PUBLIC SENTIMENT IN THE SOUTH-WEST, Kiev Om.KAxs, Ja.w 3, ]S67. A Northerner visiting New Orleans for the first time cannot fail to receive an entirely new appre ciation of the magnitude of the blow struck at the rebellion, and of the consternation with which the leaders of the rebellion received the intulli geuee, when, on that May morning, in ISG2, the dreaded fleet of Farragut made its appearance on the Mississippi, and the Crescent City lay at its mercy. It is hardly possible fully to understand how thoroughly this is the metropolis of the South—a great commercial aud social heart, whose pulsations are felt throughout the entire body of the late would-be confederacy, without a glance at the various destinations of the many hundred steam and sailing vessels that crowd its extended levee, and mingling with the crowd of visitors that, during the winter months, centre here from every Southern State. In many respects New Orleans is the same city now as in 1861. Unlike almost every other point in the South, it bears no trace of the desolations of war in its material progress. It is visited by the same people, whose conversation evinces the same hatred of everything of yankee origin, and whose ingenuity develops’itself in the same efforts to exclude northern people, northern principles, and northern influence, from their country now, as then. The same mayor, Monroe, whose rebel lious conduct after the arrival of the fleet in 1862 would, by the laws of war, have justified a bom bardment of the city, again presides over its mu nicipal destinies, professing to have become tho roughly reconstructed, and a loyal man, par ex cellence; and his character as such has, within the last two weeks, been abundantly sustained by the testimony, before the Congressional Commit tee here, of many witnesses of the highest social standing. The terrible riots and massacres of unoffending citizens, on the 30th day of July, perpetrated by the police of the city, under the direction of the mayor, show the standard of loy alty that is orthodox, in this community. Many who have heretofore been planters, are now coming to the city to engage in trade, having become disgusted with a year’s experience of free labor. A conversation between two of the class I over heard in the cars, the other day, in Mississippi, is a fair expression of the prevailing condition: jof feeling in this region of country among the plant ers The conversation was about as follows: A. Have much of a crop this season ? B. Not mor’n a quarter of a crop, and I-don’t medri ISo try it again. Plantin aint wliaf it’fcsed to be. !&. No, it aint. I’m going to sell out as soon as I have a good chance, and go to the city. The fact is, niggers won’t work unless you can makc’cm B. And they are so insultin. Of course if one was to offer me a downright insult, I should knock him down. A. Of course, of course. B. , But they are so aggravatin; I cant stand e’m, and I mean to give up the business. A northern man, who has made a successful crop in one of the parishes of this state, gave me to-day, as an illustration of the encouragement “niggers” have to work, on a majority of the plantations, an account of the management, for a single day, of his nearest neighbour. The plan tation, a large one, is owned and carried on by two young men, who, about eight o’clock in the morning, take a cup of coffee in bed. In the course of an hour they get up, take a drink of whiskey, go among the cabins, and curse and threaten any of the hands who hav’nt gone to work; about ten, take breakfast, saunter down to a grocery, and spend a couple of hours with a pack of greasy cards, and the usual accompani ment of bad whiskey; return and ride about the place, giving directions as to the work, &c; din ner; return to the grocery; cards, whiskey, and an occasional fight, until late on in the night. The same programme substantially every day. These are the class of men who. on every occa sion, complain dolorously that “ niggers won’t work unless you are allowed to make’eru ” I have met, since I have been here, many northern men, who have tried raising cotton for the first time, this year. The crop has been, generally, nearly a failure, on account of the unfavorable season; hut, except where the hostility of the. people has compelled them to leave the country, with no ex perience, they have generally succeeded better than the old residents, and I have not heard I'rom any of them the complaint that * niggers won’t Work.” Many of them complain of petty annoy ances, and all who are at all out-spoken in their union sentiments, are relentlessly excluded from aR Bocial intercourse. Ido not hear of any case of men being driven out with actual violence, but the absolute impossibility of bringing to justice, through the courts, any offender, for outrage com mitted upon any known union man, begets a feel ing of insecurity. The most marked instance that has come to my •knowledge of daring the fullest measure of south ern prejudice, was ? -that of Col. Frisbie, who, a year ago, when' his regiment of colored troops were musterecLeut of service, contracted with the entire force, 'took them to Rapides Parish, and THE