The Washington critic., 1888-01-05
WASHINGTON CRITIC
rHE NEW NoRrH ANp souTn.
A work OF Practical Reconstruction
Quietly Yet Rapidly Going on.


Of hands, is what is binding the
North and South together since the
war in more indissoluble bonds than
the politicians and alleged statesmen
can weld or weave through Congress
sional enactments," remarked vet
eran observer to THE CRIT1c this morn
ing.
"To what do you specially refer ?"
1.-THE numerous marriages that are
constantly taking place between the
representative sons and daughters of
the sections, which quarter of CEN
tury ago were arrayed against each
other in bloody conflict. These mar
riages are riveting bond of union
between Northern and Southern fam
lilies which will obliterate all sectional
lines and in time cause the North and
South to become as harmonious a
household az the East and West already
are, having been strongly allied to-
gether by intermarriages and family
ties, and the business interests natu-
rally consequent thereon"
Are these marriages becoming so
general as to warrant such happy
result?"
"Yes, indeed. / have noticed the
process for several years as IL has been
going on throughout the country, and
II seems to be developing into i'm
creased activity. / repeat, in time it
will have the effect I've described"
But the Southern women were so
intense in their feelings during the
war that 1t was generally considered
that long time must elapse before
their sentiments would, if ever, be
Modified"
UNION by 1NTERMARRTAGE.
"Why, my dear sir, it's soyertwenty-
five years since the war ceased, and a
new generation has grown up, and
during that time there has been
more general intermingling between
the people of the North and South
than ever before; large numbers of
bright young men from the South
have gone North and identified them
selves with the push and rush Of busi-
ness in the great commercial centres;
thousands Of Northern people have
located in the South, engaged in busi-
ness enterprises and aided by their
energy and capital in the wonderful
INV utNCiObnltlltO VI blit NdSJ dllu pIO-
ductive resources of that section of
our country; and every year the grand
march of progress and improvement
is moving in that direction with gi-
gantic strides. The union of families
by. intermarriageis stronger than po-
litical partisanship or sectional jeal!
household ties is the ruling sentimen.
of civilization. Woman nature is
human nature, and love and devotion
will conquer all prejudices. Let me
give you a fact as illustrating my faith
in the new union of the sections.
A WAR REMINIscENcE.
During the war--it was in 1868
Colonel b. of a Northern State was an
officer on the staff of prominent
Union general, in command of an
important post in the South. AS
military requirement an order was
issued that all the Southern inhab-
itants-men and women alike-within
that military Jurisdiction should take
and subscribe to the oath of alle-
glance. This was, undoubtedly, O
bitter pill for many of them to swallow
at that time, as their sympathy and
hopes were for the success of the
Confederate cause. But the demands
of war were inexorable, and those
that remained submitted from dire
necessity and took the oath with,
probably, many mental reservations.
One day Colonel b. was directed to
visit family of prominent Southern
sympathizers and administer the oath
to the ladies present, consisting of
mother and two daughters. The gall
liant Colonel performed his duty in
the considerate and gentlemanly style
which uniformly characterized his
relations with the 'secesh' women of
the South. He knew in this instance
that the accomplished young ladies
entertained the most intense prejudice
against the 'yanks,' and were very
bitter towards the Federal officers.
Naturally enough he expected some
sarcastic remarks, if no other demon
stration, while in the discharge of his
duty. The young women, however,
made virtue of necessity, restrained
their pent-up feelings, and quietly
complied with the military command.
ITS HAPPY RESULTS.
''Time rolled on and the war ended.
In subsequent yearsa great many ex-
officers of the Union army revisited
the South to take look at the altered
scenes Of their previous military ex-
ploits. Colonel B. was one of this
number and called at the house of the
family above referred to, where, sew
eral years before, he had administered
the Yankee oath of allegiance. He
was now o welcome guest and hos
pitably entertained.
"In this case, as in a great many
similar instances, the whisperings Of
little Cupid superseded the voice of
war, and the gallant Colonel became
enamored with one of the sisters.
His affection was reciprocated and the
two became man and wife. Another
ex-Union officer married the other
sister.
Colonel B., who is now promi-
nent citizen of Washington, and
were talking but few days ago on
this very subject of practical and sub
stantial reconstruction by intermar-
riages, and how love and devotion
would overcome all sectional hatred
and prejudice, and he said to me My
wife, one day, in referring to war times,
said that the first time she saw me
she and her sister were looking out Of
n window of their house at my ap-
proach, galloping on horseback up the
long, winding lane, and they knew by
my uniform that j was the Federal of
iicer coming to administer the hateful
oath Of allegiance, and their feelings
ut that time were so bitter and intense
that they both expressed the wish,
onI 1nanut IL i'm fhair hearts that thn