The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-03-03
THE sOUrHs VIEW OF THE MAT

IN Tho DAVIS when radicalism was ram
n, o,d no humiliation that could De
49,. mon che South was thought by raoi-
cal leaders too extreme, John D. 4n5''''7'
,non a Senator from Kansas was
loader in our prosecutions. But lhsA''s'
,.o,opso he has come to know
Nm better. has turned COM
nls,elv about and is now one Oh 'ne
soptb's most pronounced friends ana ao-
,o,rers He was in Washington a oay OF
90 h,cs and he said TO reporter that ne
had inst returned from very EXTENSIVE
twin through the South. where ne ''''
hoo, delivering lectures. lie went oN
then to say Of US the followins'
"The pulse, temperature ana res 49, 80,
81 tho south are absolutely normal ~.
a. mn fever nor excitement no ucD,.0-,
- frorzv in any locality that l Nlsi'eu'
nv, ,.rnner Of the people Is rational pa
triotic and admirable in every way.
tho clubs in the hotels, on the ''''o
destruction of the Maine anu '"o
lions of the United States TO the oo l.'.,.
between Spain and Cuba were
topics Of discussion, and hearu 10 49,
mont for war except as q last IeSol' '0'
the defence of the honor OF lne 49, ,ha,
"rbe belief appeared TO be general ina,
tho Maine was bown up D. intention ailu
not bv accident. but whether done 10y
C,bans or spaniards. the disposl'loh
secrood universal TO acquit the authorl-
ras of any guilty knowledge coilusloh
or completely in advance OF positive proO'
TO the contrary. .,,
orhe tone of the newspapers IS remark
ailv judicial and conservative. except az
Atlanta where the Constitution eXhiolleu
eome Ten acy toward hysteria.
"The gra ity Of the situation Is au-
r,itted by Fry one and the possioih'y
~ war conceded. but the attitude OF the
administration f. cordially approved ana
the conduct Of the President under pe.
sonal provocation is especially coinmehu-
ed. 80 &C.
"The most e. hfying indication to me ~
the growth nd development or the ma
tlonal spirit in the South. The Mario"
nrovincial'sm of the past is gone. me
polnts OF the compass are dlsap-
bearing from politics ana s1a.e
lines arc finding from the map.
Notbing is less desired than war
lint If war should come the veterans
of Lee and stonewar Jackson would
strive TO surpass the veterans Of Grant
ana Sheridan i'm their devotion TO the
honor and glory of the nation and It's
hag."
We do not think the state OF feeling
and opinion IN the South in regard to our
relations with Spain could have been
more happily or correctly described by
any Southern man than it is here de-
scribed. The people are, as Mr..
ingalls, says. perfectly calm and
self-possessed, but. TO a man, they
are resolved TO stand by the government,
IN any complication that may arise out
OF the Cuban matter, ana If war becomes
necessary. they will embark their last
man and their last dollar in the nation
rause The South does not want war.
The great body Of our people would de-
ploro it as a calamity, but If the ma
tons honor or its safety require war the
South viii grid up its loins and face the
inevitable with all the resolution and
| self-sacrifice that 1t showed between 1861
and 1860. II hardly needs any assurance
to convince any one who knows the peo-
ple of the South that this is so. sin, the
! utterances that were recently attributed
! to General Hampton make 1t proper tha'
these things should be said.
We were glad TO see in our kilograms
Of Yesterday q statement from General
| Hampton that he had been misguided
| We felt absolutely sure Of this when his
ALLEGED statements were published. There
is no living man more loyal 70 the mem
| orv OF the Confederate struggle ihaI
| General Hampton, but, Ike al true an1
genuine Confederates, he has accepted
! the results Of the war in good faith anc
with the same loyalty. and there Is nc
man living more faithful to the Unor
now than General Hampton is. H'
would no doubt deprecate war with Spain
as all Of US do. and he would gladly avoid
Il II our honor and our interests MAKE
that possible But IL the situation reache!
| a point that requires war with Spain w
DO not believe there Is an American living
| WHO NoA4A support thc EDNti hiHt'-- - 49,
war more Loyalty and more vigorously
than General Hampton would.
Dir. ingalls, is perfectly right In say,ni
thai the belief is general amongst tn
Southern people that the Maine was blown
ID by design and not by accident. W.
believe the opinion is almost unanimous
anongs, our people that this Is SO Blu
tho very general consensus that the Span
ish government, had no hand In 1t is vel!
| ren4arkaDle indeed. We doubt II there n
any sc, tibn OF the world more oonserva
tive and just in It's view OF the mattel
than the people OF the South. The feel
Ing is almost. II not quite. unanimou,
here that some Spanish tends did the fou
deed. but that they did Il upon their owl
Initiative and not with the inspiration 0
the Spanish government.