AMERICAN PRESBYTERIAN, THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, ISG7. with a quarter of a million dollars capital, leased five plantations on Red river, in the most lawless and desperate community of the whole South. In the course of the summer he was obliged to send for arms, and organize his force for self-defence, lie was successful in his planting, gathered his crop, and, during the present week, brought his regiment back into this vicinity; but such was the organized and constant persecution in the shape of frivolous arrests, and suits at law, threats ofassasination. and every conceivable species of an- noyance, that all the cotton 6n Bed river would not induce him to repeat the experiment for an- other year. The normal condition of this essentially French town, is excitement and exhiliration, but the past ten days have been so marked in this regard, as to form quite an epoch in its history. For the first time in fifteen years, the ground was yesterday morning covered with snow. A lady at the hotel table, with true southern politeness, remarked she knew it was the nasty radical Yankees that brought it. That, however, has not been the general tone of remark A philosopher, native in this locality, observed, a day or two ago, that the temper of the New Orleans people was pro- perly classified under three heads: the sugar pe riod, the vinegar period, aud the aqua forth pe riod, and that they were at present passing through the first classification. The Congressional Com mittee to investigate the July riots were, on their arrival here, overwhelmed with-attentions. De putations were, on the very first morning, succes sively received from the Mayor, the City Council, the Lieutenant Governor, the Attorney General, Chief of Police, and from a committee of the “ best citizens,” offering rooms for their accomo dation, every facility in the prosecution of their investigation, dinners and social hospitality to an extent that would have occupied the committee a month had they been accepted. All were cour teously, but firmly declined. Their mission here was one of stern duty, and there was no time for festivity; the authorities tendering them were themselves accused of complicify in one of the most atrocious wholesalenmrdersever perpetrated, and a tribunal sent here to determine their com plicity could not, without embarrassment, accept the hospitalities of the accused. The committee occupied rooms at tlie St. Louis Hotel, remained in session twelve hours each day, not excepting Christmas or New Year’s, and accomplished an amount of work in ten days that, as committees sit in Washington, would have occupied three months The result of their investigation, when pub lished, will disclose in detail such atrocities as almost to make one blush that he is an American, and will fasten the responsibility, as in the" Mem phis riots, on the very men whose sworn duty it was to protect the defenceless, and .to see that the law was not violated. In the case of New Or leans, however, the heinousness of the offence was aggravated by the attempt to break up the delibe rative body, under whose action these officers themselves held their commissions, and the na tional humiliation it involved is greater because of the action of the chief magistrate of the nation giving color of authority to the perpetrators of the atrocities for their murderous work The other body of radical congressmen, known as the Congressional Excursionists, had no official duties to prevent the acceptance of any hospita lities tendered, and never were more crowded into two days, than the distinguished visitors enjoyed on Friday aud Saturday last. The scene of Ben VVade, escorted arm iu-arm by Gen. Beauregard, was an unusual one, but the effect of such excur sions, in which the representatives of oue sectiou met iu friendly intercourse with the other, canuot be otherwise than beneficial. F. 11. FROM OUR ITALIAN CORRESPONDENT. Genoa, December 25th, 18f>6. CHRISTMAS— -HOW CELEBRATED IN ITALY. As Christmas comes round, polities give place to pampering of the appetite and exchange of presents. This is the one great general holiday of the whole year, to which many have been look ing forward for months in ardent expectation of a feast. Poor people sometimes stint themselves for days, that they might have a lull table on Christmas. The midnight mass and the church ceremonies of the early morning, are little thought of' iu comparison with these more relishable reali ties. It is the custom here to keep the shops open all night on Christmas eve. Gorgeously lighted up and adorned with evergreens and flow ers, they present a pretty sight to the crowds who parade the streets, feasting their eyes on the de lectable dainties, and anticipating, with no ordi nary pleasure, the treat of to-morrow. I\have been told that the present generation grieve over the departed glory of the past, when Christmas day was celebrated by no less than three sumptu ous meals, at each of which the amount consumed was enormous. Yesterday I was present at the festa given to the children of the Waldensian school. It is an annual treat to the poor little things. A large Christmas tree