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REV. A. J. RYAN, Editor
AUGUSTA, Ga„ JANUARY lG,~lßfiff
fir ALL AND
BUSINESS LETTERS FOR THE “BAN
NER OF TIIE SOUTH” SHOULD BE
ADDRESSED TO THE PUBLISHERS -
L. T. BLOME A CO.
We are in receipt of many letters
containing invitations to lecture in various
places, and for various objects. We beg
leave, once for all, to state that the condi
tion of our health and the pressure of
local duties will, for the present, prevent
us from accepting any invitations ; and
this notice, we hope, will be a general
answer to all invitations already received,
and will save us from receiving any
more.
we^stllllive.
There is a very pretty classic fable,
which aptly illustrates the present con
dition of the South. It is related that
Anbeus was a giant who gathered new
strength in his combats every time he
was dashed to the earth. The Earth was
his mother, and as her son tripped upon
her bosom, she infused such strength in
his veins that he became invincible to
every foe. So with the South. Cruel
war laid her prostrate. She was levelled
with the earth, but the earth that grows
the sugar-cane and the Cotton, gave her
fresh power; and, to-day, thanks to the
dear old mother, her youth is renewed
like the eagle’s and she rises from
humiliation like Antaeus of old.
Three hundred millions in cotton; a
sugar crop such as has not been known in
years; a yield of tobacco that is something
surprising; arc the jubilant notes of that
tiding which reaches us of what has been
done in the South in the year just past.
Starting with no debt, or but very little,
working literally from the ground up, the
South is to-day rearing her head anew
among the peoples; and, as her brow
greets once more the sight, all men can
sec that the ehiefest stars in her diadem
are yet lustrous with hope, with glory,
and with power. Who says she is pow
erless ? Who whines we did wrong
over the sods that enshrine the departed
brave r' Who now is ready to abase his
face in the dust and his hand to his
mouth ? If such there be, let him depart
out of Israel; for, in this revival of glory,
there is no part nor lot for the weak
knee, and craven, and sneak. In the
wonderful prosperity wherewith it has
pleased Infinite Mercy to bless us, in the
past year; in the noble prospect there
reaches before us of further bountiful
harvests in this ; in the rush that is now
making of our quondam oppressors to
invest their means in this land; in the
pledge these investments give that every
man who makes them, or is interested in
them, will henceforth, though only from
mere selfishness, cast his vote against
further anarchy, despotism, and wrong;
aye ! and in the almost solemn hush that
this bound, as it were, of the South into a
promise of wealth and power lias brought
about—in all of them, are written the
less »n that was conveyed in the motto of
the Southern Confederacy, Deo Vindick:
for, though it pleased Ilim to abase the
Good Cause, it was only for a moment,
and now, in another way than we thought,
in a way that wc knew not of, lo ! look'
you, lie is indeed our Avenger, our
Sustainer, and our Guide to a speedy
future where the stoutest of the enemy
will not so much as dare to wag his head
at the Rebel, but shall rather seek to
take him by the hand, and swear by that
mustard-seed, his soul, that he, in good
truth, never hated the South, but loved it
in bis heart, and was ever inclined to
think it had the right.
Is this picture overstrained '! Let us
sec. Just twenty years ago, Hungary
fell before the bayonets of Austria and
the Czar. Men said its hope was gone,
and, doubtless, there were manv smuo
fellows who advised acquiescence, and
accepted the situation, even as one of old
accepted of thirty pieces. But others
there were who spat at and defied the
cruel tyrant, and hid deep in their hearts
the memory of the past and the purpose
of the future. Twenty years passed, and
now wc see, no later than this very last
past month, that the Emperor of Austria
propitiates Hungary, and, to secure the
assistance of her people, gives Hungary
her own. Look to Italy. How short a
time since was it, scarce ten years, that
the Austrian sabre rattled in Venetian
palaces, and Austrian grenadiers stood
guard in Lombard cities. Now cast your
eyes there; the banner of Austrian domin
ion no longer is seen, and Venice is mistress
of herself. Circumstances, you see, are too
strong for tyrants. The Earth loves her
children, aud, when the strong hand hurls
them down, forthwith she sets them up,
strength in their limbs, courage in their
hearts, and tire in their eyes.
