Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1881-01-01
Colonel McClure's Letters.

We have published several of the let
tiers of Colonel A. K. Mcclure, of The
Philadelphia Times, during his recent
Southern tour. Without exception, SC
far as we have seen, these letters are all
well written, and have not only proven
interesting and instructive, but have, fol-
the first time, made public facts regard
ing this section which must open the
eyes of the Northern people to the true
condition of affairs in The South, and the
falsity of the charges which have been
SO frequently made against us by our
stalwart enemies.
His last letter was written from Gin
cinnati, and is a summing up Of the i'm
pressions created by his Southern tour
In it he speaks of the present political
disposition OF our people, the past diff
fculties with which they have had to
contend, and the prospects of vast
wealth and material prosperity in store
for them in the future, together with
''the supreme want and greatest peril
of the South. 1t is probably the most
interesting OF the series, and is az
follows:
THE South is not animated by partisan hos
tility TO the coming President. On the con
trary, there is every disposition to commend
Gad support cordially and TO blame with re-
luctauce There is DO desire to command the
nf blIf there ia paFDagf and q l.
most universal desire for peace-that peace
that honest government should ever give to
an honest people. The supreme want of the
South is g thoroughly competent and upright
civil service, and that should not be sought as
favor from any fsithf0l President. 1t is not
only a matter ST right to every section, bat it
Is matter of imperative duty on the part OF
the government.
81 vast preponderance of the turbulence
that has disgraced the South during the last
decade has been created by characterless, un-
scrupulous and often recklessly dishonest Fed
eral officials. United States Judges have been
appointed because Of their bitter hostility to
the South, who would not be charged with
the administration Of justice in the Nor h.
Marshais have been selected mainly for their
willingness 10 prostitute their official power
to foment sectional strife, to Cypress un-
offending citizens ami to poilute elections.
Posrmssters have been appointed who were
utterly incompetent, in some instances being
unable TO read or write. merely because they
were potential in demoralizing and controll-
ing the ignorant blacks. Customs and reve-
nue. officers have been selected to make The
collection OF revenue secondary TO the corrupt
control Of elections. United States Commits
sioDers have united with District Attorneys
and marshals to plumber the government by
the wantOn vexation of struggling business
interests in the South, and the special agencies
of the government are crowded with noted
criminals as rewards for noted political crimes
In s6vSTal OF the Southern States found con
victs. fugitiveS and outlaws enjoying the pa.
# oAF
public contempt for government aud law by
their shameless distinction. This hlot-not
upon the South, but upon the North, whose
administration is guilty CT its creation has
lasted with more or less prominence for a dcz-
en- years, and it has been the most fruitful Of
all the many fruitful sources OF sectional tur-
hulence.
can see no immediate remedy, is the now in
evitable division of the white vote Of the
South. and the certain appeal of contending
festicns to the blacks as the arbiser of els
putIng ambition have until recently shared
the very general belief OF the North, that the
division OF the white vote of the South must
be fortunate for the black voters, as it would
create rivalry in extending the fullest protec-
tion 20 the blacks. am now thoroughly con-
vinced. against Ell my wishes. that tie recess
sary and now near division OF the whites Will
be fruitful of great Generalization to both
races, aud that 1t viii be the severeSt trial OF
the wisdom OF universal suffrage. There is
now nothing to demora tze the black man, or to
divert him from his industry and the educa-
tion Of his children. He is rapidly becoming
the owner or lessee of lands, and Is his own
farmer aud IS in many instances, accumUl L
ing wealth with habits of Industry; but when
the white man locks horns with his fellow in
the bsttle OF ambition, the most artful dema-
gaeues will best control the ignorant freedmen
ard the degradation OF both races must 70 low.
The factory and the school must be the great
cfyilizer Of the South. and / am glad to see
that Northern and Southern Radicals agree in
the United States Senate In Matchmaking edIi-
cation IL is needed in the South TO an extent
far beyond what is generally understood in the
North. and there will be no material elevation
of the black race until the ignorant classes of
h5th whites and blacks can be educated
There is cordial sympathy, rule, between
the intelligent whites ana the blacks-much
mare than there is between the whites and
blacks ia the North
THE manufacturers OF the North must soon
20 South with their cotton spindles and looms,
aud those WAC go earliest will reap the richest
harvest. Those who say that capital is not
safe in the South either know not what they
say or mean to be untruthtul, lnevery South
ern State there is a supreme desire to have the
factory everywhere that the raw materia is
furnished. The cotton crop OF this year will
be worth three hundred millions of dollars, and
when simply spun into yarn will be worth near
" three hundred millions more. Where in al tt }
world is there so wide and so tempting q field
for legitimate enterprise and large prohtsi /
believe that half the whole cotton product will
he spun in the South before another ten years,
and the succeeding decade will furnish South.
ern factories To- the entire crop"