, 1873-02-20
THE PRESIDENTS SOUTHERN TOUR,

Goncrn1 Csrnx1t to Leave 1or t1so South
Oh March 20.-Cnrnct~F2nEgiuln nnd
CORRUPTION TO I7o RtavchtiYntoa, nr.d
Harmony 1sctxveo1. North and Soutla
1kcstorol.
1e""o" 'a sfs' 2 III ;err, S;orr,spo"dsnes Of ss Ho
There is no oVont either OF State or National
interest thht occasions no much comma1lt con-
people Us tho contemplated tour OF President
Grant through tho late rebolllous S.ato3. Now.
thl1 iR to he no ordinary afrair ns the more cas-
ual announcement by Telegraph would peom to
tho Prcsldcnt'a observations mud deductions Of
the national feeling and condition. both socially
and politically, Of tho Southern people Justify
his objects IN making tho tour, It viii rcsult in
dircct: from tho President himself, through
ono Of his mont intimate frlenan in tllis State
one who enjoys his confidence an,l esteem,
and who 10 nlwayA received at tho White House
tleman returned here from the national capital
this morning, having hal d lengthy md conf
dontial chat with tho President the dayprevious.
The conversation WIS altogether in reference to
thepro}octed tour through thesonth. Throughout
tho whole iutoryiow, Which lastod over an hour,
tho President took the deepest interest III in.
quirng into tho condition Of tho people of tho
South, and ho manifested tho grontost carneat-
neas IL trying beforehand to ascertain what
placed betweon the Southern people, and
tho National Government by tho pornt.
cens 9es4lts Of the Congressional plan
control Of the late robo1lious States to men
whose policy IT was to 1nteroprescnt dotract, and
keep them in autagoniam with 1t. Tho four
years Of hia administration, now nonrly closed,
Mero peculiarly IN this lnmontable condition:
Tho social and political status OF tho Southern
statos, with tho exception of Virginia. was dis.
t1rbed and unsettled, aud in his frequent efforts
to OBJECT some good he was ofton circumvonted
and thwarted BY designing and tricky politicians
acts toward tho South with which ho could re.
proach himself, having done tho bost ho possibly
could under tue oiroum,st!ancos, yet thoro wore
e2yo mIny instances diessnt wss'n 'as luis knovloaSe
have Ind decidedly better aud mora
pleasing rosu1ts in national way. Ha dcplorcd
not the carpot.baggors as individuals. for thore
were many Of tiem good mon, who had accom-.
good feeling but tho carpet t-bag system ha
thought was not only injurious but dcatructiyo
of the. worry objects sought to bo attained. He
casually referred to tho chaotic and unfortunate
but gago no expression Of opinion as to tho
merits Of, or tho parties to, tho different quar-
rels.' He was especially grasilcd at the peacea--
bio and prosperous condition Of Virginia, and
electoral vote Of the mother Of States aud atatoa-
mon WAS cast for him the first timo sho voted In
a Presidential campaign since ho conquered
peaca Oh her sacrod gol.
Coming, then, to tho ohjeot8 Of Ills tour tho
Prosiden6 stated TINT it was moro than probable
llo would bo accompanied w nearly all, il not
the whole, Of tho 1nombora Of his 0abinot. be-
sides many other distinguished persons, scna-
tors, members Of Congrosa, md others.
Of March, and Richmond, tho 1ato capital Of the
Confoderacy, would DO LID ansststopping-placo It
is hia intention to rernnln . few daya, for tho
purpoao of receiving, prominent oltizons and Of
material and political prospects Of each State,
Divestod Of all official Significance, tho great
Southern visit Of tho President will be, by
frank md friendly interchange Of opinions, to
nsrive & to = aus true souion Of tho Southern prob
Flo has already lent his friendly aid 10
Tho completion of yirginia's long-wishod
for water-lino from tho Chesapeake Bay to
president Intends to Investigate carofllly tho
nnterial wants aud necossitios OF tho South,
md to dovso subsequently tho best means BY
fAoy e2n bo eonaistent avaneoa WIZ
'ebts OF opch Of thcso States will also ongago
,is attention. 4 fenture Of tho visit wil1 bo to
xanine thoroughly, the wording Of tho calpot-
'ag system, to root out ouch Of tlscso precloua
drds OF proy as lo fluids obnoxious to tho in
oroats Of tllo respective peoples or etatos
ghero they arc, and as far as he can to supply
heir official p1acea with natives Of chnraotor
nd rospoetability among tho people where thoy
osido. Noxt, and !astly, tho rreuidont ia deter
ntnod to ofreutua!ly larmonize Tho people Of
l,o North and South, and III tLla, lis initial
aovomont to mako tho nost four years OF lila
.yoars OF unoxamplod national
eaco, good will, and prosperity, / might hayo
ldcl, howevor, porhaps Lo wishos 10 ascortain
no opinions Of tho Southern pooplo with regard
, tho acquisition Of Cuba, Mexico, aad ST. DO
hinge, nj they, being the nonroat noishbors,
light ba moat intcrcntet.
L. ". md rn1Iaerrton.