What happened to Hungary, what
Venice saw eomc to pass, is now enacting in
the sweet South. Eight years since, the
war-drums throbbed their warning, and
the trumpet called the valiant to play the
man. Four years since, the smoke
wreaths melted away into thin air on the
Held of battle, and now, in turn, the dark
clouds of treacherous oppression begin to
break, Not one of the ‘‘loil” but, when
he hears the marvellous wealth of the
South, yearns to put, his money there, and
not one of them, mark you, when he does
put his god in Southern laud, or mills, or
cotton, but will be as staunch an opponent
of further iniquitous and paralyzing
legislation as the truest of us all. Good
cometh out of evil, and for the Almighty
Dollar these men will vote, and speak,
and use their influence; yes, and if need
be, fight just as wc, for a restoration of
good laws and the maintenance, uphold
ing, aud enforcement of the Constitution
of our fathers.
Antaeus, you see, is now the South.
Has been dashed to the ground and the
foe thought his victory secure, but, from
the ground uprising, backed and bolstered
by the kindly, fruitful Earth, Antaeus is
on bis feet once more, and now look to it,
ye who tripped him, lest, if you do not
give him his own, he will wrench it from
you in a day when there shall be none
to help, but many to laugh at your calam
ity, and mock when your fear cometh.
THE COMING OF THE MISSIONARIES
TO GEORGIA AND FLORIDA.
At the request of our ever-zealous and
saintly Bishop, the Redemptorist Fathers,
who pieaehed the missions last year to
our people, with so much fruit, return
oouth, during this month, to repeat their
work of zeal.
Our people and Priests will welcome
them, and God, wc arc sure, will bless
their labors. In anticipation of their re
turn, it may not be unprofitable to many
of our readers to know who they arc; why
they come; what they intend to do. Last
year, while giving missions to the various
Catholic congregations of this Diocese,
they were harshly assailed from not a few
pulpits of our dissenting brethren ; their
intentions were misrepresented; their
style of preaching was severely censured;
they were held up to ridicule; and nothing
was left undone fairly or foully to coun
teract the effect of their preaching. They
did their work, went their way, and said
not a word, nor wrote a line in defence
of themselves. After their departure, wc
heard of some very nonsensical sermons
pronounced against them. And the very
men who assailed them ansi scoffed at
their work knew nothing in the world
about them. We propose, in a few
words, and simply, to speak in their de
fence. Who are they ? They are men,
who have sacrificed this world; who have
taken vows of poverty, chastity, and obe
dience ; who lead a life of mortification
and retirement; who spend their years
subject to strictest rule; who devote hours
and hours every day to prayer and study;
and who, when called by the spiritual
necessities of the people, leave their re
tirement for the one sole object of calling
sinners to repentance. The world would
be astonished to know the strictness and
rigor of the life they lead in their Monas
teries, as well as the hard and arduous
labors which they so cheerfully accom
plish while on the Mission. They come
with no worldly aims; they leave their
solitudes to preach, to a forgetful world,
“Jesus Christ and Him crucified.
They seek no money; they are forbidden
by rule to accept any compensation.
They are obliged, by vow, to bo poor ;
only their travelling expenses are defray
ed. And what do they intend to do ?
Only this—to arouse men and women to
the realities of another world ; to preach
to them of death, sin, judgment ; to in
struct them iu their duties, and to per
suade their fulfilment; to call the people
from the finite to the contemplation of the
infinite. Stern, strong, rough words they
use. So did John the Baptist; so did
the old Prophets ; so did our Saviour
himself on more than one occasion.
They are men who do not believe in
treating evil with politeness; they stand
on no ceremony with sin ; they call
things by their right names. They are
earnest men ; they will not abate one jot
or tittle of the law. Rough truth rather
than smooth phrases, is their motto.
Their sermons are something more than
tinkling sound. Unused to mingling
with the world, they know not how to
deck Truth with flower and ribbon
rhetoric. They are ignorant of the latest
styles of presenting eternal realities to
men’s minds. New fashions of preaching
find no favor with them. To the old, old
fashion prevalent in Apostolic times
they cling. And hence, they preach
with power; hence sinners throng about
their pulpits, and crowd to their confes
sionals. They are terribly in earnest;
and the people love, and trust, and be
lieve the earnest man.
Let those who assail them try and live
the life of self-sacrifice which those Mis
sionaries have voluntarily chosen. They
could not do it—and would not—it would
be too hard for (heir flesh and blood.
