Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1869-02-11
Au sutetestiug Sketeh.
SOUTHERN CHIVALRY.

Lieut.. j. W. DeForrest, an agent Of the Freed
mans Bureau, who was at one time stationed at
Chester, is publishing series Of articles in Har
per's Magazine, with regard to what he saw and
heard in South Carolina. Many of his statements
are exaggerated -umntentionally, doubtless yet
he occasionally blunders upon some truth. We
publish the second paper in order that our read
ers may know what appearance the Southern peo-
pie present when viewed through Northern spec
tacles. He commences with n.
~ ~',' POLITICAL FKEIINa.
Walking the streets of Greenvine, / met a child
of six or seven-a blonde, blue-eyed girl with
cheeks of faint rose-who, in return for my look
of interest, greeted me with smile. Surprised
at the hospitable expression, and remembering my
popularity abhorred blue uniform, said, "are you
net afraid of me 2" !
"No," she answered; II am not afraid. I met
three Yankees the other day, and they didn't hurt
me-" ..5 s.-
We of the North can but family imagine the
alarm and hate which have trembled through mil
lions of hearts at the South, at the phrase, 'The
Yankees are coming!" The words meant war,
the fall of loved ones, the burning of homes, the
wasting of property, fight poverty, subjugation,'
humiliation, q thousand evils, and thousand sor-
rows. The Southern people have never before
suffered anything tenth part so horrible as what
befell them in consequence of this awful formula,
this summons to the Afrites and Furies Of desola-
ton, this declaration of ruin. Where the con-
quering army sought to be geutlest tstil devoured
the land like loeusts where it came not at all, it
nevertheless brought social revolution, bankruptcy
of investments, and consequently, indigence. A
population of bereaved parents, of widows, and of
orphans, stepped in sudden poverty, can hardly
love the cause of its woes. The great majority of
the Southerners, denying that they provoked the
war, looking upon US not as the saviours of COM
mon country, but as the subjugators Of their SOW
ereign States regard us with detestation.
speak of the "chiVahous Southrons," the gen.
try the educated, the socially influential, the class
which before the war governed the South, the
class which may soon govern it again. Even if
these people knew that they had been in the wrong
they would still be apt to feel that their punish
ment has exceeded their crime, because it has been
truly tremendous and has reached many who could
not be guilty. Iremembera widowed graud-moth-
er of eighty and an orphan granddaughter Of sew
en-, from each of whom large estate on the Sea
Islands had passed beyond redemption, and who
were in dire poverty. When the elder read aloud
from newspaper description of some hundreds
of acres which had been divided among negroes,
and said, "Chattie, that is your plantation" the
child burst into tears believe that it is unnatu-
raj not to sympathize with this little plundered
Lot IN fosr
land.
Imagine the wrath Of fine gentleman, once the
representative of his country abroad, who finds
himself driven to open beer saloon. Imagine
the indignation of fine lady who must keep board
ers; of another who must go out to service little
less than menial of another who must beg rations
with low-downers and negroes. During the war
saw women of good families at the South who had
no stockings; and here beg leave to stop and ask
the reader to conceive fully, if he can, the sense Of
degradation that must accompany such poverty; a
degradation of dirt and nakedness, and slatternly
uncomeliness, be it observed; degradation which
seemed to place them beside the negro. Let US
imagine the prosperous ladies of our civilization
prevented only from wearing the latest fashions;
what manifest man of us all would like to assume
the responsibility of such apiece of tyranny?
Moreover "Our Lady Of Tears" the terrible
Mater Lochaymaram of De Quincey's visions, fills
the whole South with her outcries for the dead.
It is not so much wonder as pity that the wo-
men are bitter and teach bitterness to their chill
dren.
Of course there are lower and more ridiculous
motives for this hate. Non-combatants, sure Of at
least bodily safety, are apt to be warike, and to
blow cheap trumpets of mock heroism. Further
more, it is arstocratic to keep alooffr Yankees
and what woman does not desire to have the tone
of grand society?
when will this sectional aversion end? l can
only offer the obvious reflection that it is desirable
for both North and South, but especially for the
weaker of the two, that it should end as quickly
as possible. For the sake of the entire republic
we should endeavor to make all our citizens feel
that they are Americans, and nothing but Ameri-
cans. live do not accomplish this end, We shall
not rival the greatness of the Romans. 1t was not
patricianism that made Rome great so much as
the vast community and bonded strength Of Ro-
man citizenship. Let US remember in our legis,
lation the law Of solidarity the fact that no sec
ton of a community can be injured without injur-
ing the other sections; that the perfect prosperity
of the whole depends upon the prosperity OF all
the parts.
This idea should be kept in view despite of pro-
vocations; this policy will in the end produce
broad and sound national unity. As the South
erners find that the republic brings them prosperl-
ty they will, little by little one by one, become as
loyal as the people Of other sections.
... FINANCIAL CONDITION.
In Naples and Syria have seen more beggarly
communities than the South, but never one more
bankrupt Judging from what learned IN my
own district I should say that the great majority
of planters owed to the full extent OF their proper
ty and that, but for stay-aws and ay-orders, all
Dixie would have been brought to the hammer
without meeting its liabilities. When l left Green
vile there were something like thousand execu-
tions awaiting action; and had the Commanding
General allowed their collection, another thousand
would have been added to the docket. l have
known land to go at auction for dollar and twelve
cents an acre, which before the war was valued, l
was told, at seven or eight dollars the acre. La
Dor was equally deprecated, able-boded men hir.
ing out at seyenty.fve cents day if they found
themselves; at twenty-five cents II found by their
employers. The great mass OF the farmers could
not pay even these wretehed wages and were forced
to plant upon shares, system unsulted to labor
ing class ignorant and thoughtless as the negroes
It seemed unjust that debts should retain their
full valuation when all other property was thus
depreciated, Yet doubt the practical wisdom of