Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1873-05-02

enough to understand this ut the out
set. But if General Hampton will go
inCognito into the Businesses of the AL
leghenies, and there mingle with the
people. he will learn that men of his
generation have set their faces against
the class to which he belongs
1t needed not any assurance from
the North -4mcricaa to convince tine
people of the South of the real feeling
entertained for them by their Northern
brethren, though they will doubtless
thank the North Anlci'ican for having
so accurately described ii.
Upon the point of forgiveness We
have a single word to say. 1t is evil
dent that the North and the South have
not vet come to one mind in regard to
the late war. The South so far as we
are informed have never yet asked for
oiveness:: We trust in God it never
will ask it. We have, indeed, laid
down our arms, but we have never con-
fessed that we did wrong to fight. We
do, indeed, seek once more to be recog-
eral Union, but we by no means con-
fcss that we violated either law or good
faith in seeking to establish the gov
ernment of the Confederate States.
All that We admit now, or that we ever
have admitted, or ever propose to adj
NIT is, that in opposing physical force
to physical force, we were unable to
, cope with the North. We are willing,
if it be possible, to let bye-gones be
bve-gones, and unite with the people
| of the North in restoring the American
Government to its former purity and
integrity. We are ready to welcome
Northern men who come among us III
good faith as citizens and not as mere
birds of prey, and to extend to them
the right hand of fellowship. All this
we are fully prepared to do, but we
never have been, nor arc we now ready,
to ask or to receive forgiveness.
| 1t may be better as the North I'ner-
lean says, g for people, South and
North. to look the truth in the face,
and thus avoid old blunders.
Ono of the blunders, possibly,
that it would be better to avoid,
is the so-called Centennial Cele-
bration proposed to be held in
in Philadelphia If Southern men can
go there only as men whose participa-
ton in .stho greatest crime of the CEN
t,lrv has been neither forgotten nor
forgiven" ii may be we'll for them not
to 90 nj all. IF, when Southern men go
there. they are tomeot men who "haye
not forgiven AID Will uot forgive them ,
it would seem SIS i self respect babe
them stay away. If the men OF 'hls
generation have. set their faces against
the class to which We belong it would
possibly be not very pleasant for rs TO
meet them Yet we are tod tilc Cen
sen1:ial is to be entirely national! IL
its character !
Perhaps, however, When oar Phil
| adelphia brethren tell Southern
men about the national character
of the Centennial, they only Illus
trate their capacity for THAT self-re-
preston" which according tot the North
american, ''makes it possible for men
not quite bosom friends to meet and
/ talk about the weather, or anything
! save til:t which may be appermost in
the mind OF either.
/ It is possible, that in view Of the
| dollars Southern men and women would
spend there, the Philadelphians would
! be able to exercise their capacity for
''self-repression" sufficiently to discuss
| the weather with lis instcadof the burn
ing hate that is uppermost IN their
hosoms. The though. continually sug-
gests itself, however, whether it viii
not be an expensive Injury forus of the
| South to indulge in.