New-York tribune., 1867-05-24
FREE SPEECH SOUTH.

FREE SPEECH SOUIH
Ii is encouraging to notice how one political
blessing breeds another. We always reckon
Free Speech as one of the foremost advantages
of republican institutions; and 1t has always
been the boast OF the Yankee that no could
"say his say" without let or hinderance-a boast
which current events have sometimes compelled
Us 70 receive with certain limitations since
speech could hardly be considered absolutely
" free" while we had gag-rtiles i'll Congress and
passionately censorious mobs in our principal
cities. But at the South, while Slavery existed,
there was no pretense of allowing freedom OF
debate. OF even freedom of conversational dis
cussion. Whoever whispered word against the
pet system of labor might thank his FORUM
ate stars if he were simply ridden upon
rail. 0r taued and feathered. and not
shot. har,ged OF burned. We know that the
men wins initiated and kept up this savage
censorship were few in numbers, for the whole
body of slaveholders was by no means Hu-
merous one but they knew how to command
the Others either through interest or terror :;
and they exercised their power with remorse-
less yigor. The day of these bad men has
gone by. They die hard, as recent events In
Mobile and New-0rleans testify; but there are
temporary outbreaks which may, here and
there, he possibly repeated, but which VIII
become fewer and fewer as the daylight OF
freedom becomes brighter and brighter The
best citizens of the South, be they
light-colored or dark -colored, are begin
ming to hold up their heads - the
rich rufiians whose recreation was muir
der find their brutal occupation gone
with the despotism of which they were the
elected champions and the emancipation of
the slaves, instead of promising now the deg
radiation which was so angrily predicted, will be
followed, if there be any virtue in signs, by Il
rapidly advancing civilization. The authority
of Slavery has departed. We have riots, but
they are private enterprises. We have assassi
nations, but they are individual undertakings,
with no encouragement from living laws, OF
from what are called the respectable classes.
What vast progress this indicates, it may be
necessary to recall to the minds of our readers,
who may from day to day be startled by re-
ports of violence. The distinction is obvious but
important. Formerly hhe peaceful and inoffensive
STAKEHOLDER had a vast temptation TO wink at
felonies and TO be blind to outrage; he might
regret, but he had no courage to speak he did
not care TO risk his social position by altering
a single humane word for the victim of I'M
bridled passion. The hour which rid him of his
slaves revived his benev0lenee, quickened his
sense OF nstice and restored vitality to his con-
science We are now in position to discover
and TO appreciate the virtues OF the Southern
people, and nobody ever supposed them TO be
fends incamate. They have suffered for the
sins of few all their personal interests are
in
their good sense has now chance, and We ex-
peet to see them exerting it. They will help us
to keep the men of the slave-pens and the grog-
geries prudently quiet.
There may be those who are discouraged
because they still hear OF riots, OF shoOtings,
and of other lawless manifestations. They for
get how much has been gained, in their eager
ness for instant and perfect reform--that the
regeneration of society must be q work of time
that the agitation of the war is not completely
over, and that ignorant brayos have not yet
been taught TO know their place. They
will be taught in due season. They will hnd
out that their bOwie-knives, and pistols, and
other instruments of death, are not wanted.
Even il they are not all hung, shot, or stabbed,
it will gradually dawn upOn their minds that
they are nusances, and they will betake them
selves to fresher settlements and more ferocious
frontiers, where they may scalp or be sealped
as the fates may determine. Meanwhile, the
dreaded and detested influence of Northern
opinions and of Northern institutions will show
itself, and will prove it's presence in more
sensible agriculture, in q more profitable com
merce, in churches, and schools, and colleges,
and libraries, until both sections will be not
only politically but intellectually, morally, and
religiously united. We may be dreaming but
that is what we expect. We might cite hfty
historical instances TO prove it possible; but we
may safely leave the consideration OF our pre-
dictiop with any well-infoffned reader
In state affairs, patience is the most dineuit
of virtues, and to most Americans it seems 10
be rather positive vice. When God created
the world, there was no exhibition OF haste'
but each epoch made the next one certain. IN
o,.r rohuildinu NJ tha RaDublic, mon q new