The age-herald., 1898-03-30
LEAVE OUT THE NORTH
Commander-in-ChIef Goblin Says That the
 South Would Whip Two Spains

Chef Gobin Says That the South Would Whip Two Spains From the Baltimore Sun.
 Gen. J. P. s. Gobin, commander -in-c chief of the Grand Army of the Republic, has re- turned to his home. Lebanon, Pa, after an absence of about two weeks in the far south, whither he went on departmental business in connection with the Grand Army. The general was intervlwed Mon day and freely expressed himself. Yes" said he, in answer to question, q made a tour over several states that many years ago I visited under different conditions. And I want to say had I been the greatest friend the south ever had I could not have met with heartier well come, been more cordially greeted, had more attention bestwode on me, been made to feel more at home. Talk about bloody shirt there is not any. I never heard a muttering even In any place I went. and every place I stopped In I met with noth- ing but the most brotherly treatment
 At campfire in Atlanta I believe there were more confederate buttons than Grand Army insignia and many of the faces of the fair sex belonging to societies snlilar to our Women's Relief Corps were present. At Decatur, Ala. I met with the same kind reception. Decatur, expected would be hostile, for Shermans army left it only
 
 are two cities side by side-Decatur and New Decatur-a population of about 8,000 We had a campfire there, where also sev- eral splendid speeches were made by ex- confederates
 While in Atlanta two large guns ar rived destined for coast defence at point I've now forgotten, but our party was in- vited by several leading citizens to take in the sight We saw the guns, but never in my life did see more American flags than I did that day.
 Loyalty shown in Decatur was not want ing in other places, particularly Charles ton I say particularly because there l went around more and had better oppor- tunities of hearing all shades of opinion. I was met by the mayor and committee of citizens all ex-confederates, and enter tained royalty. Fort Sumter may not be as pretty as 1t once was, but it looks more formidable. Old Moultrie is still there. Forts Johnston and Ripley, Battery Wag- ner and Castle Pinckney, formerly Fort Beaureguard."
 The general replying to a question as to the view entertained by southerners as to the probability of war between the United States and Spain and what part the south would take, said:
 n 'sYou can leave out of calculation, so far as men are concerned, all the states north of Mason and DiXon's line, for l believe the south will furnish more men to our | army and navy than we would need to whip two Spains. They resent the Maine massacre and hate the cowardly treachery Chat brought it about, and they are only too willing to avenge the heroic dead and the blighting insult. Added to this is a de- sire to show us northern men that the south resents the imputation on it's Americanism by the bare suggestion that as a section it is for peace at the expense of national honor I do not believe that in all these United States are more loyal, patriotic and brave men than the Tigers of the confed- eracy.
 And I think, by the way added the general, "that these newspaper fellows are a little off in their loud declarations that our coast is defenseless, and that our coast cities are alt the mercy of any foreign pow CT. I have good reason to believe that we can give the best naval power ahoat more of a job in levying tribute In our commer- cial centers than any one thinks. I have the utmost confidence in our ability to easily defend every port from Portland to Galveston Our coast is not defenseless, and we are not at the mercy of any for eign army"