The sun. (Wilmington, Del.) 1897-19??, 1898-04-17
SOUTHERN WAR SPIRIT

EOOl 1ALAeN w INV M
Expressions of Loyalty Fully Bears
Ont the Statement That We
Are One People.
The country has been gratitied by the
expressions OF loyalty which have been
generally made from time to time by the
white men OF the South who wore the
gray in the war between the States five
and thirty years ago.
Those expressions have been taken,
and very correctly, to indicate in no un,
certain way that We have a united
country, whose people everywhere are
ready and anxious to defend the honor
and dignity OF the nation against Spain
or any other foreign power.
1t has been worth the money so lar
spent to put the country in proper con-
dition to wage war, ii necessary, to have
this expression of loyalty from the white
veterans of the Southern States.
1t will have an invigorating effect upon
the people OF the whole country ana 1t
will be sufficient warning to foreign
nations that the Ieople OF the great re-
public are more united, more national i'll
Character and purpose, than they were
before the institution Of slavery forced
them into long bloody and costly in.
ternecine conflict; more united and
stronger under condition OF universal
freedom than when the country was
'half slave and half free
A gentleman in speaking OF the situa-
ton says:
81 was in Atlanta when the Maine was
blown up in the harbor OF Havana, and
soon after | travelled in Alabama and
Florida, and everywhere | went the
American sentiment, devotion to the
Stars and Stripes and desire to have it
out with the Spaniards without any red
tape were prevailing convictions which
cropped out in public and in private
speech, by white and by black, by native
and by foreign born citizens.
But it was noticeable everywhere
that trere was little of the excitement
and enthusiasm which are 50 manifest
in the Northern and Western States.
"The great newspapers OF the South,
while earnest and eloquent in pleading
for manly and dignitied attitude on
t. part OF the United States, were yet,
like the masses OF the people, deliberate
and temperate in their expressions.
THE self.possession of the people OF
Florida, who are nearest to Cuba and
who would be likely to bear the brunt
of the conflict in the event OF hostilities
with SPAIN was something remarkable.
"At Jacksonville in east, Tallahassee
in middle and Pensacola in west Florida,
the people had little to say about the
war, but what they did say was pregnant
with loyalty to the Government and
with determination to do their whole
duty, if it was required Of them, in de-
fence of their State and OF the country.
There was no installing the loyalty
Of the masses of the white people OF
Georgia, Florida and Alabama.
Indeed, this loyalty was ST. pro-
nounced Us to throw in the shade that OF
the Afro Americans, who, for the most
part, have no military organization and
whose sentiments are not expressed by
the daily newspapers, and who were not
averse to having the whites take the
right OF way to place themsel yes in
sympathy with the national spirit and
purpose
But there was needed no reatfirma-
ton of loyalty and devotion to the re-
public by the Afro-Amercan population
Of the South, nor is any such needed
now
They have been as true as the needle
to the pole to the republic in all its wars,
t,,r nd IN H.
to Appomattox, aand they are as true to-
day, and when called upon by the ma
ton will respond a million strong even
as they responded 200, 900 STRONG between
1860 and 1865.
"When the nation has needed them
there have been no laggardS and towards
among tie Afro American citizens; they
have responded with splendid zeal and
courage to the call OF Washington and
Andrew Jackson and Abraham Lincoln,
and they will respond to the call OF
William Mckinley when he shall need
them
There are 10000, 900 Afro Americans in
this country, and there are among them
Il million OF as good soldiers as ever
shonldercd mlsket. What a magniti-
cont army is this. Marsllaled to the fray it
is safe to say ttat the black soldiers Of
the republic would be- Il match for the
army OF any European country that
might be sent against us
Surely, judging from the futile efforts
Of 100000 Spanlards to conquer ;'O,Wn
Cubans within Il period OF two years,
they would make short work OF the
Spanish army if they could get AT it,.
And these men are rs eager to Iigth to-
day as they were in l77G in 1872, and in
1860. if the necessities Of the country
require it, and now they have country
for which to fight, whereas in the
periods indicated they had none.
Then they were slaves hoping for
freedom; now they are Tree men, citizens
OF Il great country, in whose well being,
dignity, and honor they are as much
concerned us the rest OF their follow
! citizens, and just as ready t" lay down
their lives and fortunes tur it.