The Marietta journal. [volume] (Marietta, Ga.) 1866-1909, 1890-02-06
A NORTHERN MANS
VIEW OF THE SOUTH AS HE SAW 1T.

lanta, Marietta, and other points in
Georgia, the latter part Of last year,
writes to Mr.. James G. Sanges, OF
this place, from which we take the
following extract:
81 owe the Sunday SO delightful
ly spent in beautiful Marietta to
your kind thought. The beauty Of
the scenery, the cordially of the
people whom we met, the ascent of
Kennesaw mountain, and the mag
nifcent view from its summit, are
fixed in my mind so indellibly that
shall never forget the slightest de-
tail. Were it not for the gruesome
reminder in the two cemeteries, and
the remains of the entertainments
on and about the mountain, one
could not believe that a scene so re-
poseful had ever been disturbed by
the fierce strife that surged over it
a quarter of a century ago. Kindly
nature is slowly but surely doing it's
share Of obliteration, filling the
trenches with soil and covering
them with her beautiful vines and
flowers, let us hope that the few re-
naming demagogues being in like
manner covered, the war will be-
come to the people North and South
memory of mutual heroism TN
poisoned by any lingering sentiment
of luminosity.
You will, | suppose, be curious to
know my impression of Southern
life, particularly on the much dis
cussed question of the negro's posi-
ton and prospects. I will give them
to you briefly and candidly. l have
never given any credit to the cur
rent reports of his harsh treatment,
believing them, for the most part,
inventionr or exaggerations of poll
ticians to meet the exigencies Of
politics, published by partizan news.
papers and accepted as gospel by
those who take their opinions ready
made from them.
/ had the idea in mind when
went south and watched carefully
and closely for evidence to that end,
but found none. On the contrary
found in many respects their oppor-
portunity for development and ad.
vancement, much better among you
than US, and in no respect did | find
it worse. The social breach be-
tween the races is just as wide and
impossible here as it is there. With
US it is the rarest of spectacles tc
see black man engaged in any o.
the mechanical trades. He is gen.
orally limited to the most servilt
employments. While in Atlanta
noticed that black and white car
penters and masons were employed
on buildings in about equal number
and, l suppose as it should be, or
equal terms. l paid particular at
tention to the quarters in which
they reside, and l observed nothin.
worse than the habitations in which
they are allowed to live here. In
deed, a house must be in the las
stages of ruin before black family
will be permitted to occupy it. 0
course We have instances where {
black man has by industry anC
thrift, with the aid of favorable cir
cumstances made himself comfort
able homeand so have you. / have
seen them and am satisfied that the
qualities that make him successful
and respected here, would produc,
the same results there. Of cours,
to the politician that is all nothing
He cares not how the black mar
may be fed, housed and clothed,
only he vote right, and if he doe
: not vote right be makes the countr.
ring with denunciation of Southern
outrages on the negro, intimidation
and notification of his rights as ;
, citizen are charged, and the "pass
| ion is torn to rags" on that theme.
AS no election took place while
J was in the South, l cannot speal
} with positiveness as to that. / sim
ply do not believe it. at least not t.
anything like the extent charged
| am satisfied that the fundamental
right to make living according t.
his capacity is not denied to the ne
gro in the South, and it will require