The Opelousas courier., 1882-08-19
. NIichigander's Notes About
the South.

the GVutAs
I'M. QUAD the we'll known CORES
pondent of the Detroit Free Press has
been travelling in the South recently.
From one of his latest letters, WI take
the following extract
In Charleston l met a M~ichigander
who has served two terms in the Mi
chigan legislature, held a Federal office
of some prominence in the State, and
been famous al a politician in the Re-
publican party. After we had walked
around for an hour I asked /:
Now, then, what do you think OF
these people? You have een them
with their coats off, and car judge them
as they are"
AZ tell yeu, I'm ashamed of myself"
was his instant reply. when think
of how we have lied about them and
their institutions I am ashamed to
look them in the face"
They they treated you wellr
"Splendid.n
"And they knew you were frem the
North 7"
Yes"
"And that you were a strong Repub-
lican a.
Yea"
"And what do you think of the dar-
key p -.
"D-n him, sir, d--n hint" was his
hearty exclamation. We wouldn't
stand the half from him that the South
does. He is lazy, shiftiess, thievish and
a general nuisance. I've talked with a
score of 'em, and they are as ignorant
as our horses. They vote my ticket,
but they can't tell me why. They have
no reason, no argument, no principle,
and SO little sense that | wonder how
they get through the week"
"And when you return home you'll
do the South justice 7"
"HOw 7"
"Why, yon'lltalk to your party mem
bers Just as you have talked to me- 7"
"N--o, / can't do that" lie slowly
answered. off / should 60 back and
tell 'em exactly how things are, I'd,
I'd"
"Yoa'd lose your grip 2"
Exactly"
"And to keep your grip you must
continue to lie about, abuse and mail
ign the people who have taken you
to their dinner. tables and sllewR you
every possible kindness and courtesy !!
You must continue to claim that they
don't give the black man q fair show,
when you know better! You must
continue to cali EN- rebels, when you
see every federal law implicitly obey
ed and everybody contented and hap
py! Colonel, politics il a nasty bust
ness"
"Cuss pelitics." he growled, as he
left me at the corner.
One who has visited the principal
cities and tswns of Alabama, Georgia,
South and North Caralina must have II
fair idea of what the young men are
doing. According to SEINE Northern
writer's, they spend their time in drink
ing. card playing, horse-racing, and
loaing. Let me say that in Atlanta,
Augusta, Macon. Charleston, Sayan-
nah, Montgomery, etc, the number of
yOung men In stores, shops and law
offices is fully equal to the number in
any Northern city you can name, TAX
ing population into account. In a four
weeks trip in the South / did not see
one single yeung map drunk. I did
not see a game of cards or a horse
race. | did not hear a dispute. / found
them everywhere talked with hun.
dreds-and in every case | found them
studying law or medicine - keeping
books-I,ehiDd counters - out in the
fields with their coats off. They not
only work, bnt they are ambitious.
The Young men of the South are not
only doing fully as well as the yeung
men of the North but in many cases
they are doing far better. / found
cores of them making money hand
over hand by their own nnaided efforts,
and scores more with bright prospects
ahead. He who asserts that they shirk
labor wrongs them. He who asserts
that they drink or gamble more than
the same number of young men in the
North is reckless of facts. There may
be black sheep among them, but tax
Ell as a whole they arc genteel, cour-
teous, hard-working and anxious to Sc
cure places of high standing.