom OF letting
the Congressional Committee manage the canvass in the
bOuth II Will also Indicate grave mistake made seems
by the leading Republicans What the South needs
and has since the first elk months after the
render b the most thorough political agitation possible
n the interest Of the National policy and party When
the army charged with the duty OF protection and
II became evident that serous attempt 70 be made
20 reconstruct instead OF only two Republican leaders
going South TO stump there should have been 50 One
more Republican Congressman should have within the
last six weeks spoken In every town OF size
III the South Their presence wOud have hushed the
Rr0wlngs OF the mob As II s severe comment Is made
haa aal.U. NAUN a. H.. ..aA