Semi-weekly Louisianian. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1871-1872, 1871-12-21
The Southern States.

condition OF the Southern States is,
unhappily, not such as all true
patriotic citizens would like to see."
It is, in fact, what such citizens
sincerely dislike to see. But the
problem is not SO simple as some
intelligent critics assume. Ofcourse
the talk of the old guard of slavery
about the trightful overthrow Of
liberty in those States by the zig
noble incubus" and "usurper,
whom they used to call with the
same propriety butcher" troubles
the country very little. 1t sustains
him by increasing majorities, wisely
deeming liberty somewhat safer
with those who abolished slavery
than with those who strove to per-
petuate it. There is very plain
logic upon this subject in the
American mind; and the Democratic
critics, although too dull to see it,
would yet help their cause by
changing their point and method of
assault.
We say that the problem is not
simple. When the war ended we
were Of those who thought the
better policy was to maintain for
some time the complete national
supremacy in the Southern States.
But another policy prevailed, and
we have to deal with its results.
There were three classes of persons
in those States-the old slave-hold-
ing proprietors, the poor whites,
and the freedmen. The first two
classes had been rebels, and the
last had been honestly loyal. The
first class comprised the persons of
property and education, the tradi-
tional political leaders; the other
two classes were ignorant and poor
The state of feeling was, of course,
deplorable. The old proprietors
and the poor whites were morbid
with hate of the Yankee, and bit
terly Inundated by their defeat.
The easy contempt of the first for
the late slaves had changed into a
feeling of aversion, and a resolution,
which was not surprising, to do
what was possible still to hold them
as interiors. The jealousy which
tbe poor whites felt for class from
which they were separated only by
caste became hatred when caste
disappeared.
The first attempt OF the pro-
prietary class was to recover poll
-ical control of their States, and to
the freedmen to virtual
slavery. This could not be allowed;
and by laws Of prohibition, of dis
reimbursement, and ineligibility on
he one hand, and Of equal civil and
political rights upon the other, it
vas defeated. The operation of
'hese laws was necessarily deplor- '
able in many ways, but the alterna- e
i've was still more deplorable. S
Political power was taken from the '
I'D proprietors and given to the |
lew men; but had it remained with (
he old proprietors, the condition
II the new men would unquestion-
IDLY have been such that the United
States could not have tolerated it,
md would have peremptorily
changed the situation. Indeed, that
vas really very much the course of
events, the original settlement being :
nilder than that which followed.
The Ku-Klux was, as the Nation +!
says, naturally developed from this .
situation. Hate of the victorious
Union, and of the freedmen who /
it, with the indignation :
It laws which were believed to sub
nit the whites to the blacks, took
in secret conspracles
which aimed at the control of the
blacks and their friends by terror;
md in certain parts Of the Southern
States the Ku-Klux has unquestion-
IDLY produced anarchy. j
Meanwhile the disabilities have
removed, and the Pres !
dent now suggests that they be :
made to disappear entirely. But in {
he degree that this hastaken place s
he situation has become worse in
he Southern States. It is alleged 6
4 Al /