St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1875-03-12

never spoken more earnestly and en-
phaticalll than to-day. Awaiting thea
selves of the fruits of victory, the Re
puhlicamS in the next Legislature will
repeal the partisan work of the De
mocracy. and give better laws and elect
new State officers. The victory is com
plete. and let all the people rejoice
concord despatch to JouIndl
The Actual Condition of the South.
The following is Il copy of a letter
written Feb. 22d, 10y gentleman in
Louisiana to his father, in regard To the
state of affairs in that state. This gen
tleman is IL son of il wcll-known citizen
of this county. He WAS born and
bought up in a neighboring town. and
l. well known to most of the people
He is ii man of good education aud I'M
questionable character. He has lived
i'll that state nearly ten Years. and is at
present civil engineer of the levees on
the Mississippi river:
Copy of Letter
The political condition of the South
is about as represented in the mewspa-
per>. The southern born people are
naturally indolcnt. They mourn over
the loss of the slaves. Their children
grow up with the same feeling. They
would engage in rebellion against the
government to-day with an Increased
bitterness and hate. provided they had
the power 50 to do. Nor wonder: for
the overthrow of slavery and the COM
memccmcnt of the free labor plan has
ruined them all as compared with their
former condition.
The Republican party too has acted
very badly. especially in Louisiana,
since il gained control of the public at
fairs. Their great sin has been Tunt Of
hOHcSfY. The entire term of GOV. War
mouth with that of the two legislatures
elected. Was filled up with the most out
IaGcou> extravaganza and corruption.
y large school fund raised for the pun
pose of carrying ON an efficient system
of education WAS tor the most pant mis-
directed. am happy to say that they
are doing better now. There are some
Indications of returning honesty.
The negro with the franchise does a>
well IL could have been hoped for him.
Eut his dcpl"rahlc ign"Iaucc and Afii-
can Tendencies cause linn to commit
many errors. one of which i an iurli-
nation Ia elect men at their own race to
ill public offices without ANY regard To-
qualifications. \ large portion of the.
plc>cii Legislature are practically illii-
rrr;,tr aud entirely incompetent To judge
of public measures. In the cuur~. of
- "r 81 .>rar~ we may hope that they
viii do better.
Shcridam'~ letter about which 50
much has been said. is Il trrl. Icprcsen-
tation. verify hrlicNc. y great many
murders and vile transformations have
been committed. and generally for pc
litical reasons. To know the people of
the south one must live among them
some time. /" Il stranger they have al
ways pleasant face and pi"t,.>> gleat
loyalty To the Union. But they truly
have very little at heart. lon perhaps
think from your reading that il northern
mans life l. no where secure from
assassination. His safety is only ri>ked
when he engages i'll politics. II he is
satisfied t" have no opjHion and to cr-
press nome crcept IT be democratic. there
is no danger of his being disturbed in
the least. This is just the true state
mcnt of the east. | have had nothing
t" d" and hut little to say about politics
for the last six NcaI>. and consequent
~ have met with no trouble in my in
trrc"Ur>c with the southern people.
hope t" see the Republican party
preferred and remain in power. hear
tily approve of President Grants policy
towards the south. can not see that
he has acted III any way tyranniral. |
do not know hui he will prove To he
lllt llCul lidD lbl me lillltl term. III re-
quiles a strong man and strong meas
ure> to keep the south quiet.
A. look back upon the past. think
! can see II great many mistakes the
government mad, at the close of the
wal: one eft which was rcadmitting the
states when they We're not fit for Re
publican form of government. On the
other hand the negro WAS totally unfit
He had one virtue. He was loval.
With him Il poor. scattered remnant of
union soldiers and some southern union
i>ts-complising the Republican party
attempted to control affairs. But the
task was too much On the other hand
were the masses of white people of the
country. who comprised its intelligence,
but who having failed in their attempts
at rebellion, are of the same opinion
still. Now it was not reasonable to
hope for good government with such
descendant elements advanced. So we
have had anarchy ever since the begin
ming. and are likely to have for thirty
Years Inuprr The u.,nIn bera .,r, ma,