The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-10-26
4 SOUTHERN VIEW OF THE SITUATION.



NASHVILLE, Tenn, Oct II, 1868.
To THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD
So many misrepresentation have gained extensive
circulation throughout the North In regard to the
feelings entertained by the Southern people Tor the
government Of the United States that think 1t emf
nenty proper that those OF us who were born and
raised here and therefore better able to understand
the tone and temper OF the citizens shoudexert our
utteFmost reue these SANDERS and set forth cor
rectly the real condition OF Affairs. doubt not but
that many OF the troubles that at present afct rs
are In great measure attributable TO the mutual
lack of understanding between the two sections
This moves me to address You, knowing that your
paper receives much the largest circulation Of any
other throughout the North, and that 1t 10 read by
men OF every shade Of political opinion.
l fear me the people Of the North regard our p0-
litical leaders here representative men. This Ii
not &c. as has been abundantly shown by the very
general apathy manifested by almost all classes OF
citizens al occasions of political gatherings.
Sncerng remarks about this ana that eloquent gentle
man, such as dead Sea ape" political quack,n &C.,
can be heard daily. The masses know that these are
the men who, in 1861, from the stump and from
the pulpit did all In their power to fire the Southern
heart and in ls82'e3e4 and o5 strutted the streets
Of our cities, bedzened with gold lace, snufng the
battle, at oil, from afar Off, while the poor inge-
NOUS heroic youths they were SO instrumental IN
terrible battle eds with kind hand to close their
eyes IN tie sublime moInent-nO gentle voice 10 be-
speak nope III the great agony. They are regarded
generally aS false, iDslncere bad men; mere inflated
politicians, "full OF empty sounds signifyIng moth
lng;'' miserable demagogles whose petty ambition
anu egotism prompt them, for the sweets OF popular
applause to pander to worst passions anu lowest
appetites OF the multitude. They do not am sure,
represent the true honest men OF the SOUTH They
wholly fail 10 reflect the views OF those who served
IN the Confederate armies-lhe .silent men, unmen-
Toned OF morning newspapers" These are mainly
n a
those older than themselves, and impelled by the
high impulses OF youth, shoudered their guns IN de-
rights OF their country. lput IL 10 the people or the
North whether their conduct was blame
not having attained the age that would
have enabled him to form his own opinions OF con-
s.ituhonai Questions could yet resist the sonl,
stirring drum and ear-picrclng hfen the cheers OF
his schoolmates and the waving handkeIcheis OF
the beautiful girs9 say they acted FROM high ma
tural aud beautiful impulses. They did not desire,
at least many Of them did not TO aid in the perpe
tuation or stronger establishment OF slavery. Tor
one regarded that institution canker upon the
prosperity OF the SOuth-a canker upon the ciyilza
ZION OF the nineteenth century; and whel read
President Lnclons emancipation proclamation,
reJoced, not that believed the slaves were treated
win the cruelty depicted by Mrs. Stowe and Long
fellow but Tor the reasons have already gwen. The
war ended, and as the days and months rolled by the
returned Conederaes, with the light Of experience
and more matured judgments, reviewed their at
tempt TO dissolve the Union, and many OF them per-
ceved for the first time the woes that would inevta
II that attempt had succeeded and again turned
with loyal devotion to the old fagtneir nag now
and prayed the good God that 1t might be transmit
ted 70 the remotest posterity 'withOut y stripe
erased or star polluted"
am convinced that in all this broad land there is
no class OF citizens more loyal to the constitution
and government OF the United States, more ear
nesty DESTROYS of seeing restored TO the country SUB
sfantial peace and iraternal goodwill and less |
swayed and governed by feelings OF passion and pre-.
udice than those who attested their devotion to
the Southern cause by exhibiting IN its defence |
courage and endurance that viii live forever in the
remembrance OF their pOsterity. Their conduct dur
could give OF the fidelity With which they would keep
all their pledges. But think OF the irOn-cad 0atLs
mat were exacted Of them-of the many deprivatOns
OF civil rights in violation Of the organic law or the
land. Our Offices iilled by needy adventurers,
VINO inhame the minds OF the negroes against for
no other object than thereby TO gain their votes.
We are taxed without being represented, and here
In this State are menaced with militia, blinded and
faisehoods. For instance, take this az an iusira-
ton: the General Assembly at its last session APP
pecessty Of orTsnz,ng the militia. ''S the commi,tse
took proof OF alleged outrages upon unorending
Unionists and negroes said 70 have hcen perpe-
trated by members OF the Ku Klux KAN. Only
such portions OF the testimony suited their purpose
1t can be proved, they published. Much OF 1t bore
And this Is the kind OF evidence which they
the necessity OF quartering armed troops upon NJ.
Is not this enough TO enrage and madden the dis |
franchised citizens, especially when at heart they
love the constitution and Union and yearn for re-
turn OF fratenal regard and goodwill This is the
and treated. IL is horra crime that IL being per-
petraied upon the future prosperity OF the country
Permit me to say that, with many other Confcde-
rates, anxiously desired the nomination OF Chief |
Justice Chase by the National Democratic Conven- |
ton, both because believed him better lifted for the
Presidency than any other citizen, and also because
thought his nomination by the Southern states |
would he Of itself the most complete and enccIuai
refuaton to the disgraceful calnmnea circulating |
throughout the North TO the effect that we OF the
South still disoya our hearts full OF reasonable
resolves and souls black with hate towards |
Uni0nists and negroes. still think the failure TO
nominate him was an uncomfortable piece Of stu |
pidity that but politicians could possibly have
been guilty Of They steering Us now between !
Scylla and Charybdis and hardly know which OF the
two II Il best TO be dashed against