The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-01-17
THE NEW SOUTH.
AS 1t Really Is Down in Dixie-Men with
New Hopes and Aspirations.

New Hopes and Aspirations.
A. Fl. Mcclure, in Philadelphia Times.
There are few, ever among the more intelligent
people of the North who can justly appreciate
the New South of 1885. Only those who have
freely mingled with the Southern people during
the last fifteen years, and carefully noted their
condition and the restraints and ohstacleS which
confronted them in every eft at manly
progress can understand - me full meaning of the
words, the New oceucn, as they are understood
To-Day. - have practical meaning that
only the south can understand, and yet shey in
spire no single hope or wish 10 undo that which
mas hsen done, The Southern eye brightens and
the Southern face beams with hope as the future
OF the South rs discussed but there is no turni3
win wistfui eyes to the theories of the past The
Old South is dead. 1t has passed away; it is
buried; it is forgotten, save as old memories and
old pride cast their fitting shadows over the
better present and brighter future. | have
heard no eEthern man talk of the past as guide
for the fu.nre. A generation has come
from the cr+--Ie to anhond since Sumter was
hFen upon, al they w.t. q 9urving Southern
soldlery understand the irrevocable arbtrament
OF the sword And they understand also, that
1T would be midsummer madness to turn back
to the theories of the old South if it were with
IN the limits of possibility TO do Even South
Carolina would not now return TO slavery if it
could. A large majority of her white leaders
and an overwhelming majority of the white
people would vote and battle against the restora
ton of black bondage. They would be glad
to limit their prerogatives of citizenship as
would the people of Pennsylvania under
like circumstances but their inherent pride of
State forbids it, although fully possessing the
power, because it would dwarf the Common
wealth in the councils Of the Nation and rank
her with the insignificant States of the Union
In the free mingling with the representative men
of the Carolinas including white and black, |
have heard no hope or wish, or fear expressed
to reactionary movements in those States
In this State, where secession was part of school
education more than half century ago, and
where the stern patriotism of Jackson was
needed to prevent notification from breeding
sectional war before many of the actors of the
late war were born, there is no shade of shadow
of reactionary movement, and the man who at
tempted it would be hopelessly overthrow. To
assume that they nave forgotten their love for
their lost cause their veneration for its heroes
their rever ence for its dead and their sorrow for
its failure, would be to assume that they are
more or less than human; but that they are
thoroughly assimilatad with the new duties that
occasions have prescribed, and are in sim
cere and hearty accord with the new hopes and
new achievements which now invite them, is the
honest truth 1t can no longer be matter of
speculation, as the revolution in national power
will thoroughly test the aims and efforts of the
Southern people, and they Will put to shame
reckless demagogues who have famed the en-
hers of sectional strife long years after the de-
feated and impoverished South has been strug
Cling only for the right to retrieve it's countless
mSfOrtuneS,