Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-03-05
Truth About the South.

attention to the evidence they afforded
that Mr.. TowNER was man OF
keen observation. lie has not hesitated
to praise our people where praise was
due. nor to crticise where criticism
was called for. Further. he has not
confined himself to writing up
our cities and to transmitting i'm
pressions received from politicians and
other public men. but has gone iato the
byways and hedges and studied the
people. His farewell letter. which is in
the nature of summary Of his obser-.
yations. is written from Appomattox
Courthouse. Virginia, and affords stri-
king commentary upon the matter that
is generally dished up by~northern cor
respondents in the South. Among
other things Mr.. T0wYER says;
81 look back over my more than
two months sojourn among the people
of the South. in their offices and stores
and at their fircsides. and recall the
feelings with which on cold night in
December | set out on my journey. 1t
is said that a man can always find just
that which he seeketh. j sought no
thing upon which to frame or establish
theory; sought only fact and truth.
started out like one going to an UNI
known land. | disbelieved in my heart
much of what had heard and read of
the southern people. but | hardly
thought | should find that which would
strengthen and confirm my disbelief
in fact, ] confess ! feared | should find
that which would upset my disbelief.
With shame and sorrow confess it, too,
that should have had such thoughts
of my own countrymen, that entering,
an utter stranger, some OF the little
lonesome towns in the far South, where
certain newspapers yet contend there
exists sentiment that they call rebel
lious. hatred for the North and north
ern people, | have done SO with fear
and trembling, hardly daring to write
upon the dusty and blurred register the
name of the town and State of which ]
am proud to be a citizen. lest, after !
had done SO, some tall man, with
slouch hat on. pantaloons in boots. and
pistol in pocket, would pick a quarrel
with me-
Mr.. TowNER then declares that he
confesses with still greater shame and
sorrow that he believes that much such
notion as he entertained exists all
through the North with regard to the
South. especially the interior and thin
ly-populated regions thereof. and adds:
There never was such an out
rageously untrue and slanderous notion
ever abroad concerning any race or ma
ton. have been everywhere and all
over the South; among whites and
blacks. rich and poor, the cultured and
the ignorant. the refined and the de-
PRAYED, constantly asking questions. and
my tongue giving me away as a
northern man the moment it made
movement, and never, by look, act,
word, or intimation--eyen by so much
as q glance-was it manifest that was
not as welcome as the flowers in May
or as | would have been among friends
in 0tsego county or Buffalo.
And again After stating that he has
been where politicians don't care to 60.
and where prejudiced people will not
go, and found everywhere those whose
friendship it is all honor to have, and
whose - characters are the peers of
any with us" he continues as follows !:
:" 1t is a glorious people down there.
We have reason TO thank God again and
again that the event took place in this
room as it did, and that this people were
forced to be and remain our fellow
citizens and brothers, rather than be-
come the citizens OF rival and so hos
tile nation. We want them all with
us, not against us. And now.' having
compelled them to stay with us, it is
our duty to make them love us as well.
And first. we should most thoroughly
understand them. They are brave, chiv-
alrous, hospitable, generous, quick tore
sent an aflront, but quicker to respond
to an appeal to their feelings and sym
pathies. They will struggle along by
1 - Al
without murmur and never thinking
Of calling for help even in their direst
extremity. They are Of that stuff that
will eventually work out their own
greatness, prosperity, and perpetuation.
There will come quicker, aided by the
force, activity, and enterprise of north
ern people. but no more certainly and
abundantly than they will and must
come eventually by the efforts Of these
| people themselves
The experience Of Mr.. TowSER did
not vary from the experience of most Of
the northern correspondents who have
made southern tour; but there is a
very important difference between the
letters Of Mr. TowSER and their letters.
That difference can be expressed in a
few words. Mr.. TowNER has, as init
mated above, had the manliness to tell
the truth, not caring who might be hurt
thereby.
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