A fine house, with a pretty wife and
children, and a highly refined congrega
tion, and a beautiful Church, and an easy
life*, and a handsome salary, and enough
7v 1 O
of written sermons to last a few years,
and to be lauded by the people, and no
fasting to be done, and not two hour’s
praying out of every twenty-four, and a
nice trip to some watering place every
Summer, and uo sick calls to the lowest
hovels of filth aud siu, Ac., Ac.—such, in
deed, is a very easy, very attractive,
very delightful, very pleasant Ministry.
Anybody would be glad of such a Min
istry—no wonder so very many are seek
ing it. But not everybody could be a
Redemptorist Missionary. Would it be
unfair to tfliuk that those who assail these
Missionaries, do so because they are
picqued at the contrast between their own
lives and that of these hard-working,
sel f-sacrificing men.
Self-indulgence never did like self
sacrifice. The indolent man never has a
good word to sav of the hard worker.
The pleasant, comfortable Virtue that is
riding to llcavcn in a carriage, has always
made faces at the v irtuc which, foot-sore
and weary, yet patient and unflagging,
walks the pathway of thorns. If men are
to be judged by their lives—if lives arc
to be judged by sacrifice—there are few
men like the Retiemptorist Missionaries.
They know the Christian secret—sacrifice
commands success; and may the success
of their preaching, this year, surpass that
which crowned their works last year, is
the prayer of ail ol those fui whose
spiritual interest they return to this
Diocese.
TROUBLES IN THE SOUTH.
There is no doubt that, if the terms
agreed upon between Gens. Jonnson and
Sherman had been complied with, and a
general amnesty proclaimed forthwith,
peace and prosperity would have been
speedily restored throughout the whole
country, and “the Union,” made as strong,
if not stronger, than it was before the
war. But the Congress of the United
States saw fit to undertake a reconstruc
tion of its own constructing, and the
result is now visible in the ruin, desola
tion, and Negro lawlessness which now
prevails in the South. We say “Negro
lawlessness,” because the white* people
have not only tamely submitted to the
status of affairs, but, in a measure,
covardly submitted to outrages and in
sults on the part of the Negroes and
Radical leaders. The charges, then, that
the Southern States need re-reconstruc
tion, is as false as it is malignant and
mean; the only reconstruction being now
required is the removal of Radical leaders
and emissaries from our midst. If these
were out of the way, we should have no
trouble, and quiet, at least would reign
supreme everywhere.
In another place, we Mve an interesting
letter from Savannah, detailing the par
ticulars of the recent riots on the Ogeechee
river, below Savannah, showing very
clearly that the white people of the
vicinity were entirely blameless, so far as
causing the rebellion on the part of the
Negroes, was concerned. That they
were equally blameless in deserting their
wives and children, and leaving them to
the mercy of the savage law-breakers, we
are not prepared to admit; but of that
we shall not pretend to judge. We are
at present only dealing with the state of
affairs in the South, and the origin of
serious difficulties. We are anxious for
the honor of our section, and anxious to
rest the responsibility of all our troubles
where it properly belongs—upon that
party which boasts the title of “Repub
lican.”
Look at Arkansas, too. There, where
Radicalism is triumphant, and reigns
supreme. Sec what its “loyal” Governor
Clayton is doing —organizing Negro
Militia under one General Catterson, and
turning them loose, to sack towns and
plunder their defenceless inhabitants.
Late Arkansas papers show that this
Militia is composed of Negroes who are
taken from the fields and from labor,
which must necessarily stop in conse
quence; and, under pretext of arresting
certain parties, they have been called
into active service, seizing upon towns
and villages, robbing the houses, insult
ing the citizens, and committing all sorts
of outrages, under the authority of the
so-called Governor and Gen. Catterson.
And yet, there arc lying hypocrites
North and South, who dare to stand up in
the face of these patent Radical outrages,
and declare that the South needs recon
struction —that her people are disloyal
and turbulent. Surely, it is enough to
test the patience of any man or people to
be so persecuted and so misrepresented;
and w e can only protest our innocence of
the wicked charges against us, and hope
that the people of the North will some
day awaken to a sense of the mean in
justice which is now characterizing their
conduct towards the South; and that, if
they will not aid us, they will, at least,
let us alone, to protect ourselves against
internal foes and peace breakers. We
can do it. We don’t want any help. If
Radicalism will only stand aside, we can
soon restore order to our section, and
relieve the Yankees of any trouble or
anxiety in our behalf.
EDITORIAL NOTES.
