Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1870-09-16
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS..

CONGRATULATIONS. go =
ALEXANDER Ell. STEPHENS, of Georgia,
has been invited TO deliver an Agricultural
Address Of Norristown, Pennsylvania, ana
the PHILADELPHIA E'uening Bulletin, an IN
fuential Radical paper, calls for 6 loyal
mob, in the event of his acceptance 10
drive him from the stand. &c If Mr.. Steph-
ems accepts the invitation, and undertakes
to speak at NorristowD," says that paper
eve hope loyal people will either nave
nothing to do with Inc enterprise, or Will
attend and boot the speaker from the
stand" This is the courtesy proposed TO
be extended to one of the most dlstln-
euished Southern citizens. should he &C
cept an invitation to deliver an agflcultu-
raj address at the North: In this IN
friendly and insulting proposal we have
an evidence of the feeling of hatred which
animates Northern Radicals toward the
Southern people. The continued allena-
ton of the sections is necessary for the
success of q party which was born amidst
the throes Of the country, and nurtured
bv internal discords and fraterual hatreds.
Hence we see q people deliberately i'd
vised to violate the obligations of hospl-
tality, and to insult a gentleman venerable
in wears, feeble in health, and distin-
onished as much for the moderation OF
his views as for The ability OF his public
services, for no other reason than that he
was identified with the Confederate States
in high official capacity.
Amongst the most serious charges
brought against the Southern people, and
one which doubtless has had mach to
DO in deciding elections, is their refusal to
admit the Northern adventures into
the social and family circles. 1t
makes no difference what may have
been the standing OF these men
at their own homes. or however
questionable may have been their course
of life since residing in the South. The
mere fact that they have been prescribed
socially has been used as lndubitablo owl
denco Of disIoyalty. 1: has never been
charged thas distinguished Northern men,
Or persons known to be gentlemen at
home, while visiting the South, have Eeen
| treated otherwise than with proper cour-
!
travelled only to Willy and injure US, has
had sDecial cars ut his command, and the
kindly attentions Of leading citizens have
been freely bestowed upon him. He and
his companions were the guests OF the
State of Georgia at its Fair last y ", and
their speeches we're listened to with atcen
ton. and they woca treated with the high
est respect
Yet it is seriously advised that If Mir.
/ STEPHENS goes North by the invitation and
IS the guest of an Association OF Agrlcul--
turists il Pennsylvania. he is to be ho0ted
at and insultei bJ loyal people" GOD
save us and the country from such loyalty.
Such feelings do discredit to human
tv and should find abode only IN the
breasts OF suyn5es.
There is too much loyalty and too little
patriotism in the orthodox politics OF the
day. There is too much love Of party and
too little love Of the country. The man
who would advise the Insulting of q dis
tinguished guest, and the mob who would
carry it into execution, merely because the
victim lived in different section of their
country and differed from them in politics
will bow with heartfelt reverence tc
s'the flag" while they hate the Constitu
ton and laws of which it is the symbol
Loyalty to "the flag" and to ''the nation
has taken the place of love for the Con
stitution and the Onion.
How long will It take for the wounas Q
the war to heal when such manifestation
of hate rankle in the breasts of tho peopl
of one or both sections How long vii
it be, under such advice, before the people
of the United States become homogeneous
Can county continue to be great AM
, powerful with such discordant elements a
work, fostered by the government itself
sapping the very foundations of nationa
unity and national strength?