The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1881-01-06
for your fair portion of our common land,
your friend and countryman.


Ior your Inlf portion OF our common land,
your friend and countryman.
Ii. ID. CATLIN.
Mr. Catlin understands, as few men
do, the limits of the possible. During
the life time Of those who were in the
thick Of the fight which knit the Union
together and rent the people asunder,
there will, indeed, be room for forbear-
ance on both sides. This generation
cannot. aud should not, entirely forget
the past, however completely the real or
fancied wrongs Of North and South may
he forgotten. We cannot hope to see
things rs our former opponents see them.
Nor can they put themselves completely
in our place. There must be some fric
ton and disagreement. But if We de-
termine to try 10 think the best of each
other, and to put the best construction
possible on the acts of each other, n
better understanding Of each other vii,
follow. This is one great family. The
bond Of union cannot be broken. For
our happiness, for our safety, we should
strive to know and value each other, 80
that no superficial irritation, no casual
offence, shall blind ua to The sterling
qualities, the r.anliness, the fortitude
and the invincible love Of liberty which
are the heritage Of tho whole people
And not alone as between North and
South. The same charitableness IL
needed to cement the union between the
States themselves in their relations as
States. 1t is needed to prevent iarring
and discord between one part Of State
and another, and even between p.town
and downtown in the cities. Hardest of
course it is to look with indnlgent eyes
upon those Mt whose hands we suffered
s0rely. But we should remember that
blood was poured out like water in the
North as in the South. 1t was not in
the South alone that children were made
orphans, that wives were made widows,
aud that loving fathers and tender
mothers were robbed by war of the usty
sons who were the stay Of their declining
years. Exactly alike the North and
South will perhaps never be. 1t is not
necessary that they should. They can
be alike in difference, and one in dissim-
ilarity. No two members of family
are absolutely the same in Temperament
and aim. Yet they live in harmony.
So can it be with the family OF States,
and with the families within the States.
1t needs only that such thoughts as our
Brooklyn friend utlers to-day shall be
free to assert themselves. They exist
more generally than is supposed. Thev
are stronger than we know. We hope it,
and believe it!
Would that our "frcnd and country.
iii;iii Il; Dro1klyn could -:s:. :!:c Sv;:;ii !,
and bring with him others of the came
stamp. They would then understand,
even better than they now do, the per-
pleXities wnIcn nave made us seem TO
embrace that which iii oui souls we
abhor. Would that Southern men, as
large minded and big-hearted as Mr..
Catlin and his friends, could tarry awhile
in the North and enter into tho spirit of
its broad and busy life. They would
then understand how it is that the mare
elevated and liberal the Northerncr is,
the sterncr is his resolve never to deny
the faith for which he fought, and The
less disposed is he to demand or insist
that we of the South shall be false to the
faith that was ours. The brave and the
true on eithc. side respect most those
who respect themselves.
We thank Mr.. Catlin for his letter
We wish it could be read under every
roof-tree from the Canada line to the
Gulf and from the Atlantic to the Pacific
coast. In the South, we know, thou.
sands of hearts will beat in response TO
its lerv 1T prayer, and legion who "wore
the gray" will stand ready, as they have
stoud these ten years or more, TO do rs
they are done by. and give ungrudgingly
confidence for confidence and trust for
trust. From the stronger to the weaker
the c7erlure fitly comes. II is only nat
ural chat rebufs should not be courted
by ihe Snuth. The Southern States are
in the Union because the victorious
armies of the North put them there.
Under the Constitution, one State is
equal to another. The American who
fought with Zee is, under the law, the
equal of the American who fought with
Grant. This is the theory, it is not the
practice. Not until tho States in the
South are in all things dealt W it'll as
other States are, not until Americans in
the South are spoken of and spoken to
as other Americans are, can the Southern
States, Us whole, feel the weight OF their
responsibilities, and live up to them.
AS long % the white people Of the South
are chained to the benches of the Ma
tional galley, as felons unworthy of trust,
they cannot be expected 10 feel it n duty
TO maintain discipline among themselves.
While they are regarded by the National
Government as pardoncd con,icts or
prisoners on parole. they cannot, with
their traditions and pride of race, have
the public aspirations or public obliga.
tions which were theirs when they were
recognized, in oil things, as free and
equal citizens of the Republic .--Nems
and Courier.