Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1877-04-06
NUMBER Al.
The South, uer Condition and Her Needs.

|
Curry, President of the Richmond, Va,
University, in the Galdry for April, is no.
ticeable contribution to the literature OF the
Southern question.
The author, Rev DR.. /. L. n. Curry. =
graduate of the Cambridge Law School,
where he was fellow-student with Presi-
dent Hayes. At the outbreak of the rebel
lion he was member Of Congress from the
State Of Alabama, and when the war broke
out retired with his associate members, his
sympathies being with the South. lie soon
after left the practice of law to study dIVin-
ity, and became minister of the Baptist
denomination.
In this paper DR.. Curry rt ca pItulates Inc
evils that afflict the South. While iuny
accepting the Legitimate consequences oil 'he
war, he laments that there still dngers 50
much arrangement between the No VII anu
South, and that those who sustained the ei'h-
federate States are still regarded with so mu,'h
distrust at the North. "Our motives" he
says, 'are habitually misrepresented and our
purposes misunderstood 1.-THE sup
port OF an Abolitlonist like Mr.. Greeley is
regarded as deceptive" etc. This and much
! more in this strain only shows how little
DR.. Curry himself understands or appreciates
the real feelings and views OF the great mass
in the North.
DIR. Curry presents in Il strong ard uh-
doubteily a truthful light the deplorable
condition of the Southern people after tie
war and its present exhausted condition.
These evils" he says, "have been inten-
sifed by vicious legislation and bad govern
\ ment"
! Another point upon which DR.. Curry
| dwells very strongly, as one of the great
evils Of the times, is 'the rapid strides to-
ward consolidation now the States are
provinces dependent on, submissive to, the
central hcad-much recent executive, legis-
lative and Judicial action has tended to alb
sorb State rights and prerogatives, and
much more to this effect, wherein DR.. Curry |
allows his strong State rights feelings to
| cloud his proper perception of the eomplieat- |
cd question of the boundary line between |
| the powers OF the United States on the one |
hand and the prerogstives of each sovereign |
State on the other.
DR.. Curry lays great stress upon the con-
ferring the right of suffrage upon the negroes
maSse, and We must admit that 80 long rs
the negro is permitted TO remain ignorant,
this is and must continue to he great
source Of anxiety and even of danger, and
an evil that will require the best of states
manship on the part of the South to rem
edy.
The South. DR.. Curry urges. in seeking
relief must not rely on any party to reform
evils. The Democratic party. he tells Us.
is unsound on the vital questions Of tariff,
currency. finance and the character Of the
General Government, and practices the fatal
maxim thst "to the yictors belong the spoils'
and in special localities has been implicated
in corruption. 1.-The principle of repre-
sentative constitutional republic is right.
Much OF the evil which aillicts US Is the re-
suit of a departure from our original system;
is an accident rather than essential. is GER
tainly not to be cured by mcuarchial gov
erDment"
Dr. Curry proceeds to dwell, with good
deal of force, upon the great need of civil
service reform in the nation, in States and in
cities the need of economy, civic purity
and honest administration the inischieyouS
influence Of the caucus system, on the need I
Of the introduction of more healthful
public opinion as an element in politics and
an indispensable factor tn the product OF the
South's upbuilding. Our nation "can have
no purer wealth than the stainless honor of
It's public men,
After dwelling on the question how best
to avoid the evils arising from the votes of
the ignorant and incapable many, and find
ing no immediate available remedy for the
inevitable dangers, DIR. Curry makes some
sound suggestions to the Southern rule Of ,
conduct. lie says:
Impartial justice should be administered
without reference to race, color or previous
condition freedom and the right to hold {
and inherit property should be guaranteed
protection against all violence or wrong
should be afforded
"A felt want Of the South is the restora-
ton of oldfashoned love of country. A sore I
need is to feel in our souls, a. u passion, ,
that this is our country: that re have part
and lot in it &; and to lie deeply interested in
its welfare and perpetuity. To keep alive d
api irfa =,
as is the proyocation at times to bitterness
and hatred, the South should not cherish
resentment, but rather seek for that which
makes fol- peace and reconciliation. lt il
better as far as possible. to obiterate unplea~-
ant memories, TO practice tOleratiun and for {
giveness, to cultivate genuine patriotism, y
ardent love for this ancient birth-land of the ,
free. 1t is easy by cheap rhetoric to open
wounds airesh and intdme hostility; but I
every true son and daughter Of the South c
should strive not to transmit legacy Of :;
hate. nor make our land Poland or an Ire
land. The noble ambition ought rather To
be to lift up the South and the United States 4
to the level OF its privileges, and in the fn- b
ture TO harmonize the ideal and the actual.
The South needs the development of her ma
terial resources. the dlyersifcation of indus J
try, the construction of permanent high r
ways, the power of machinery in its mani a
fold applications. sounder notions of Labor,
rigid economy aud responsibility in all offices.
The whole country should encourage uniser-
sal education in universities, colleges. scad-
emieS and public schools; elevate the tone
Ot free press; preserve an able and indie
pendent judiciary insist upon juster and
more enlarged ideas OF oihca duty main "
tain the principles of constitutional liberty :
and absolute freedom of religion, and ahnve
all a spirit OF suburdination To the divine
law and reyerent acknow wledgment of Him !
in whose hands are the d,stinies Of natIons. IL
All this is well. and well said. And We I,
wish there were more Southern men in in :
ilueut'al positions, who realized these needs.
POLITICAL NOTES. u
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