Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1875-05-21
NoxruERN REACTION.

brought ABOUT. LII Lilo SpSSCuSS W
distinguished Northern soldiers and
politicians. who have heretofore preach
ed only the doctrine of hate and con-
tinued oppression; in the columns OF
the leading newspapers; and better
than all, in the hearts of the masses
of the people, we have the unmistak-
able evidences of chapge-a very
great change. The extremist no lon
ger find themselves floating smoothly
down a swift running current, but are
struggling against the torrent OF pubic
opinion which must soon overwhelm
them North and South now seem
united in the goodly work of reconcl-
liation, and he who interposes in
either section, he he President or be
he private citizen, must be, inevitably,
oyerrun and cast one side.
Take for instance the New York
Times, the leading and one of the
most pronounced organs of the North
ern Republicans. It's columns are
now devoted to the work Of real recon
cilliation, as the following extract will
plainly indicate:
owe risk nothing in saying that the
Republican party, as q whole, longs
for the complete extinction Of all po
litical differences with the South, as
such; it longs for the time when 1t can
safely believe that geographical lines
and lines of race shall be obliterated
in party contests, and that the South
ern and Northern citizens of our re-
public can choose their party assocla-
tons utterly uninfuenced by the part
which either took in the civil contest
Whether this can happen so soon as
the next Presidential election we do
not pretend to say. 1t will deperd,
we believe, on how clearly the people
in both sections can be made to
understand the facts, and on how far
they are misled by prejudice and er-
ror. In our opinion, there is no sound
or substantial reason why "a sectional
element should enter into the az
preaching canvass. The temperance
of such an element would be an IN
qualified misfortune, more to De re-
GREETED because unnecessary. The IL
terests of the North and the South
are precisely the same. Each is bound
up in the success or want of success
of the other. The one thing that sep
arated them in SO many sad and terri
BILE ways has been done away With
done away with absolutely and for
ever, in all it's forms. There is no
reason why South Carolina and New
York should not be as heartily united
as New York and Pennsylvania. AS a
matter of fact, there is no longer such
thing in existence as a sectional in
terest opposed to another sec
tional interest from the gulf to the
Adirondacks. Those who would make
it appear that there is, are either
hopeiessly blind or wickedly reckless.
There are American interests only,
and these are common to the whole
country. Every act, every word on
either side that obscures this great
fact is blunder or a crime. 1t is a
common thing to hear the Mississippi
| spoken of as the great bond OF union
between the sections. 1t is, indeed, a
noble one, which, the country should
| strengthen in every possible manner.
But there are others scarcely less I'M
| portaDt. The magnificent ranges of
the Alleghanies and their outlying
courses of hills, sweeping from the
granite coasts of New Hampshire to
within sight of the gulf, constitute such
bond. On their fanE and in their
valleys they hold coal and iron and
| bear forests, that must, sooner or
later, give birth to industries such as
the world has never yet seen, and has
scarcely imagined, while the enormous
| water-power from the streams that
flow down their eastern slope stands
ready to make its rich contribution
In connection with these are the har-
bors of the southern coast, from Nor
folk to Mobile, every one of which
will, in the course of time, be the de-
pot and entrepot of a thriving com
merce. Why should the possessors of
| such heritage as ours quarrel g.? If
we cannot look On the past with equa-
nimity, why should we not turn tnv-a'n
3d. 1ltztJt IL
tias. unr stupid distrust of each
other, our costly and irritating
prejudices in the contemplation
of the sure rewards that invite
our united pursuit. Great as has
been the progress of this nation
since it consisted. a hundred years
ago, OF thin fringe of scanty settle
ments between the mountains and the
seacoast, it has been almost insignif-
cant compared to that which is pCssi-
bic in the next hundred years. Why
should we postpone unnecessarily our
entrance. in hearty accord. on this
t1attering career We have almost
unlimited resources;w have the labor,
the skill, and in great part the capital
required for the immediate future.
Ali we lack, so far as the South is con-
cerned, is political tranquility, and to
supply that lack, as far as in him lies,
is the urgent, unquestionable duty OF
every American citizen. Most of all, it
Is the duty of every member of that
party which Justly boasts that its es-
sentlal purpose has been to establish
the country in perfect Union.''
RAILWAYS FRANCE
Some interesting statistics have been