Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1869-05-08
Correspondents Cincinnati Commercial.
Den Piatt Travels Down the Potomac,
and has a COnfab with q
VirginiaD.
THE WILDERNESS, April %, 1869.
THE POTOMAC.


sense OF completeness, about this river,
below Washington, that impresses a west
ern man, accustomed to see in the rivers
of his country huge bitches, constructed
to carry off surface water, and therefore
only full at food-time Yet there is moth
ing about it in the way of scenery. The
banks, although broken and varied, are
too low, and seem to frame in inadequately
the wide mirror of quiet waters. At least,
so thought and felt as the steamer Key
port snored as It foated down with it's
freight of humanity, bound South. A
subdued lot of humanity 1t was, we'll
whipped, but far from reconstructed. -
And nice mess we are making OF 1T In the
way of legal enactments, as little obser-
vation of, and talk With, the assortment
on board would convince in brief period
of time.
We complain that these Southern people
do not accept the situation and look the
inevitable in the face. Are we not guilty
of the same error ? The differe noes of
nationality led to a bloody war, in which
we laid waste wide fields, burned the
homesteads, and killed the best beloved,
and yet propose, by few crude statutes,
to wipe out the deadly antagonism and
make the people so punished patriotic,
peaceful, loving body of citizens
Had we attempted this in good faith. we
would yet be fighting the inevitable but
feeling the impossibility OF such result,
we have, in fact, used our power to benefit
ourselves. Our so called reconstruction
acts serve New England, and not the
South. The net purport and upshot of
the business is to have body of men In
Congress from the Southern States who
represent the moneyed interests of Yankee
dom. We call them carpet-baggers. [
met one at the opening of the holidays last
winter, carpet-bag in hand, making for the
depot.
Whittier bound %" cried.
'' Home, for few days"
"What, going South %
Devil bit. am making for Connec-
ticut, to see my family
He did not .call the land of his constitu-
ents home. OF course not nor does he
consider the interest of his political To-
cality, but votes steadily with the manu-
featuring capital of his old home.
IS Ma, make Bob have hisself every
time hit him with the hammer he hol-
lers.
I had sitting near me full-stomached,
heavy jawed specimen of Old Virginia.
He was reading Richmond paper, and
broke into hearty laugh. He thought
the matter that contained the laughter too
good to keep to himself, so looking over
his gold-rimmed spectacles at ne, his near
est neighbor, he said
did you read that ? Now, I say that's
id good"
AS he pointed to an extract from one Of
my letters of course I heartily concurred
in his appreciation. But to save my con-
science I said that it was from one of those
paid correspondents that hang about
Washington and write sentimental stuff.
"a NANCY set of ours, I expect" was his
complimentary response. "but that teller
puts it in about right this time. These
id Yankees are running the Govern
ment to hell on down grade without
brakes"
Don't you think you are to blame for
good deal of this ?"
:" What the devil can We do, sab %
Accept the situation. Recognize the
negro as citizen. Go on quietly under
the law, and try to create material pro-
perity, instead of fighting overipolitical diff
ferences."
Ny friend removed his spectacles in evil
dent wrath !; his brows corrugated, and he
crumpled the journal he had been reading
into ball, as if to cast it at me, and then
roared:
look here, stranger, what you say is
like kicking man when he's down. We
fought fair fight, and when we were
whipped we owned mp like men, and all
that we've got is to be disfranchised our
selves and then have these id niggers
made citizens, to send cursed carpet-bag
gers to vote away our bread and butter
That you call accepting the situation. All
very we'll for you, who may be carpet
Dagger for anything l know"
eff 7 were, it would be more in accord
ance with Old Virginia politeness to re-
strain your personal remarks. But [ am
not. On the contrary, [ am the author of
the extract you so much admired just now.
For five or six years I have been striving
to withdraw from these heated political
contests, so as to look calmly on both sides.
I consider the so-called acts of reconstruct
ton unwise not on your account, for you
are wrong headed, obstinate, and violent,
and deserve all that has come to you in the
way of punishment-buto on account of the
entire country, for can see that they will
not bring about the peace and hamony that
aEs necessary to success.
My friend regarded me with an express
sion of doubt for few moments. But l
suppose my honest face removed the sus-
picion, for he softened apace, and said
"Well, what the devil would you have
US do O.
"Refrain from all violence. Every man,
white, and especially black, that is killed
for political difference-every rash. vio
lent speech-justifies the enemy, and will
enable them to end, where any other ma
ton would have begun, after such cause
less, brutal war, in hanging the leaders and
confscating the property"
"Damn me-" snorted my friend, 6 eff I
wouldn't have liked better the hanging and
confscation than this aggravating persecu-
ton and insult. But come, General
know you are General-theres no use in
our quarreling about it; let's take drink.
Don Plat.
General Lee in q New Movement.