Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1869-05-27
Biting one. e,v. N..s On.

1t is curious to consider how frequent
| ly this operation, ut once so painful and
SO inconvenient, should be attempted
and often affected. And this not only
by individuals, but by whole communi-
! ties and nations. 1t is to be accounted
for only ON the hypothesis of msrbid
hallucination, which misleads the suf-
| ferer into believing that his estate wsuld
be more comely or more gracious by the
decentralization of . facial prominence
generally regarded IS useful if not orna-
mental. We cannot dwell on the indi-
vidual cases Of this delusion, and the
unhappy effects which it occasions. Nor
can We review the history of past and
present times to prove the fact and the
ioolishness Of it. e need not go far
from home for instances Of both. What,
for example, could be more in point than
the enormous folly of the slavehslding
states in maintaining an institution fatal
to their growth in civilization, and even
IN material prosperity; unless, indeed,
it were the madness Of the free states
III sustaining them in their folly, at the
expense of their character and their in-
terest, and exalting it as the hight of
wisdom and craftsmanship? 1t took
tne sharp remedy of war, and fearful
depletion of our blood and our gold, to
put US in the way of cure and recovered
sanity.
1t is not, perhaps, to be wondered at
that the rebel states should still labor
under this same frenzy, considering the
diseased condition under which they
had lived so long. Slavery having him
dered them from rearing civilized men,
it is but inevitable that they should be
infested by barbarians. Had all the in
habitants of those states been wise men,
even in their generation, the mischiefs
done them by the war would ere now
have been in fair way toward cure.-
But, then, had they been wise men,
even in their generation, they would
have abolished slavery themselves long
ago, and so avoided the war. Being
what slavery has made the mass of them,
it is nothing strange that they should
resist all attempts to improve the con-
dition of the blacks, and sndeavor to
keep them in a condition as near slavery
Js terror and injustice can bring about.
And yet what SO self-evident as that the
peace, prosperity, and wealth of the
south depends now, and must long de-
pend. on the conduct and industry of
the black population? Labor 10 the first
requisite for the building up of the
places laid waste by war; and labor
cannot be had except on the condition
Of the security of its rewards. The
next requisite for renewal of prosperi-
ty is capital, and this the same pas
sionate folly has repelled when it en-
-leavsred to make its way to where it
was Finest needed. Murder, robbery,
intimidation, the social taboo, all were
used to make labor and capital rs nearly
impossible to be had as could well be-
siore desperate attempts at biting their
own noses off could hardly be imagined.
Four years have thus been robbed Of
their natural influences, and the peace,
prosperity, and civilization of the rsbsl
country delayed. But in this country,
even in its Southern region, now slav-
cry has been eliminated, tho natural
course of events cannot be finally him
dsred. And already the tide of emigra-
tion from the North is setting in. Land
of almost fabulous fertility is to be had
at fabulously low prices, because its fer
tility can only be revived by capital
used by intelligent labor. Both Of these
elements will gradually find their way
southwark as reviving sense of self
interest shall make it safe for them to
do their work Virginia is already
growing more and more desirous Of
adapting herself to tho new state of
things, as is natural from her being the
nearest to the North Star of all the rebel
states. The climate is one of the finest
in the world, and perfectly adapted to
the labor of white men. Splendid har-
bors indent the coast. and magnificent
rivers extend themselves through the
land. inviting the approach ofcommsrce
Marl underlies the land, which has only
to he spread upon the surface to make
what is now q wilderness to blossom like
the rose The land which one Of the
slaveholding writerssaid had been ''mur
dersd" will be revived again, and the
wild beasts which have again taken'pos-
session of great tracts will be extermi-
mated. Gradually this infusion of new
blood will give new life to the whole
South, and she will refuse to disfigure
her fair face to spite those who would
fain be her best friends. In ether words,
Intelligent self-intsrest will take the
place of blind passion rs the guide of
her life.-[N. Y. Independent.