COR RESI ’O X DEN CO S 0 L IC IT ED.
We want our readers in the South,
from Texas to Virginia, to send the
Banner of the Sourh short articles
7
pointed and interesting, giving the quality
of the land, whether timbered or cleared,
its price per acre, and whatever else may
be likely to interest parties at the North
and West, who may desire information in
reference to the agricultural, manufac
turing, and commercial interests of the
South.
Arkansas. —General Grant sent one
of his Staff officers to investigate the out
rages of Clayton’s Negro Militia in
Arkansas. The officer reports that the
Militia have oidy tabc 1 » provi sion fn> 1 a
the people for their own subsistence, and
that the outrages committed were nioi e
in self-defence than from a spirit of law
lessness. It is, however, admitted that in
a few instances, individuals attached to
the Militia did commit outrages, hie
summary punishment was inflicted o n
perpetrators. The sacking of towns and
the outrages inflicted on women and chi!-
dren by Clayton’s debased and drunken
Militia, are mere trifling outbursts of
“loil” indignation against the stiff-necked
Rebels! The good and true people . f
Arkansas are insulted, robbed, outraged
and murdered, and in place of putting i
stop to the work of destruction by the in
terposition of the strong arm of the Gov
ernment, the infamy is suffered to go on
and the whole affair is white-washed
This is Congressional Reconstruction
stripped of its toggery and standing out in
all its naked deformity. This is the
Reconstruction which Radical Puritan
philanthropy would impose on the South
A day of reckoning will come just as
sure as night succeeds day.
“Loil” Legislatures. —Bogus Legis
latures are now in session in the States of
North and South Carolina, Florida and
Louisiana. These miserable shams are a
disgrace to the country, a burlesque on
deliberative bodies, and an insult to the
intelligence and virtue of the Southern
people. They will be swept out of ex
istence when the people of the North re
turn to their senses.
The Ogeechee Negro Insurrection.
—The Ogeechee insurrection, below .Sa
vannah, Ga., has quieted down lor the
present, and many of the prominent
actors in it have surrendered to the Mili.
tary, who have turned them over to the
civil authorities. Great destruction was
done to the plantations on the Ogeechee;
houses and lands were sacked and robbed,
and the stock driven off and killed, ami
cultural implements were broken, and,
in some instances, our people were killed,
and, in others, severe bodily injury was
inflicted. This is one of the blessed re
sults of Radical Reconstruction. If our
people protect themselves, and attempt
to suppress insurrection and execute the
laws, Congress votes us all rebels and
traitors. It will not do to trust us yet,
for the “loil” carpet-baggers and Nation’s
wards could never protect themselves
against the fury of the Rebels, after the
withdrawal of the bayonets. So reason
the ‘Toif’ Congress, and we of the South
are now reaping the fruits of Radical
wisdom and justice. But there is one
very sure, and it would be well for
o «'
Radical Congressmen and Radical Sena
tors to put a pin in it—“ You may recon
struct Georgia as often as you please, and
in whatever way you please, but you can
never give the State over to worthless
and irresponsible vagabonds and outcas t
unless you do it by the persuasive elo
quence of the Army of the United stales.
If you can derive any consolation fmiu
this you are, entirely welcome to it.
Death of General Rossf.au. —General
Rossca.ii, who died, after -a brief iline.s,
last week, at New 7 Orleans, was a bravv
soldier and a gallant officer. His ma -'
nanimity toward the South since • ter
mination of the war proves him to bavt
been a man who was entitled to eui
respect and esteem for his generous aim
noble conduct. General Ro- an wa- •
native of Kentucky He served tbroo:: a
the war with distinction; was •<’
Congress from his native Mato; can n
whining Radical member ot tne - !■ '
resigned his seat in consequence:
nominated a Brigadier-Gemm! ■ v
President, and, after seme dehu,
confirmed by the Senate; was ordoe"*-
Alaska, and subsequently reeah'.’d '•
‘ h -
sent to New Orleans, about six m
since, where he died very sudm-nl; •
Pollard’s Yindictivenf-s * '
week’s number, we publish Mi. I
unfair, and, in our opinion,
tide on the departure of President b-*'-
It is a shame that a Southerner coum -
found to entertain such opinions jA •
motives and actions of our fallen < <>'• :
Smash Up in' the Kahicai. ( A ''
, sl„ v i lii-.t to the
Gen. Grant, wnl prove wtn.v. ■ •