had been prepared and covered with presents, and there was a goodly gathering of the parents and others. The children came in when all was ready, singing a hymn composed for the occasion. Of course there were no absentees, and altogether they numbered more than 70. It is gratifying to be able to add, that the vast ma jority of them are Roman Catholics, but .we find that not only do their parents send them willingly to school, but are much interested in the progress they make, some yesterday expressing high satis faction with what they saw and heard. After the pastor had spoken to them about the birth of Jesus, they received their gifts and went away glad in heart. EDUCATION. HOPE OF ITALY IN HER CHILDREN AND YOUTII. There are three teachers—one for the boys, one for the girls, and one for the infants, who average 25, besides daily' Scriptural instruction The minister, once every week, collects them all together, to question them on the Bible, and see what advance is made. Then there is the Sab bath-school, conducted -on the prin iple of Mr. Woodruff from America, who paid us a visit al most three.years ago, and did a vast deal of good in establishing and improving schools in many places. The “ Scuola della Domenica,” the Sun day-school Magazine, was then started, and has succeeded admirably well. Besides the Walden sian school, there is another in connection with the Free Italian Church, whieh has been in ex istence many years, and has branches in Turin and other cities. It is divided into 4 classes— -42 children in a 11—27 of them Protestants, the rest Catholic. I have before me the report of the Committee of the Evangelical Schools in Leg horn and extract from it the following infor mation : The number of children who have frequented our schools the past year has been 192. All of them, with two or three excep tions, are of Roman Catholic parents. In the the boys’ school. 83; in the girls, 53; in the in fant class, 57. The result of the annual exami nation was most satisfactory in writing, reading, arithmetic, sacred history, geography, and the Italian grammar This will give you some idea of the state of evangelical education in this land. The percent age of those who can read and write in the north of Italy is not very high, but in the south it is deplorably low. I forget what the precise figure is, but am safe in, saying that 90 out of every 100 are unable to overcome the three R’s. This is the natural result of the bondage under whieh King Buniba kept the Neapolitans. Now, how ever, there are signs of improvement. The go vernment has established schools in every parish, where education is free, and, upon the -whole, good. Religion is, of course, perverted; still, many of the facts of the Bible history are made known to minds that would have beeii sunk in utter ignorance of every thing, had the old regi me continued.. The great hope for Italy lies in the rising generation. Often have I heard this stated. Comparatively little can be done with the present. They are so ignorant and careless, and thoroughly engrossed with commerce, that no impression can Be made; The young offer a more promising fieli# - Sowing the good seed now, there will be a harvest afterwards. Hence, one of the principal cares of every pastor, is the school in connection with his church. And in each centre of evangelization, the children are carefully and earnestly taught the word of God, whieh is able to milks them wise unto salvation throu°-h faith in Christ Jesus. TRANSLATION OF THE MASS. A new work is just about to issue from the Claudean press iu Florence—tbe translation of the Massa—the mass—from Latin into Italian. This work lias been assigned to Signor Ribetti, of Leghorn, a man well fitted for the task. Be sides translating it, he supplies copious notes on the absurdities, contradictions, and falsehoods of that famous litany. It is rather remarkable that no translation into the vernacular has yet ap peared; and if the book only excites the priests to denounce it from their pulpits during eomiun lent, the probability is, that such public adver tisement will immensely increase its sale, and may open the eyes of not a few to the real nature of their worship, about which I am confident two thirds of the most devout worshippers know al most nothing. BARBAROUS AND UNSETTLED STATE OP SICILY The Palermitan insurrection has been sup pressed, and the cholera, after a month’s fearful ravages, has disappeared, but Sicily is still in a very unsettled state. The Italian Government had taken little pains to conciliate the people after their annexation to the new kingdom ■ and they would not he warned of the danger, which was visible enough to those who did not shut their eyes. Hence, it came upon them suddenly, and severe measures had to be adopted for re storing peace. This has not yet been fully ac complished. Bands of brigands invest the imme diate neighborhood of Palermo, and there is no protection for life or property. The barbarism of the middle ages reigns. A new outbreak would be no extraordinary occurrence. Sicily is rather a hard nut for the ministry of Victor Immanuel. The great question of the day, however, is that of