Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1881-10-01
The Late Reunion at Chatta.
nOOga,


The Late Reunion at Chatta-
nOOga.
The following is an extract of a
chattanooga special to the Chicago
Tribune, sent by one Of its editors:
An old soldier, returning, after an
absence Of many years, to now historic
scenes Of the war, will find many
things changed, of course, and will
find it difficult to recognize localities
which we're familiar to him while he
soldiered. He will find a miniature
city, busting with business and life,
the tall chimneys Of the manufacto.
ries pouring out their floods of black
smoke, in place of the dull and lifeless
town he learned to know so well. He
will find the very face Of the earth
changed, and it might be a matter of.
great difficulty for him to even reoog-
nize the spot at which he scaled Mis-
sionary Ridge under such a fierce
storm ofiron and lead. | dare say not
many if not all of the men who came
down here to accept the hospitality of
the ex-Rebels were disappointed at
finding such radical changes. They
had pictured to themselves things as
they seemed long ago, and had failed
to take into account the inevitable
and ceaseless work of nature.
AS early as Monday the Northern
hosts began to appear in small parties,
and their Lumber was added to by
every incoming train, until by Tues
day evening the throng was SO great
that the hotel accommodations OF the
little town were taxed to their utmost.
Many, however, turned their face
homeward before reaching here when
the fact of the Presidents death was
made public. But so many people
had come that a postponement of the
meeting was out of the question, and
the managers of the affair were called
upon to SO change the programme that
It might be turned into a grand memo
rial meeting in honor of the dead.
The banquet, preparations for which
had proceeded on an extensive scale.
had to be abandoned.
The crowd has come and gone, and
it may now be proper to sum up
results. The Rebels greeted the
boys from the Northwest cordially
and entertained them handsomely.
Being poor, any shortcomings on their
part are excusable, for they did the
best they could. The greeting was an
honest, cordial and open hearted one,
and, judging from the stand point of
unprejudiced o~nlooker, there was
nothing concealed, nothing held back,
nothing to warrant an assumption that
the ex-Rebels did not mean all they
said. The expressions of friendship
we're fully and freely reciprocated by
the visitors, and it may be that this
briet but pleasant season of inter
course may lead to happy results.
The Southerners who have been here
have learned more of Northern senti-
ment, more Of Northern nature, than
they ever knew before, and are free to
acknowledge that the Yanks are not
so bad, after all, as some people had
taught them to believe. The trouble
with the Reb is that his opportunities
for education and intercourse are con.
fined to the narrow limits of neighbor-
hood. and gains his opinions through
the teachings of others; and, accord
ing as those teachings are good or bad.
the pupil is a good or a bad citizen.
So they came here to see us and talk
with us, and find that we are some
thing else than all Yankee politicians.
They begin to ask the North to come
down here and bring their money with
them, and build mills, and factories.
and FORCES, and railroads, and develop,
with their rugged energy, a country
sadly in need of the sinews of civili-
cation. In conversation, last evening.
with an old gray-haired ex-Rebel, he
said that when they were forced to
surrender they thought their hearts
would break, and that they would
never become |reconciled 70 the domi.
nation of the North. But now"
said he, we're glad the war ended as
it did. We're glad you licked us. for
now we have the greatest and best
country on the face of Gods green
footstool. And VIC want you to come
down here and live with us, and teach
US how to farm and forge and delve."
And these are the words of hun
dreds Of Southern men with whom |
have conversed in this latitude. They
have been mad. Surface indications
point to the fact that they lived to
learn.
The absence Of many prominent ex-
Rebels who had signifed an intentionto
come was a great disappointment to all,
and especially to the Rebs. To a man
up a tree it looks as though their alb
sence might have been an intended
slight upon the men who had so cheer
fully accepted the olive branch and
come down here to shake" 1t is to
be hoped, however, that this NAV
prove not to be the case; but the local
managers feel the keenest disappoint-
ment at their absence, and, while max
ing no charges of any kind, plainly
avhThsk Nbo., ,,tA.- H.