Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1871-06-02
CO.vDETIO.v OF THE SOrTn.
EXPERIENCES OF MRS. HARRIET nEEcnER
STOWE.

EXPERIENCES OF MRS. HARRIET BEECHER
STOWE.
The following article from the pen of
Mrs. Stowe, appears in the Christian TN
ion of May %:
We have been down South, and like
all travellers. feel inclined to relate our ex-
perience, and because it was new and in
teresting to us, naturally thinl; it must be
equally so to others. We are not natural
ly timid. We seldom fear Sights or in
suits from strangers, believing if people
mind their own misunderstanding their eyes,
but not their tongucs-tr eating all with
proper reserve, but kindly and politely,
they may travel anywhere without danger
of annoyance. 70 De sure, there may have
been periods OF excitement when this as
sertion could not have been 80 confidently
made. 1t is but few years since a North
ernCr might not have deemed it wise 10
lingcl long in or even travel through the
Southern portion of our country, but those
are happily by-gone days, and no greater
compliment can be paid to our country,
and to the Southern part of it particularly,
than to be able to say, with all truthful
ness, that from the time we left our home
till our return, everywhere, and from all
classes, we met only with kindness and
attention; everything that true courtesy
could do to make our iourneyings pleas
ant and comfortable was done. Two wo-
men-and one an invalid-were regarded
as having especial claims upon peoples
care and pol iteness. Is it well 10 talk of
the continuance of Southern bitterness,
animosity and secret enmity, when two
unprotected Northern women can pass
through the States just emerging fi6ut
years of war, and through those places
where the deadly strife was fiercest, not
only without molestalion, but with assist
ance and sympathy at every step! We
were greatly interested, when conversng
with intelligent Southern gentlemen, in
the ideas which they considered the true
sentiments and earnest wishes of their peo-
pie. They said to me. "Your papers are
filled with words which tend to stir up
strife-not to cast oil on the troubled wa
ters-they seem to seek for cause of offence
and reproach." 1t is constantly repeated,
The South is conquer ed but not subdued.
Do not trust her, she but bdes her time"
Fearful stories are told daily of the Ku-
KluX-of Southern violence and inhuman-
ity. Should these sad occurrences, even
when the reports are not at all exaggerat-
ed, be taken at fair Interpretation of their
real character, any more than Mr.. Put
MANS murder, for simply protecting
young girl from ruflian's insults, should
be regarded by them as a true type Of
Northern lite What a fearful record of
c rhine the morning and evening papers
bring to us dailyl Shall the whole North
be judged by these shameful deeds of the
vile and lawless portion of our population?
yet" said Southern gentleman, sis it
not as unjust 10 collect the crimes and out
RACES, which are, unfortunately of too fire.
quent occurrence in our Southern towns
and cities, and hold them before the people
as the true index to our feelings and prin-
ci pies as it would be to prepare a list of all
the murders, all the drunken fights, all the
audacous and startling robberes among
your people, and cry Look at the North
Here you may see her true colors. Take
the whole South through, will you find
larger proportion of bloodshed, violence
and high-handed dishonesty than is con
stantly recorded in your two great North
ern cities? Is murder any less a crime at
the North than at the South ? A man steals
your watch and purse, breaks open your
house and plumbers OF burns II over your
head-such things, you know, are of daily
occurrence--shall we charge these outrag-
Is upon the North as a whole, and demand
that military force be stationed over you
to enforce the laws, and guard against trea-
son? II unmolested by politicians and
their red tape, we assure you the South is
really and earnestly willing to maintain
more true and lasting amcable relations
with the North than ever before If I'M
disturbed by selfish oflice-seekers we
would rejoice to bury the Ratchet root
out all animosities, and clasp hands in true
friendly endeayor to build up the waste
places, and unitedly seek to make the will
derness bud and blossom as the rose"
Another gentleman said "During the war
l was an earnest secessionist and an Off
Ger in the rebel army. With all my heart
l fought your forces until was taken prls-
oner, and with the firm conviction that
was doing right-that our cause swas lust.
To give my hand to Union officer | felt
would be 10 dishonor myself and insult
my own friends, and this was largely the
feeling of MS all. But after was captured
l was treated with such kindness and court
esy by my captors that | found the ice
melting. learned that, after all, there
was goodness and nobleuess even among
Northern men, and soon the conviction
that we ought to live as brethren, peacea-
bly,, building up our country, not seeking
to pull 1t down, began to get the mastery
ovor the bitterness had naturally felt. II
is not necessary to raise the question
whether we were right or wrong, We were
beaten; that settled the matter, and should
sottle it forever. II is enough that We ac-
ccpt the fact AS incontrovertibe, and II
those who trouble the waters for political
purposes would let us alone, all would be