Rome. Now the Venetian fetes are -over, and the king returned to his capitol, universal attention has been directed to the eternal city. What would happen when the French troops went away? Would the Pope remain, or would he flee? Would the Romans rise at once or would they patiently wait the proper time? Such questions were put on every side, but no answer could be given. It was so entirely unprecedented, no one could even form a conjecture. The tele graph brought us tidings of regiment after regi ment embarking at Civita Vecchia, until at last the French flag was lowered from the Castle of St. Angelo, and the Pontifical standard hoisted in its stead. There was no ceremony, no salute, no concourse of people on the neighboring piazza. The whole thing was done in the presence ot a few casual on-lookers, and without the slightest demonstration. The Emperor has been true to his promise— perhaps only too glad to rid himself of such a heavy burden. It will be a very grave necessity indeed, that ever makes him tike it up again. General Montebello’s interview with the Pope is well known, doubtless, to your readers. The old man would not believe that his defenders were really going until the last moment. When he saw the General come to say farewell, he could doubt no longer. In the anger of desperation, his holiness lost his temper, and said things which would have been better unsaid Lifting up his hands and eyes to heaven, he paused in the mid dle of his reply, after stating that his help was in God. The action and attitude powerfully im pressed, yea, filled with deepest awe, the minds of the officers before him, who half expected mi raculous interposition on his behalf. He then made some significant reference to the state of the Emperor’s mind, as if it was more affected than his body, and expressed his intention to pray for him, that he might become a Christian, as he was ruling over a Christian people. This unfortunate manifestation of temper has done damage to the cause of the poor feeble old man. Montebello was extremely angry, and the speech has been excluded, at least the angry parts, from the offi cial French papers. Hitherto there has been no disturbance in Home itself, or any of the provin cial towns. Every thing remains quiet. Tnc National Committee are busy at work, and the Romans sensible enough to leave themselves and their interests in such safe keeping. CONCILIATORY SPIRIT OF THE ITALIAN GOVERN The Italian Government have sent an envoy to the Papal Court on a mission of reconciliation They are prepared to yield a'great deal, as in the appointment of bishops and manner of their con secration, and form of oath they must take. How it is all to end, time alone will show. The latest proposal one hears of is, that the Pope should re main in Rome with the shadow, but not the sub stance of temporal power; his people continuing subject to him, while sharing all the privileges of Italian citizens It is to bo hoped, at any rate, that Oavour s gra d principle of f i free church in a free state, will be mainta ued and acted on, so that the gates of the eternal eity may lie open to the heralds' ot the cross, and the glorious gospel preached once more in it as in the days of the Apostle Paul. AN ITALIAN ESTIMATE OP THE POPE’S BLESSING. As an index of the state of the public miud re garding the v.lue of the Papal blessing, the fol lowing paragraph recently appeared in the papers here:. “ Pius the IX blessed Italy in 18-18, aod every thing went to ruin from the Alps to the Adriatic At G-aet-a he blessed the old PourboD and his dynasty Every body remembers the disgusting death of the one, and the miserable end of the other. In Ancona he blessed three large merchant ships As soon as they had gone to sea they foundered, and their crews perished He blessed Lamoriciere and Pimodan, when he urged them to fight against the Italians at Cas telfidardo One fled dishonored, the other killed by an excommunicated bullet. He blessed the Polish revolution and it was put down in blood. He blessed with his whole heart Catholic Austria, and she was conquered and humilitated by non- Catholie Prussia. He blesses now the Empress of Mexico, and the poor lady goes mad. For the love of heaven, let not the Pope re-blcss poor Italy, or she will be certainly ruined.” SAYING NO TO ONESELF, That is wliat self-denial exactly means. It is very remarkable how much our Saviour makes, and how constantly He spoke, of it. He took the greatest care that not one of His disciples should be in doubt on the mat ter ; and especially on occasions when they were in danger of makinga mistake, such as in seasons of His greatest popularity, and when the multitudes were thronging Him with peculiar demonstrations of admiration and attachment; or when some particularly dear view of His messiahship caught their attention, He impressed upon their minds ie fact that His service was no holiday work, bat something that would call for self denial every day. “Whom do men say I am? He asked. “The Christ of God'” joyfully exclaimed Peter. “If any man wi „ come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily and come after me ” the Lord replied. He was very