New-York tribune., 1872-05-23
Liberal. SENTIMENT IN THE SOUTH.

II
AN ERA OF GOOD FEELING DAwNING-THE EX-
REBEL ELEMENT ALMOST UNANIMOUS FOR
THE CINCINNATI NONIEEES-HOW THE Of
FICE- HOLDERS MANIPULATE THE COLORED
lBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUNE.i
WASHINGTON, May pa prominent citizen
Of Boston who has leading part in the politics
of Massachusetts during the past ten years, arrived in
Washington last evening from tour Of observation
through Virginia, North and South Carolina, and
Georgia His reports correspond entirely with those OF al
most every other observing who has passed through
the Southern States since the Cincinnati Convention.
Talking with everybody whom he met on the cars, at
stations and in the hotels he reports the feeling OF
the people, far he could learn during the past
three weeks, about as follows:
The ofceholders Of the South almost unanimously
for Grants reelection This Is true only of those
who hold Office under the Federal Government, but also
under the Governments. These men are naturally
ayerse t. any movement which threatens to result in
change Of any kind They did not obtain their posi-
tions SAYS the gentleman 10y appeals TO the intelligence
OF the people from the rostrum, but rather through
more subtle but less effective personal Influences
and were the Liberal succeed they could hope
but few favors from its representatives. In all
the states named, be met but single
white MN who was not either very strongly in
favor OF the election Of Mr.. Greeley, or who
would not willingly support him if nominated
by the Democratic party at Baltimore. He was sur
especially among the more intelligent OF the old Rebel
element in the South They tired and sick Of at
TEMPTING train" under the old banners, which no
longer symbolic anything but utter and hopeless de
feat and are willing 10 accept all the results of the war
and the years of reconstruction which have followed
IL in good faith, and 10 begin anew in political life, If
they can but wipe out the memory Of the past. They
see nothing hope for in independent nomination
by the Democratic party Baltimore. That party they
say. Is no longer able OF itself to achieve success,
and even If it were, they doubt whether such
success, If it tended TO keep alive sectional
feeling would tend to advance their interests The ma
tive white people Of the South not generally on good
with the oceholders and 1t is perfectly natural
that they should stand opposed 10 each other at the
opening Of the campaign. AS matters now Look this
gentleman thinks that the negro vote will be almost
sOdy for Gen Grant He comes TO this conclusion
not because he thinks that the negroes know any more
about Cen Grant or have any more confidence in him
than in Nj Greeley any other prominent Republican
OF the North. The majority Of them. he thinks, are
almost entirely ignorant OF men and party measures
To Illustrate how general this ignorance Is this gentle
man took occasion many times, while passing through
Georgia. the Caronas, and Virginia, 70 select from
crowd Of colored people the most intelligent looking
negro be could find and TO engage with him in converse
ton on the political outlook In at least nine cases out
OF ten he found that his acquaintance had never
heard Of Cen Grant Horace Greeley and at least IN
half OF the instances he did not even know who Charles
Sumner was He found this ignorance prevailing
at the railway stations where be also took pains 10 make
inquiries AT the same time he found that the negroes
IN the states he visited banded together in union
Leagues and other similar Organ controlled princi-
pay by te Federal and State OcehOders, and that the
votes OF these organizations could be sOdy cast by the
Ohce-holders for Gen Grant when asked II there
any way 20 reach the ooored voter he replied that he
saw none except through the organizations before named
The great majority OF the eoored voters are unable
20 read few Of them can be reached through the stump,
aud long as the present men control the Leagues
antiGrant influences will be allowed 10 reach them
through that channel The gentleman referred to took
much pains inquire in regard 10 the Ku-Xlux Organi-
zatOn nowhere able 10 hear OF any outrages
Terrorism any kind and be freely expressed the Opn-
ion that the support Of Mr. Greeley in the South
wOUl cOucate all casses OF people and result, before
the end of the campaign, in buryng forever as far as
any political action do sectional auimOsitles and
bring about OF good feeling between the North
and the SOUTH such has not existed since the anti
Slavery excitement began.