The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 1850-1873, 1871-04-28
VOL. XVI.---NO. SO.
The New South.

Gen. ]. ID. Cox, Ex-Secretary Of the
Interior, talks like man of sense. In
a recent speech at College Hall, Gin
cinnati, he referred to the question OF
amnesty, and strongly expressed him
self in favor of the removal of the poiit-
ical disabilities of the South. lie
claimed that all animositieS of the past
should be buried in oblivion. Accord
ing to the Enquirer, he expressed the
beliefthat IAN army of 100000 soldiers
could not restore peace or quiet at the
South as long as measures were agl-
tated in Congress, and discussed by the
press, which were calculated to irritate
restless, or cause them to feel any in
feriority of privileges, or under res
traint and surveillance"
1t is the ceaseleSs agitation of the
question that stirs up the not blood of
the South. When the war closed the
Southern people went to work with an
energy never before witnessed i'm them,
and, with few exceptions, they contin-
ue to practice industry and economy
The war left them EOor, and therefore
it was necessary for those to work who
at one time may have looked upon
labor with a feeling of contempt.
They had their bread to earn, and we
must commend the courage with
which they faced the task. Six years
have passed, and they are years mark
ed by progress. Industrious hands
have covered up the traces of ruin, and
the South is again developing the
strength of a giant. The new South
Is Industrious where the old South was
idle, and she now frugal instead of
wasteful. In learning the new lesson
it is but natural that the Southern pee
pie should regard with feeling of hat
red those whose only labors are to sow
afresh the seeds of discord. When
nameless adventures from the North
go among them with the sole object of
demOralizing one portion of the labor
ing community; of diverting strong
and willing hands from the prosperous
channels of industry, the people should
be commended rather than denounced
for resolutely setting their faces against
these vagabonish representatives of
disOrganizatiOn. When men of char
acter and enterprise move from the
North to the South they are received
with open arms, since these men are
typical of the will and purpose Of the
new regime. III the Southern people
could so far forget themselves as to
tamely submit to the aggressions OF the
social Outcasts from the North, they
would prove themselves lacking in
these sterner qualities which give force
and dignity to manhood. For the
sake of peace she might tolerate the
presence of these adventures were
there not such ceaseless agitation of
the question for political effect. But
when she is constantly reminded of
her past transgresSions, and Il consp!cti-
Gus effort is made to force her underthe
heels of the men who have left their
homes for the good of their homes,
whose going from among US has been
the cause of much rejoicing, it IS not
at all surprising that there should bc
loud murmurs of discomfort, and some
thing that borders very closely on re-
belliOn. The industrious and frugal
South is developing too much strength
to always be treated as we would treat
q petulant and disobedicnt child. Like
the boy verging upon manhood, vino
has been kicked and cuffed almost ever
since he could stand alone, and who
refuses, as he nears his majority. to be
kicked and cuffed any longer, she
thinks that she has felt the rod of chas-
tisement long enough, and that it Is
inconsistent with her new dignity and
and power to still be treated as SIM
pie vassal In the great confederation
of States she certainly has some rights,
and it should be one of her rights To
protest against the effort of namcless
adventures to disOrganize labor and
stir up factiOnal strife. We say this in
no partisan spirit, but simply speak in
the name of what we conceive to be
Justice. When the Southern people
shall refuse to hold out the olive branch
to the industrious and enterprising
man from the North, then we shall
pronounce against them, as we now
advance a plea in their favor. The
patriotism of Gov. Cox is above ques-
ton; and the people of late have had
strong evidence of his purity of ur-
pose. He looks ut this question with
the eyes of a Statesman, and not with
those of scheming politician, there
fore we attach much weight to his
words. If you want peace in the South
stop the persistent effort to stir up dis
sension and bad blood among the
Southern people.