The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1870-01-14
FI'0IH W6 THCdHO IfWF"
PROSPERITY OF THE SOUTH.


the most instructive and appropriate adj
dresses ever delivered upon sSike occasion
in the T., ted States. 1t was evidently
work on which the speaker had bestowed
much time and thought. 1t gives proof
that it was q work conscientiously per-
formed. The speaker did not appear be-
fore his audience to make any display of ora
tory, or attempt any flights of eloquence,
but to speak plainly on the interests repre-
sented at the fair, and present such facts
and statements connected with all depart
ments of agriculture in the South as would
be of practical benefit to the farmers and
planters of that section.
The address was admirable for the SIM
plicity of its arrangement, for the clearness
of its style, for the variety of its informa-
ton, and for its many suggestions for i'm
proNement in dealing with the various
crops raised in the Southern States. Of'hc
many topics to which Hampton allu tcI,
we shall notice but two or three, from
which the reader may judge of the merits
and purpose of the whole address. In
speaking of the education of the young
men of the South, he said he should recon-
mend thorough instruction in agriculture,
commerce, civil and mechanical engineer
ing, and mining, and applied chemistry,
and added: could such course of in
struction be generally adopted throughout
the South, and the facilities for obtaining
it be placed within the reach of our young
men, we should find among those who are
soon to take our places men not only quail
flied to develop all of the resources of our
country, but competent to shape its lesti-
ny for all honorable and noble ends"
AS the purpose of this article is to com
mend and invite attention to the address,
with view of deducing theretrom sumdry
lessons sadly needed by Il large number of
Christian and "loyal' men in the north, we
present part of what Hampton said about
the negro:
"My old slaves are cultivating the land
on which they have lived for years, and
there has been a constant and marked i'm
provement in their industry in each year
since their emancipation, though they have
not yet attained the same efficiency as la
borers as they formerly possessed. l have
promised to put up for the.a {. school house
and church, and to pay a portion of the
!, salaries of their teachers. Such a system,
if generally adopted, would tend greatly
to fix the laborers to the soil, and would by
adding to their content and enjoyment, re-
suit in vast ultimate benefit to the landlord.
That kind treatment, just dealing, and sin
cere efforts to improve their condition are
not without effect upon them is proved by
the fact, gratifying to myself, that l am
now on my way to Mississippi by the re.
quest of hundreds of negroes, besides my
own laborers, to advise them what course to
pursue in the approaching election there"
20 Afc4po 4h,t 10
should so deal with his negroes, and speak
concerning the treatment the race should
receive in the South. He has been guided
by cultivated intellect and u kind and
honest heart and his ideas of the course
which should be pursued toward the blacks,
and the friendship he feels for them, are
shared by the majority of those who are
generally termed Confederate leaders.
In our late civil war, Hampton was prom
inent among those leaders. He was the
last to yield to the Union armies. He
fought them with skill, courage and per-
sistency which eXtorted their admiration.
He only yielded when overwhelming NUM-
bers and starvation in his little band of
followers taught him that further resistance
would only result in useless sacrifice of
life. When he surrendered, he said he
would implicitly obey the rightful author
ity of the Federal Government, and in all
things conduct himself as true and faith
full citizen He was entitled to belief His
whole life had proved him to be an honest
man. He believed in the doctrine ofseces-
sion, and braved death on many q we'll
fought field in its defence. When it was
overthrown by force of arms, he manfully
accepted the decision, and pledged him
self, in good faith, to abide by it, and ac-
cept all just consequences resulting from
it.
For all OF these reasons, no doubt should
have been entertained of his truth and
honor. In addition to them, it would
have been madness for him to have enter
tanned any hope of renewing the war; All
considerations of selfish policy and person.
al interest placed him under bonds to re-
deem his pledges in all sincerity.
He belongs to a class, and is a Icpresen-
tative of that class We do not here say
that all ofthe Confederate leaders are the
peers of Hampton in intellect and moral
worth, but we do say that a majority of
them are distinguished by the same quail
ties which characterize Hampton, and
were educated in the same school of poll
elSo uuo hioldiS, anu were Influenced Dy UnC
same associations. There are extremists,
and bad men, and vindictive partisans
among them, but as class they are the
best men there are in the South, and are
to-day the only men to whom the negroes
can safely look for such assistance and pro-
lection as will lift them above their half
barbarous state.
Who were the Confederate leaders p
They were Congressman and State officers,
and members of the State Legislatures, and
members Of the learned professions, and
judges and scholars. They were the best
men in the South, in brains and integrity,
and the only men qualified to govern
When they surrendered, their acceptance
OF the decision made by the war, and their
pledges to be true citizens, ought to have
been believed without doubt or hesitancy.
Their honesty entitled them to this, and all
OF their interests bound them to keep their
pledges. zE.1- .uHE .Ff
To say, in view of the facts above stated
that such men as Lee, and Wade Hampton,
and Alex. II. Stephens, and Herschel ".
johnson, and thousands of other Confeder-
ate leaders, whose only crime was that of
standing by their States in desperate
struggle with the United States, ought to
be treated as outlaws, and deprived of all
political privileges, is libel upon the
white men of the country and our brothers
IL Il