The daily gazette., 1876-03-30
THE UNION SOUTH.
From the New York Tribune OF 25th.

THE UNION SOUTH.
From the New York Tribune OF 25th.
Nothing is of more Importance than
the present political opinion of those
who were upon the Southern. side
during the civil war. So many persons
are directly or indirectly interested in
the misrepresentation of this, and so
many many men of the South once
prominent have sunk into obscurity,
that authentic information upon the
point of is difficult to obtain. Through
our special correspondence we have
been able to contribute something to
the stock of information. But con-
quered class is always shy and sore.--
Nor has the conduct of the Govern
ment been, such as to encourage a
frank expression of returning loyalty.
No confederate has been regarded as
trustworthy 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
bitterness of the fervor of affection
with which General Longstreet had
been welcomed back to the Union
fold; and he also alluded to the defer
ence shown to Governor Holden, FER
twenty odd years the leading Seces.
sionist of North Carolina. To the
speech of Mr.. Yeatss we desire to call
attention, as it exhibits the present
sentiment of at least one ex Confeder-
ate and, as he declares, of his consti-
Ituents. Mr.. Yeates said:-:'Though l
despise the contemplate manner in
which we have been treated and insul-
ted here, thank God | can say to day
that love the Government of the
United States, and shall stand by it as
long as live. You cannot drive me
ever again to go against this Govern
ment. 1t will be the last lesson as
well as the first that we will teach
our boys to stand by the old flag"
When man in Mr.. Yeates' position
says this, at the same time complain
ing of the treatment to which a class
at the South has been subjected, it is
fit and polite that we should fully COM
prehend the grounds and causes OF
his complaint. Te this simple justice
he and his associates are clearly en-
titled.
! First Mr.. Yeates says:-"They kept
us out in the cold, they would not
pardon us; they tried to staIve us into
submission to their party, and now
they raise the howl that we are rebels
because they cannot buy u.s." Again,
according to Mr.. Yeates, they have
untaken 'to bribe and demoralize oul
people. They have broken down the
party of the ballot box. When they
found that they could not get our votes
they turned the colored people loose
and let them vote" This was not all
Mr.. Y Gates complains that offices were
: multiplied and filled with carpet bag
} gers. He quotes Mr.. Bruce, the col
ored Senator from Mississippi, as say
ing that "the minds of the colored
people were poisoned" The country
was reduced ito bowling waste and
wilderness. Liberty was destroyed in
Louisiana and in South Carolina, and
, in all the States where the administra.
ton had the power to do it." "Spies'
Mr., Yeates also complains of, and q
systematic robbery of the Southern
people. "They taxed US upon stamps
the taxed our land; they taxed us upon
everything. They threatened us and
. arrested us and CARED US before the
Federal courts" "Why gentlemen, VI
said Mr.. Yeates, 81 tell you there was
a perfect reign of terror; and they left
our country desolate."
We quote these statements, leaving
much unextracted, because we have
here set forth the injuries to which, in
the opinion-of many of her most in
telligent and moderate citizens, the
South, has been subjected. There
may be some feeling and some exag-
geration in them; it would be strange
if there were not; but suppose We re-
gard as true only what Republican
Representatives know to be true. Sup
pose we take into account only admit
ted, investigated. and indisputable
wrongs Are carpet-baggers, for in
stance, mere myths? Have there been
no political wrongs in Louisiana and
South Carolinag No false imprison.
ment? No enerous taxation? No EN-.
, ployment of the negro vote to secure
the election Cf unworthy candidates.
Have the revenue laws been honestly
, administered? Stealing" said Mr..
, Yeates, "has been the order of the
, day" Does anybody doubt thise Will
the most ardent Republican assert that
the men in power for the last
three or four years at the South, kept
SO either by the appointment or In.
ilucnce or bayenets of the General
Government, have been wise. honest,
polite rulers, adapted by character tc
, meet this enormous emergency? The
shame and crimes which have made 6
, great portion of the South discontenet
and unreconciled, are known to every
, body. They have been reported by
!committees of investigation, They
have been debated in Congress. The,
have passed into history. Republican
: lspeech-makers determined to stand b.