The comet. (Johnson City, Tenn.) 1884-1916, 1890-10-02
CONCERNING THE SOUTH.
Some Extracts From Gen. Thrus-
toms Address In the City OF
Toledo. ohio.

At the reunion of the Army OF the
Cumberland at Toledo on the 18th of
last month Gen. G. P. Thruston, OF
Nashville, delivered the Grafton OF the
evening. The Toledo Bee, referring
to tins speech, says editorially; 1T
takes man o rave tact and judgment
and of fine literary ability to prepare
and deliver M Grafton upon war issues
OF the past and present from South
ern standpoint that shall win the at
tentiol and approval OF a great North
ern audience such as was assembled
at the reunion last night. Sentiments
like these expressed do more for real
union and brotherhood than volumes
of recrimination and tome OF force
legislation. His plea for sympathy
and patience with the South in the
difficult problem which it has to work
out must touch the heart OF the true
patriot, the lover OF the whole country.
The address reads well, but the elo-
quence of Gen. Thruston's delivery
added greatly to its effectiveness"
We give below some extracts from
the speech:
have lived for more than a quarter
OF century in the heart OF the South
and in an atmosphere largely OF South
ern sentiment and sympathy upon the
special political and social questions
growing out of the war, ] need not
say to my old army comrades that my
own views have not always been in
accord with these sentiments; at the
same time | would be recreant to the
truth and to my friends and neighbors
in Tennessee If l failed to state that /
have personally received every kind
ness and consideration at their hands
that a self-respective gentleman OF my
autecedents and political sentiments
could ask or expect.
have lived in Nashville-a beauti
full and prosperous city, a city oI
churches and colleges, good order and
good citizenship, city, ! may say
representing along with others OF iti
class the best educational and pro-
gressive forces of the South, and wei
representing also the industrial, com
mercial and fraternal spirit OF the new
order of things
No one can belong to the Sou b
without realizing the unanlmity o.
sentim nj regarding the war that nus'
hive prevailed in the old slave-holdinl
districts after serious hostilities began
The exceptions were rare. Tie canu"
fail to realize that the soldiers OF thu
South were sincere in their 1Onvlc
tions Of duty and in their allegiance Il
their rction. Men insrrrre aud net
uated by mprel passionate impulses
or unworthy of base motives, hav'
never shown such courage or fidelity
The men who served III the Conied
crate army nre among the best citlIen
OF The South. In the main they ha'
their children to compose Its educated
and conservative classes. No ex Fed
eral soltlc, or gentlemen from Tn
North can reside there without helm
brought into intimate relations wit
them. They have engaged IN til
earnest duties Of life with the faithful
ress exhibited by the Union soldier
The n. iyati0rs Of the war, the lesson
OF victory and defeat, the experienc
of many campaigns, association wit
each other and with strangers hav
had an educating and liberalizing e
feet upon them. The average ex-CoT
federate has little time for partisa
politics. He is minding his own bus
ness. There is nothing snail abot
him. The old Johnny Reb usually 81
lutes the cold blue coat with kin
and hearty greeting. They general
become friends. Ostracism and di
courtesy ps rule are unknown anon
the people who understand the civil
ties of life and have some respect Il
the opinions Of Others. The individu
who is so constituted that he cam,
be comfortable away from home e
cepting among psople entirely OF h
own way of thinking, especially upc
subjects political or social, will occ
sionally find himself or imagine hir
self in reasonable amount Of hot W
ter at the South or North-in faC
anywhere else.
After a liberal experience in knoc
ing about the world, can justly 81
looking from a standpoint above
political or local considerations -th
the traveller or immigrant from I
North will find no heartier WELDON
or people OF more hospitable or ge
erous impulses than in the South
to day TO be justly appreciated th
must hs known at their fresides,
their churches, in their business re
tions and not entirely through tn
own public jom nails, whose occasion
passionate expressions are heralded
the North.
/ may say also that the traveller
immigrant may find sometimes otl
kinds OF people there, All the so
people are not huddled together
any one section. In the war time
once caught one Of my soldiers in