Year: 1866

that the Southern press, with few exceptions,


and those mostly of newspapers recently es-


tablished by Northern men, abounds with
; weekly and daily abuse of the institutions


and people of the loyal States; defends the


men who led, and the principles which Incl


ted, the rebellion; denounces and reviles


Southern men who adhered to the Union !;


and strives constantly and unscrupulously,


by every means in its power, to keep alive


the fire of hate and discord between the Sec


tions; calling upon the President to violate


his oath of office, overturn the Government


by force of arms, and drive the representa-


tlves of the people from their seats in Con-


gress The national banner is openly insul-


ted and the national airs scoffed at, not only


by an ignorant populace, but at public meet


ings; and once, among other not able in


stances, at dinner given in honor ofa no


torious rebel, who had violated his oath and


abandoned his flag. The same individual


is elected to an important Office in the lead
ing city of his State, although an unpardon-


ed rebel, and so offensive that the President


refuses to allow him to enter upon his official
duties. In another State, the leading gener-


al of the rebel armies is openly nominated


for Governor by the Speaker of the House of


Delegates, and the nomination is hailed by


the people with shouts of satisfaction, and


openly endorsed by the press.


Looking still further at the evidence taken
|


shown by witnesses of the highest character


and having the best means of observation,


that the Freedmen's Bureau, instituted for


the relief and protection of freedmen and re-


fugees, is almost universally opposed by the


mass of the population, and exists in an eff


ficient condition only under military protec-


ton, while the Union men of the South are


earnest in its defence, declaring with one


voice that without its protection the colored


people would not be permitted to labor at


fair prices, and could hardly live in safety.


They also testify that without the protection


of United States troops Union men, whether


of Northern or Southern origin, would be
obliged to abandon their homes


The feeling in many portions of the coun-


try, toward emaucipated slaves, especially


among the educated and ignorant, is one of


vindictive and malicious hatred. This deep
seated prejudice against color is assiduously
cultivated by the public journals, and leads
to acts of cruelty, oppression, and murder,
which the local authorities are at no pains to
prevent or punish. There is no general dis
position to place the colored race constitut-
ing at least two-tifths of the population, upon
terms even of civil equality. While many
instances may be found where large planters
and men of the better class accept the situa-
tlon and honestly strive to bring about a
better order of things by employing the freed
men at fair wages, and treating them kindly
the general feeling and disposition among
all classes are yet totally averse to the tolera-
tion OF any class of people friendly to the
Union, be they white or black and this
aversion is not unfrequently manifested in an
insulting and offensive manner.


The witnesses examined as to the willing
ness of the people of the South to contribute,
under existing laws, to the payment of the
national debt, prove that the taxes levied by
the United States will be paid only on COM
pulsion and with great reluctance, while there
prevailed to great extent an expectation
that compensation will be made for slaves
emancipated and property destroyed during
the war. The testimony on this point comes
from officers of the Union army, officers of
the late rebel army, Union men of the South
ern States, and avowed secessionists, almost
all of whom state that, in their opinion, the
people the rebellious States would, if they
should see prospect of success, repudiate
the national debt


While there is scarcely any hope or desire
among leading men to renew the attempt at
secession at any future time there is still ac-
cording to witnesses, including A. II. Ste
phens, who may be regarded as good au-
thorlty on that point, generally-prevailing
opinion which defends the legal right of
secession, and upholds the doctrine that the
first allegiance of the people is due to the
States, and not the United States. This be-
lief evidently prevails among leading and
prominent men as we'll as among the masses
except in some of the northern
counties of Alabama and the eastern counties
of Tennessee


The evidence of an intense hostility to the
Federal Union, and an equally intense love of
the late Confederacy nurtured by the war, is
decisive. While it appears that nearly all are
willing to submit, at least for the time being,
to Federal authority, it is equally clear that
the ruling motive is desire to obtain the
Advantages which will be derived from a
representation in Congress. Officers of the
Union army on duty and Northern men who
go South to engage in business are generally
letested and prescribed. Southern men who
adhered to the Union are bitterly hated and
prosecuted. In some localities
have been instituted in State |
courts against Union officers for acts done in |
he line OF official duty, and similar prosecu-
ions are threatened elsewhere as soon as the
nlted States troops are removed All such |
demonstrations show a state of feeling against
which 1t IS unmistakably necessary to guard.


The testimony is conclusive that after the
collapse OF the Contederacy the feeling of the
people OF the rebellious States was that of
lbject submission. Having appealed to the
tribunal of arms, they had no hope, except
~ the magnanimity ofther conquerors, their
ives and possibly their property might be
Unfortunately the general issue
u PoiNoHo W oCISOLS WHO lt(t De6n DfOmln-
mt in the rebellion, and the feeling of kind
less and conciliation manifested by the
Executive, and very generally indicated
Trough the Northern press, had the effect to
ender whole communities forgetful of the
rime they had committed, defiant toward
he Federal Government, and regardless of
heir duties as citizens The conciliatory
neasures of the Government do not seem to
ave been met even half way. The bitter
ess and defiance exhibited toward the
United States under such circumstances is
7ithout a parallel in the history ofthe world
n return for our kindness we receive only an
lsulting denial of our authority. In return
'r our kind desire for the resumption of
'aternal relations, we receive only an insolent
ofrights and privileges long since
,rfeited. The crime we have punished is
araded as a virtue, and the principles of re-
ublican government; which we have vindi-
ated as so terrible cost, are denounced as
MUST and oppressive.


If we add to this evidence the fact that,
Though peace has been declared by the !