The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-04-19


particular, is tossed into the ready mail-baq
of Uncle Sam. The selling, sacrificing of
property follows; funds are raised family
separation ensues, and a pilgrimage to the
auriferous groupings of Her Britannia Ma
jesty's Province is decided upon.
The almost universal result is disappont-
ment wreck of fortune, and loss of time and
money.
We learn from the Rochester press that the
fever has made its appearance among the
sOber-sded citizens of that vicinity. Hun
dreds of hitherto uneXcitabe young men are
rushing to the last great gold bed" of Cana
dian promise, hoping for an immediate realiza-
ton of the sweet suggestions of cunning spe-
culators, trusting to luck for that fortune
which hard work has thus far denied them.
couple of years ago the ChaudiGre district in
Lower Canada was putfed into notoriety. with
results which not few hereabout and i'm Bos
ton speak of sorrowfuly. Now, Madoc. in
Western Canada is the name of the locality
which is being buletined into fame as the cen
ire of gold-bearing region unsurpassed by
any of its neighbors. Specimens, nuggets
''out-croppings, flakes, quartz rocks from
the hardest flint to the softest sandstone. and
reports, are presented to the public, who listen
with itching ears, and gaze with simple eyes to
the seductive story.
Whatever may be the upshot of the matter,
the present fact is that land in the vicinity of
forming all over Canada, Spectators iostle
honest settlers, machinery is transported there
at great expense, claims are bought and sold
at fabulous prices, ranging from $4,000 to
$4,000, and prospectors are turning things
topsy-turvey in the hope that gold will be
shaken out in the confusion.
Tie most amusing accounts are told of The
excitement which prevails among the old
farmers of the district, men who have lived
and delved there since the day of their birth
Eager to participate in the ''profts to come"
they sell or mortgage their property to buy
gold stock suspend the regular duties of their
tillage to attend to the developments of their
ledge, and forsalling the solid highway of
common sense, they tempt the uncertain mire
Of chance.
This rage for sudden wealth is incident to
our people, and it is of no avail to remind
them that many thousand live who have put
much more money into mines than they can
ever hope to take out. Each generation of
enthusiasts relies upon its own experience,
and our Rochester and Madoc friends will
probably prove a confirmation of the rule.
Progress of Reconstruction, and Affairs
tn the SOuJh,
r. ON the Herald
Our travelling correspondents furnish us
from day to day with the most interesting and
full accounts of the condition of the South,
the sentiments Of the people, and the progress
of reconstruction. In fact, that section of the
country is faithfully photographed, if we may
use such a simile, so that our readers can see
at glance the good as well as the evil, the
hopeful as we'll as the gloomy state of things
to be found there. Thus the press takes an
important part in helping forward the work of
restoration by exposing errors and difficulties,
of these ubiquitous correspondents shows that
a remarkable change has taken place within
few weeks in the sentiments and conduct of
/ the late Rebels. The Reconstruction acts of
/ Congress are doing the work intended etfec-
. tually. few ignorant swaggerers and blatant
village politicians still curse the Yankees and
mutter treason, but they have little influence,
/ and there are not many such. The mass Of
the people, and the most intelligent portion
of the community, accept the terms prescribed
! for them. They know resistance would be
both useless and dangerous, and they are pro-
| fOundly impressed with the necessity of early
restoration in order to save them from greater
evils than they now have to endure. They
are well aware that the only way to restore
their industrial and domestic well-being, and
to save themselves from continued political
disabilities, is by promptly conforming to the
reconstruction plan Of Congress, and cordially
assisting to carry it out.
There is one feature in the political, social,
and moral revolution now going on in the
South worthy Of particular notice. We refer
to the position and newborn ideas of the
negroes. Of course these people are unsettled
and excited, and hardly know what to do or
who to follow in their sudden elevation to
freedom and political rights, and of course
there is good deal of ignorance among them
But they are much better instructed than many
! suppose. The Southern whites have always
talked about politics very much; in fact, poll
tics always was the staple of their Cunversa-
ton. The negroes heard and learned from
this both before and since the war. Besides
they are inquiring, and manifest considerable
shrewdness. As proof of this we learn from
our correspondents that when asked who they
are going to vote for, or what party they will
support, they inquire, before answering what
party or section OF country their questiOner
belongs to, and suit their replies to the answer.
If a Northern man makes the inquiry, they
speak well of their Northern friends; if it be
a Southerner, they manifest the best disposi-
tion towards the Southerners. In this there is
shrewdness, with embarrassment and uncer-
tainty as to what they will do in their novel
situation. STILL on the whole, they are in
clined to seek counsel and guidance from their
former masters. They seem to realize the fact
that their interests are identified with the
South and the Southern whites. This has
been shown in many instances lately which we
have heretofore noticed, and we see from the
account of a mass meeting held in the theatre
auRichmond, published in Wednesdays Herald,
that the negroes called upon the whites for
advice. The call was signed by thirteen inhu-
L -. NJ