Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1876-03-16
Disloyalty in the South.

The allegation has been often made
and as often proved, that the people
who formed the armies of the State
lately in rebellion. or who sympathized
with the object for which that rebellion
was enacted, are still disloyal to the
Union and its cause, although they
have partaken of the amnesty profered
by the Republican party. Prominent
ex-Confederate officers and journals
have stoutly denied the disloyalty of
the South and sought to create an I'M
preston that Southerners were anxious
for reconciliation and brotherhood,
but the North would not accept their
overtures. Occasionally ex Confeder-
ate officers found their way into North
ern gatherings where Union soldiers
had congregated, and took the oppor-
tunity Of showing how much they
loved the Union and it's defenders, and
how anxious they were for lasting
and affectionate peace. Such of the
ex- -Confederates as could make speech
es dwelt with species Of pathos upon
the yearning of their people for recon-
citation, They said that the hinder
ance was not with themselves they,
indeed, accepted the situation in good
faith and why could not the North
accept their assurances, and reinstate
them, not only in popular affection,
but in the positions which they had
once occupied but Of which they had
been deprived by their rebellion. Had
not rebel and patriot met at Bunker
Hill; walked through the streets of
Boston; expressed their regard for,
Yankees? If the soldiers of the Fed
eraI armies were all as good natured as
the people Of Boston with whose soci-
ETY. they were so well pleased they
could have got SO much better during
the war, and they would not have de-
nounced all the people Of the North
West as Yankees, with an epithet be-
fore the word, because they had made
mistake which for good fellowship's
sake they were willing to confess.
Notwithstanding all this, a very
general opinioa prevailed that if the
ex-Confederate speakers were sincere,
they did not represent the sentiment
of the whites sympathizers Or partici-
pants in the rebellion. The intimida-
tion and murder Of negro citizens; the
ostracism of Republicans, white and
black the determined opposition to the
Republican party and its measures
and the unscrupulous and Infamous
method Of securing Democratic ma
jority in States which have majority
of Republican voters, are evidences
that the South is not as brotherly as
the ex-Confederate officers said it was
The persistent disloyalty of Southern
leaders was the cause of doubt; and
the doubt of their loyalty is stronger
to-day than ever. The ex-Confeder-
ates and the Democrats in the House
have defended the worst phases Of the
rebellion have done their best to pal
late the gross injustice and cruelty Of
their States which is of every day
occurrence and have not denounced
the indiscretion Of the Southern De-
mocracy for more than hin.ing at d
state of things to be brought about in
1876, but which has attracted the at
tention of every true man to the exis-
thug condition of the South, and to
what it ought to be in the centennial
year. Soldiers feel, perhaps, more
interest in the settlement of the South
ern questions than many others. They
were not deceived from the first. They
knew too we'll the devices to be tried,
and the character of the speakers TO
be put forth to hood-wink or to hide.
Soldiers were on the alert, and they
will do their duty in any way the coun-
try may need Napoleon said "Scratch
Russian and you find a Cossack be-
neath.' 1t would seem that only rebels
can represent the disloyaltl South
and though they deny that they are
rebels, the moment you call forth their
real sentiments they are very different
from what you would expect rom 10y
al and honest men Now that
the views of the leaders of the South
may be said to be officially known, and
that they aim at destroying the Re
publican party, the proper measures
will be taken to checkmate such folly,
and establish justice and equality The
Republic.