The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-05-13
Southern Defects.

Under this head the New Orleans Picayune reads
the people of the South lesson which they would do
we'll to heed and profit by. The writer, by way of
preface asserts the newspaper writer's OF the South
who fail to show up the faults and deficiencies of the
people, or refuse to urge upon them reformation, are
not their true friends and then takes the tenable
ground that with all our virtues, we have enough
faults to neuralise the good within that with all
our bravery, we lack that most essential ADJUNCT pru
dence, necessary in every undertaking. The writer
says the Southern people have been gallant brave,
impetuous selfsacrifcng in immediate peril, daring
at all times eloquent in tongue, brilliant in written
phrase burning in and invectVe; in all re-
spects have manifested indifference TO danger and
readiness to resent an insult or confront direct
attack which has caused them to be universally re-
garded as brave, high-souled, chvalrous people"
Yet with all these virtues they have never been Sue
cessfu in any of their aims enterprises These are
facts and none will take issue with the writer OF the
subject with any prospect OF successfully combating
them. With people so highly favored there must
be some cause for their signal failure. What is it
Our contemporary solves the problem for us: Chiefly,
because they have lacked that prudence which should
have checked excessive zeal all extravaganza of ex-
pectation all violence of language, all bitterness Of
feeling and have prevented the useless wearing out
of the powers Of body and mind in gallant but hope
less assaults The want of the gift of continu-
ance" is another of their failure alluded to by
the writer and we think one of the greatest. How
often they failed of success in both and peace
for want of it 1t is the of the Southern peo
pie to begin enterprises to them with the greatest
for no Of +hot nd
perseverance so necessary to the of all great
undertakings This is patent to all Of us and it needs
not the wisdom of soomoD to demonstrate it. Loot
at it which way will they are faus, and faults
and we should use every effort to overcome them We
are too easily discouraged, too prone to abondon
enterprise which does not promise that immediate sue
cess commensurate with the enthusiasm with which it
was commenced The reward must come quick, be
rich or abandon the field in despair. As people,
Aadns lamp is more to our notion than the ordinary
way of accomplishing great OBJ ects. Let us at once
solve to overcome these faults and to resolve let act
The writer points cat the way; let US follow it, Here
it is: 1--WE would urge therefore, that people
should cultivate more patient and enduring spirit
Start calmly and carefully in the right way and then
follow it steadily and unremittngly to the end. We
will never get too much OF It, with an oVercautlous
people there might be danger of this. With logged
and uachangipg national beat and habit of mind and
action we might need to have more enthusiasm in
fused into our mind. Bat we have now so much of
this, that danger lies on the other side. When
our people learn to quietly and observingly guide
themselves by the condition of things as presented to
them and their probable mutations for evil good in
the future, when they comprehend the necessity of
using the instruments in their hands, rather than
vainly regret the loss of those which have passed
away, when they adapt themselves to circumstances
and patiently endeavor to adapt circumstances to their
advantage, and when having found the way Of wisdom
and ultimate success, they continue to follow and work
in it, though the rate of progress be slow and the la
Dor difficult and tiresome, they will have overcome
their greatest enemies their own impotence and
irresoueness."