The Portland daily press., 1869-05-08
THE PRESS.
Saturday Morning, May 8, 1869.
The New soulh,


The political reconstruction of the South is
not quite finished, but it is gratifying to be
able to believe that social and industrial recon-
struction is keeping even pace with the great
political changes now taking place. The mur-s
der OF freedmen and the ostracism of SCALA
wags'' and "carpetbaggers' still Continue to
limited extent, especially in Texas, but since
the election of Grant they have ceased to be
salient features of the Southern situation. For
about the first time in this sad decade there is
occasionally good news from the South, so
good indeed, that it becomes question wheth
er the mere pecuniary loss occasioned by the
war may not be more than balanced in the
course Of few years by the gain in the devel-
opment of natural wealth. the improvement OF
facilities for manufacturing and the economic
ing and wise direction of productive power
growing out of the social and political changes
following emancipation. A rapid survey of
some of the more noteworthy items of late
Southern news will show what ground there
is for this hope.
In the first place the negro does work That
is absolutely conceded. Even Forrest of Fort
Pillow who can hardly be suspected of insin-
cerity on account OF preconceived partiality
for the African, has fallen in love with him in
his capacity of laborer, and, with the zeal of a
recent proselyte, announces that he shall find no
peace till the ranks of the colored workers are
largely recruited from abroad. Furthermore,
the negro works "better than he did last year.
An Abolitionist would have anticipated this
fact, for Aboltionists long since discovered
that the possession of knowledge and of rights
haoo af4ao and has
workers as well as thinkers. But the increased
industry of sambo and Pompey, who, as the
novelty of their drawing wages becomes every
day less striking in the minds of their late
masters, have better and better assurance of
compensation for their toll, strikes the South
erner as phenomenon with something of the
supernatural in it.
Another hopeful sign for the South is, that
the leading men are beginning to ignore poll
tics race courses and other amusements for
merly in vogue, and turning their atten-
tion to agriculture and manufactures. Col.
Forney, who has just returned from the South
and who is only partially discredited as wit
ness by the fact that he has pecnniary inter-
est just now in painting the Southern land
scape with his brightest colors, expresses his
eaters display in discussing fertilizers, mechan-
ism and kindred themes.
The more equal distribution of land which
begins to obtain in the South is another favor
able condition for material growth. The old
slave-holding dons themselves already realize
the situation sufficiently to understand that
they cannot carry on their plantations in the
old way. Even in South Carolina, associa.
tions have been formed for the purpose OF buy
ing large estates at reduced rates and selling
the same in small lots to individual purchasers
upon long terms of credit. This is a revou-
tionary movement that means simply carrying
New England to South Carolina
The establishment at Atlanta, Ga, of the
best paying cotton factory in America is
convincing proof of the new departure the
South has taken since the war. This Atlanta
factory is exceptionally successful, but it shows
what is to be looked for in the future.
Last, but not least, the emigration that has
set in toward the South is full of promise to
that magnificent country The encourage
ment that emigrants have received from States
like South Carolina, was no doubt principally
owing to unfounded suspicion that the
negro wouldn't work. That idea proves to be
faacious, but there is room enough for both
freedmen and foreign white laborers in the vast
unoccupied territory of the South Germans,
Irishmen, Scandinavians, all should be well
come in Dixie, if nowhere else in the world.
Castelar,, the Young Spanish Orator.
Revolutions in governments always elevate
some above their fellows who otherwise
would have remained in obscurity. The re-
cent revolution in Spain by which Isabella lost
her throne, has raised up one orator whose
fame has reached almost every part of the civ
ilized world. In the great debate in the Cortes
on the religious clauses in the new constitu-
ton, CASTELAR, produced profound sensation
in that assembly. He spoke upon the
impulse of the moment, without a note
or any previous preparation. Such powerful
Grafton was probably never delivered in the
Certes. 1t was full of historical facts which
he poured from his memory in torrents that
overwhelmed his adversary, the Canon of Vito
ria, who is remarkable Tor his eloquence and
his hostility to eve y creed but his own. We
give below the peroration of the young orator
1t is remarkable f beauty of diction force Of
language and sublimity of imagery, as one OF
our exchanges has well said. And here it is:
have seen the apotheosis of the great &C.
clesiastical glories of the executioners-the as
sassins of the night of ST. Bartholomew
Canon ManterOla has said that he would re-
nounce all his ideas and all his beliefs if the
Jews returned again to rebuild the temple of
Jerusalem. What does Senior Manterola be-
leve in the terrible dogma that the children
are responsible for the sins of the fathers?-
Does Senior Manterola believe that the Jews
of to-day are the Jews who crucified Christ?
/ do not believe it.; am more of Christian
than that! Great is God in Sinai; the thun-
der precedes him, the lightning accompanies
him; the light envelops him, the earth trem-
bes, the mountains fall in peces But there is
a God grander and greater than that. Not the
majestic God of Sinai, but the humble God of
Calvary, nailed to cross, wounded, thirsty,
crowned with thorns, gall on his lips, and yet
saying-"Father forgive them, forgive my ex-
ecutioners, forgive my prosecutors; pardon
them, for they know not what they dor Great
is the religion of Power, but greater is the re-
igion of Love. Great is the religion of impla-
cable Justice but greater is the religion of par
doning Mercy. And j, in the name of that re-
Igion-I, in the name of the Gospel, come
here 10 ask you to write in the front of your
fundamental code-Liberty, Equality, and
Fraternity amongst all mankind.
If the above does not breathe the true spirit
of Christianity, then we know not where to
find it. Read it twice, and the second reading
will unfold new beauties and make you feel
the power of Love.
The Western papers are like the ancient
Greek dramatists gods nor men es-