Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1876-04-07
The Union south-Mr. xeates
(Srom the n. 7. Tribunal

tne present political opinion of those
who were upon the Southern side du
ring the civil war. So many person.
, are directly or indirectly interested il
the misrepresentation of this, and sc
many men of the South once promi.
, ncnt have sunk Into obscuritY, tnat
authentic Information upon the point
is difficult to obtain. Through our
special correspondence We have been
able TO contribute something to the
stock of Information. But conquered
class is always shy and sore. nor has
the conduct of the government been
such rs to encourage a frank expires
sion of returning loyalty. No Con-
federate has been regarded as trust
worthy penitent unless he at once
allied himself to the republican party.
Mr.. Yeates of North Carolina. in the
House, the other day, spoke with some
Litterness of the feryor of affection
with which Gen. Longstreet had been
J welcomed back to the Union fold; aud
he also alluded to the Difference shown
to Gov. Holden, ''for twenty-odd
years the leading secessionist of
| North Carolina" To the speech of III :.
Yeates we desire to call attention, as
it exhibits the present sentiments
of ut least one Confederate, and as he
declares, of his constituents. Mr.
Yeates said: Though I dispise the
contemplate manner in which we have
| been treated and insulted here, thank
| God I can say to-day that love the
| government of the United States, and
shall stand by it as long as [ live. You
| cannot dive me ever again to go
against this government Ii will b9>
the last lesson as well as the first that
the old flag" When a man in Mr..
Yeates's position says this, at the same
time complaining Of the treatment to
which class at the South has been
subie, ted, it is fl and polite that we
should fully comprehend the grounds
and cause his complaint. To this
simple justice he and his associates are
clearly entitled.
First Mr.. Yeates says 3: "They kept
US out in the cold they would not
pardon us they tried to starve us into
submission to their party, and now they
raise the howl that we are re bels be
cause they cannot buy us" Again,
according to Mr.. Yeates, they have uu
dertaken "to bribe and demoralize our |
people. They have broken down the |
purity of the baliot-box. Whel they |
found that they could not get our votes |
they turned the coIored people |
loose and let them vote" This was not |
all. Mr.. Yeates complains that offices
were multiplied and filed with Carpet
baggers. He quotes Mr. Bruce, the
colOred Senator from Mississippi, as
saying that 1.-The minds of the colored
people were poisoned. The country
was reduced ''to bowling waste and
wilderness. Liberty was destroyed in
4
all the states where the Admins ra.
ton had the power to do it. " Spies, "
Mr.. Yeatas also complains of, and
systematic robbery OF the Southern
people. ''They taxed us upon stamps;
they taxed our land; they taxed Us
upon every thing. They threatened US
and arrested us and carried Us before
the Federal courts. "Why, gentle
men," said Mr.. Yeates, tell you there
Was IA perfect re:gn of terror; aud they
left our country desolate."
We quote these statements leaving
much uneXtracted, because we have
here set forth the I'M uries 10 which. in
the opinion of many of her most intel
ligent and moderate citizens, the
South has been subjected. There may
be some feeling and some exaggeration
IN them; it would be strange if there
were not; but suppose we regard as
true only what republican Represent
atives know to be true! Suppose we
take into account onlv admitted, in
vestigated and iEdisputable wrongs
Are carpet-bagg for instance. mere
myths Have there been no political
wrongs in Louisiana and South Caro-
lima ? No false Imprisonment No
onerous taxation No employment of
he negro vote to secure the election
Of unwor by candidates Have the
revenue laws been honestly admins
tered "Stealing," said Mr.. Yeates,
has been the order of the day" Does
anybody doubt this Will the most ar
power for the last three or four years
at the South, kept so either by the ap-
polntment or influence or bayOnets of
the general government, have been
wise, honest, polite rders, adapted
by character to meet this enormous
The shames and crimes
which have made portion cf the
South disconnected and unreconciled,
are known to everybody. They have
been reported by committees of inves-
-igation. They have been debated in
Congress. They have passed into
history. Republican speech makers
determined to stand by the party
through thick and thin have in vain
to obscure them by rails
ng a red cloud of "reminiscences. The |
act remains shat public affairs at the
south have been shamefully misman-
sged. Certain Representatives think
he remedy for this Is TO tell every !
southern member who complains OF it
hat he is rebel and az unregenerate !
'ecessiorist. OF tue efficacy of this
.ours,, Mr.. Yeates has doubts and SO
lave we.