Vernon County censor. [volume] (Viroqua, Wis.) 1865-1955, 1911-03-29
TRICKS SACK TO STIRRING var DAYS

A
and his comrades put filth and dead an
imals in SIS m8nyo OF the watering places
as possible TO make it hard for Grants
army. which was chasing them. to get
good water. That movement was i'm
mediately after Vicksburg was captur-
ed and the weather was intensely hot.
on that march some of our men drank
water that hogs had Just been wallow-
ing in.
The principal industries of Biloxi
called Bloxv) are gathering, canning
and shipping oysters. there being many
oyster boats and three large canning
establishments By the extensive use
of commercial fertilizer the gardens
yield good supply of vegetables the
year rounG. There are several appar-
emily prosperous churches The Epis-
copai has several memorial windows,
the following being copy of one of
them:
t sls story Of eSaCi usryi the memory Of Jeffer-
SON Davis born is0S died 1859. FIRST and only pres
ident Of che Confederate States Of America: de-
voted patriot. able soldier and wise statesman.
Blessed are they That are prosecuted for right
eonsnes5 sake. for theirs is the kingdom Of Cod
Whatever hero worship may be evil
denced by such memorial, it scarcely
aceords with sentiments of LOYALTY 70
the United States government now free
ly and frequently expressed by many
native southerners with whom | cor
versed while on my trip. One man.
resident of Mississippi. had the cheek
to accuse me and my fellow soldiers
from the north of coming down there
to fight to free the slaves. | promptly
said, mo, sirl If you or any other
southern people think that, you are Ell
tirely mistaken. We came to preserve
the union of the states, and for nothing
else. said little verse in one of our
army songs expressed our sentiment
exactly. We sang
We care not for your cotton,
We care not for your slaves:
But rather than divide the land.
Wen fill your southern graves"
quoted this to him and also told him
of a conversation had with an old cit
izen of Louisiana when | was prison.
or there in 1864. He had asked me why
we northerners came down into their
country TO fight them why not let them
go in peace2 | had asked him who own
ed this land about sixty years before
and what was done with it? He answer
ed that France had it and sold it to the
United States. | said, Eyes, that's
just il and it belongs to the United
States now. You are trying to steal it
and we are here to prevent your doing
so. If you don't like the United States
government, move out, emigrate; wen
let you do that and don't care how
quickly you go, but
Rather than divide the land
Wen dll your southern graves"
While was saying these things to
the fellow the other day, he gave re-
spectful attention and then admitted
that it is better to have the states unit
ed and the negroes free. Nearly every
one ! conversed with about the negroes
conceded that they make fairly indus
trious citizens and are less troublesome
free than they were when slaves.
Mound Bayou Is neat lively town in
northwestern Mississippi. having bank
and other business houses owned and
managed by negroes. Two white citi-
zens of Mississippi voluntarily called
my attention to this negro town, to
prove their capacity for doing things.
While returning through southern Mis-
souri,, a midde-aged man of that state
expressed great disgust that so great a
war should have been fought for SO
small cause as freeing the slaves, and
he cursed the negroes for being here
and suggested chat they ought 10 be
sent away As soon as | had chance
gave him the same line of reasoning
! did the Mississippisn and also defend
ed the negroes for being here, rs they
were brought against their will and
have no other place or home TO 10 to;
besides they are needed here. He as
scnted to all | said and charged their
war leaders with having made an i'm
mense blunder in surprising the United
States could be split into two nations.
Why, il would net do al all and he
seemed TO be very glad his ancestors
we're beaten and the union preserved.
suppose the sight of my G. A. X.
button called out some Of these con-
versations While waiting in VIcks-
burg station for change ot cars, | ask
ed an oldlah man if he were a resident.
He 8aid, Yes, this BIAS been NY home
over seventy years So / asked him
| ii he were there duri Il the siege He
replied rather Segrtif, No. WAS in
another part of he country Just hen,
and he walked away from rae as If he
ili not care 10 talk.
The CENSOR haViag previously stated
that my southern trip included visit
with Ny brother, | wish 10 correct a
little error The statement that had
not seen him in the last thirty years,
was wrong. but from September, 1854,
10 June. 1855, was over thirty years in
which We did not met. Stree then we
have met five times. This time he was
slowly recovering from his first sick
ness In about seventy five years, and
was too weak TO visit more than a few
moments at time. AZ he has the
best of hospital care, we thought it adj
yisable to postpone my visit till he is
stronger. In his pinety-ciRhth year he
has been approached with reference to
reelection this spring for city treasur-
er and WAS promised that neither party
y would put up any opposition. He de-
cllnes and says he is going to work af-
ter this just for his health