frank, and would have no man become his disciple under any misapprehension as to the terms or the re suits of idiscipleship. Self-denial saying no to oneself’ has from dol Ye t °-t ’ bCen tte law 0f His ki“S -m. Yet it is no arbitrary enactment hft only just what we should expect, somethin* growmg out of the nature and thenceiS ofthmgs. What good is there which men get that does not involve self-den^ not? 0 " 8 good that does 1 Goethe, in liis remarkable poem. I exclaims, What has this world A r •Thou slialt renounce! Thou slialt reiio;; And so it is every where; we are called to renounce some present gratiih ;u:. » future or higher good. It is a law that a over everything with which we have to . hold the present in check, and aboyain the future. Sec how it is in the mail gaining knowledge. How much one h deny himself! The school boy must himself his play; the man say no to hi, lenee, his pleasure, his ease, while he : himself to the work of disciplining storing his mind, he must say no to panions, to blue skies and green field-; invite; say no to appetite that li is inti may not be clouded, if he will be wise, how it is in the matter of health, hou pctually one must say no to himself, must not wear, he must not eat, he mas go just wheu and what and where | K ' Or, you might carry the reflection on i i n, lower and the lowest realm of bodilyuppe and propensities. If a man intends to e bis food even, he must deny —say no to, self; it will not do for him to give u strained indulgence to his taste or de: he must eat to-day with care, so as to i his body in a state where ho may e another meal to-morrow, and in the eon days; he must even compel himself to that the food may have a keener relisl and by. Seo how it is, too, in the social world, one intends to be happy, or make auy else happy, lie must say no to himself, temper, you must not, you shall not b sway. My selfishness, you shall not go you shall not disturb the peace of the ho Now, it is this universal principle rum through every thing, that our Saviour m; the ruling principle of His kingdom, should expect nothing less. The Go takes what applies to the lowest, and dir it to the highest good. Do.you think t if it is necessary to deny oneself' to ob these inferior, and even contemptible g things, it wiLl not, ought not to be ncces to get the very highest? Do you think i if it be necessary f'pr you to deny your, to say no to yourself, to be wise, to m yourself comfortable, to keep well, to ni your food or your sleep, that it will mu necessary for you to say no to yoursel become good, to become holy and (it Heaven ? No; you must say no to your body; appetites and propensities are to be dc: when they clamor for indulgence; w they call, you will have to say, •• no. must not.” Some habit or desire has b your companion all along, but now you v to follow J esus; so you say to it, “ farewi It holds your hand as you think to lea you try to shake it off, but it clings tighter; you make a sudden effort a"nd grasp is for a moment loosened, bat another its arms are around you hol li you tightly. Now you cry “ stand m but it does not obey. You struggle, ami struggle becomes a wrestling, it is hard : forces the beaded drops from your liter; and by, iu a happy moment, you hurl v foe to the ground, and hold it there, vw ■ need not think that all is over and well .a It has its eye fixed on you, it waits <mlv opportunity, and will shake youoff and 1, you in its turn. Yon watch and sav. you shall not get up again.” This ‘is - denial. You did not make terms with your S : ,v when you came to Him. If you did . never came at all. You have only il, that you came. No, you gave up all. inn m ?r t S T$ : 110 t 0 a t? reat many thin::' yoursdf. Pleasure will call, hut I'mv , ca l louder, and you must say no to I here is a sick chamber to be vi>iird. i the P atient repulsive am! p.-evi the night is blustery and cold, your chair:, s ppers snugly placed are very invito,.: i the place of prayer and the little cirri brethien claim your presence; yon sav. il lT* t 0 S°>- but are to ,/•/- ’ ITmt tO /°> that "’ha. v yourself. ° llbt f °r—you are to say a °P,ol'ty Y°u Call vour own: b ?ve itT ed r hard for ik voua.v f ? m, a T ay f ° l ' Gbl ‘ iat - You do no. - Shat !t exac tly; you are to d„> SvYv t, y ° U d 0 ™ to do. V. v-on’ h le A Va Y> that it is your own. V call ® a 3 V ear ! of Price whirl. y vvho\ think that the mcreliaiiini. I nei \ hat > SOld all that he had to huv i chonr!e. r bcald of any one getting it ' cheaper terms. You did not Now chi*' yousoW ,// r L thepro P ert y is n °t vours. Stm nlrl W V h u^i S 5t that yea call ally - : a tesfhforT^ atter of self-denial one mav t"‘ reSion t?'V’ e isioU ’ lf y« u have an .a; o’ d ° es n °t every dav i'V4 i: “ relfofon % n ° K to Yourself, iris not Tnri j You have probably made a trvimr l here A? no s °rt'of use lor a ■«* the whi be a Christian and yet trying :l not wist 6 +-° esca P e self-denial. You llL ‘; fowofPL tln ? e , 01 ‘ trouble. It has hoc" t!l hundred nSt 3 kl "gdom more than curl"** not maf yearS ~ aQ invariable, law. Ik «’: lalie a special exception in your case.
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers