Year: 1868

ehIouSuout tne country. And this Is aC


cepted accepted at first as necessity


accepted very reluctantly and with mucl


indignant feeling, but now there is in M


opinion growing conviction among sober


minded men hat heaven is to be thanke,


Tor this unforeseen and unexpected resul


which the war has brought about. Their


are constant references of it to a highe


power that overrules all things, sometime


mysteriously, but in way which they are


compelled to acknowledge is for wise anC


good purposes, and they think they are


beginning to see some of these purposes


The tone OF their preaching in this respect


is changed. My own personal observation


In eight or ten States has convinced me


that there is prevalent opinion among the


better men both in the clergy and the laity


that the abolition of slavery is one of those


great dispensations Of Providence before


which every man is to bow sincerely and


without reluctance. Sometimes it costs a


struggle; their property is gone the insti-


tuition which they once loved is gone; the


whole order of things is passing away, and


many OF them are doomed 10 pass the rest


of their days in poverty. And yet they


believe that a higher good is come about.


and they view things with a Christian


submission. [ think they await the devel-
opments of Divine | evidence. | have


nothing to say Of party politicians or Of


the questions which particularly divide the
Southern men among themselves; but of
that class of people, the practical, sober,
serious and earnest, with reference to the
purposes of life, | think they have come
decidedly to this one idea, that slavery
in the first place, is for ever disposed of,
and very large portion would not, if
they could, have it reinstated. The doe
trine of the South is gone don't speak
as politician. They say almost univer-
sally that whatever may be their opinions
they appealed to arms and got decision,
ana they Will accept like men of honor
Not few say that the chief author of
their calamities, which are tenfold great
er than the North can understand, was a
mind in South Carolina which
wrought out theory of human slavery,
and endeavored to prove that it was right,
was the author of more misery than any
man who lies buried in the South. Cal
hounlsm is dead at the South, and | have
heard this said by many men of good
stnding whose sympathies run on that side
The thinking men, and | will tonight con-
fine my attention to the sober, thinking men
who will in the end control the South, ad-
nit, step by step, all the legitimate conse-
quences of our emancipation. They see
how far-reaching they are as clearly as we
do. They know that the whole order of
civilization is about to be changed They
know that the civilization to which they
were attached by conviction as well as at
fection, was carried as far as it was posi-
bic to carry it, and that human society
could not have gone in the way of improve
ment. 1t was like feudal system which
ean accomplish a certain result and devel-
op human society to a certain point but
not a step beyond With all their calam-


ties they are rejoining in the belief that
higher order OF things is coming and that


hey will see the Initiation of it. APP
,lause. | know there are men who think
iifferently. Perhaps it may bo said that
among the thinking men we should make a .
and that there are some who
hnt the world Is coming to ruin, that all
he government is to be annihilated, that
his country is to become one great monar-
hy, and that republican institutions are at


n end. There is indeed class that en-
ertain these ideas, but they are dying
dying of grief, sadness,


nd disappointment. have heard often
f this individual dying from no other
ause than that he saw all the hopes of


for himself and nation entirely
'lighteC,. But this class Of persons belong
0 the past. They undoubtedly deserve q


ecent regard, but we have only to attend
heir funerals. They will gradually de-
line and be forgotten with the system
which they so regret. But the men ofthe
uture have 4 different spirit and differ
mt faith, and you will understand why it
; so. They admit that under the old sys-
EN- Of slave labor it was impossible to
make progress as rapidly as under free la
or. They admit that Society cannot make
ny definite progress where labor is not re-
pected, and that society can only attain
he highest degree of development where
Intelligence and freedom exist among all
lasses. They are ready to admit that
heir system was net adapted to such
tate. All the consequences of emancipa-
ion will be admitted, and are to a very
,reat extent admitted now and whatever
nay be the views entertained in regard to
he past, there is this conviction, becoming
more and more general very day, that all
heir society, all their institutions of soci-
ty, and all the working of their system is
0 be recast and Northern principles are
o prevail. They say this in whisper,
'ut they say it. Applause.l There is no
ther industry than Northern that can de-


elop the natural resources of these States;


10 other way in which the mineral wealth
f the mountain regions can be brought
ut, III which the rich soil of the fertile
can be made to yield as it ought
n which the immense population can be
Imported on its own land. The same thing
yhich has given so much wealth and influ-
nee to the North, can be bestowed on
undreds, to say the least, at the South
1ducation, universal education has become
D no small extent the favorite doctrine
18th many of the strongest and most infu-
ntial minds at the South. may be al
owed here perhaps, to refer to an event
Ihich | spoke of on another occasion, in |
mother place. While l was in the South


attended a meeting of the Teachers AS +,
ocation of the State of Virginia. and was
luch interested by a report and discussion s
n the subject of a public system of edu- i
alton and free schools, such as we have
4 the Northern States. The report ad-
ocated very strongly the establishment
f such system for Virginia. The dis 6
usson went all over the South, and the $
,eeting was made up of the leading pro-
essors of the University of Virginia and
ther colleges and high schools in the Stae,
nor nf hiorh talant and lonr A. lA