Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1872-03-19
Interesting Letter-A Trim South

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Wreathes immortal round thee tWine.
Interesting Letter-A Trip South.
Last week We published the first of series
Of letters written for the Lock Haven Demo.
cr0t by prominent citizen of that city The
fourth letter of the series will be found below.
The second and third being devoted to the two
Carolinas we omit
LOCK HAVEN, Feb. 20, 1872.
Mr. EdatOr ALL men agree that the South
is In bad condition Frustrated by the war
its social and political arrangements uprooted
its wealth scattered to the winds; its business
destroyed; its pride wounded its brains dis
franchised; its blacks enfranchised stripped,
bound, bleeding, the South was for time af-
ter the war as helpless as child and as miser-
able as an outcast Then began the work of
reconstruction and
THE SECOND INVASION.
Supposing that wisdom, forbearance and fair
play would prevail upon all sides, business men
with their merchandise and their money flock
ed South So did the politicians. But the
business men were all sellers and failed to fnd
buyers for cash. The people were in want of
everything, even money. Credit was asked
and given. Both sides were hopeful of the
future But meanwhile partizanship had tri-
umphed over patriotism, resentment over mag
nanimity, ambition over duty, and the rule of
ruin had been inaugurated. Society stood bot
tom-side up; the slave was the master, the
master the slave, while over both bestrode the
demagogue, now with epauets and now with
psalms, now tyrant and now tool, ever dou-
BILE and of itching palm. Of course business
withered, opening hearts closed, buyer and sell
Law booo hayE Eyup nd kQ vubc eot dc
must go home to want or stay 10 steal.
But there is another side to this question:
During this upheava period the people of the
South, while not wanting IN courage, endurance
and honor, lacked tact, discretion, coolness
wisdom. Perhaps it were asking too much OF
human nature, situated as these people were,
(their cause, and homes, and help, and hopes
all lost, or seemingly so, to wake up to an i'm
mediate realization Of the great revolution that
had been wrought; to take the true bearing at
once to Chamber over such ruins without a
misstep. Suffice it to say they missed theil
opportunity, and their governments passed In
to the hands of vampires, who robbed their
treasures, stole their property, loaded them
with taxation, abridged their liberties, and dis
honored their names; such men as take pride
in vilainy, prate about their larcenles, are pie
thoric with stolen wealth and laugh at shame
|
what is not surprising, have not come to stay
Though inquired diligently did not find one
Northerner who had come to take root. Thu:
az legislators, or the controllers of legislation
they are regardless Of the future of the State
What matters it to them whether State bonds
are few or many, whether taxation is heavy OF
light, they do not mean to stay. All they care
for is that the treasury be kept good for theil
drafts while they remain. When will they
leave? When the United States troops do.
/ have said there was time since the wal
when all hearts were opening; when the nobel
impulses of human nature were gaining sway
when myriads of love- built bridges spanned the
chasm which war had left, but lin the extreme
South especially it is changed now The Nor
thener is received with suspicion. The pre-.
sumptions are against him. Socially, they pu
him on probation. This begets lmpatience, ir
ritation, and usually ends in total mlsapprehen
sion of each other. Much as this state O.
things is to be deplored, who can wonder at it
In conversation with Judge Green, Gen. But
ler and Col Brooks, of South Carolina, on tbi
subject one Of these gentlemen remarked t.
me, "How would you treat man who, coming
into your city stranger, would forthwith as
sociate himself with your servants and poison
their minds against you would by force an(
fraud foist himself into public position, anC
when there, exhaust the whole vocabulary o.
villainy. Would you receive him into you
families2 Of course answered emphatical
ly, No! "Wel, such is the character of mos
of the Northern men who have come amone
us. We are ready to welcome all VINO come al
friends, but we don t want any more who leave
their country for their country's good, wa
his reply. They have been SO deceived, pun
dered and belied by the specimen of Northern
men among them That they assume that all ar,
of the same stamp until the contrary is shown
But am not quite sure OF their desire to have
us come. [ incline to the opinion that Soutl
Carolinians would prefer that we should al
stay at home. They have for many years beer
yery exclusive, and [ fear are not yet fully
awake to the folly of the Chinese system. =
Many of the leading men living within iv,
minutes walk of the capitol have never ye
looked in upon the motley crew that now make
their laws. In fatal pride they have held aloo
from the beginning. Their slaves were faith
full to them during the war. There must there
fore have been time when they had great In
fuence over them. They should have exertet
it-exerted it with will In 50 doing the,
might have held the balance OF power, or a
least have tempered the storm. AS 1t is nov
the negro vote is solid against their old mas
ters, and they carry the State by sweepin!
majority Of thlrty-tive thousand, now thi
majority is maintained you will understand
when I tell you that one hundred and lift.
thousand dollars were surreptitiously drawn GU
Of the State treasury last year for campaigl
purposes. Pride has been the besetting sin. Q
the Southern people. The sooner they learl
that revolutions never go backward; the soon
er thew accept the situation, come out from
their sullen retirement and grapple the vita
questions Of the day, the better for them AM
our common country.
| KU-KLUXISM.
But am admonished to confne myself
facts as | saw them and leave my readers t
their own inferences When we arrived tn
Ku-Klux trials had ended. We found tha
Ku-Kmxsm was a reality, but confined prin
cipalIy to two districts in the back part of tn
State; that great crueties had been committe
by them in most cowardly ways over lou
hundred had already been tried, many convic