, 1863-04-25
g. LOUISIANA SH4.AVEa1OLE9s
EEk.S VIEW OF AFFAIRS.
WEST FELIc1A.A, March II, 1863
To Cut'bcrt Dullitt. Esq. Collector Port Of New

WEST FELIc1A:;A, March II, 1868.
To cuthbc1t Dullitt. Esq. Collector Port Of New
orleans:
My DEAR STE: had just seen your ap-
was rejoicing over it, drinking your health,
unfortunately out of my last bottle Of clartt.
Your appointment was due to yourself per-
Ecnally, and to ycur sacrifices, and an sure
it will exert = stlutay influence on public
opinion. It will crafty your friends, It will
encourage the friends Of the union in the
St,uth 10 pcrsevere in their faith and in
tll-1r efforts, and it will show that the Coy
cr1mcnt does not overlook them or under
value them.
I am no friend, and cannot be expected to
be, Of the policy Of the Administration on a
certain great question, but I regard it only as
exorablc necessities of var Golden oppor-
tunities have been offered to the South to pre-
scrye ills peculiar institution in the state in
which the war found 1t, and yet cherish the
hone that before another year transpires the
old condition Of things will be restored. 4
offered to the South would long Since have
been accepted. The Northern Republicans
denounce slavery as the curse Of the South.
This is not go. The cnTse Is not negro
slavery. The curse is, VIC are the slaves Of
politicians, and they have ruined us. Our
people are not, like the Northern people, con-
tails; educated universally, and accustomed to
the discussion Of :the lyccum, the lecture
room, The pulpit and the press. We arc
purely agricultural, dispersed over vast e1-
tent Of territory, few newspapers circulating
among us, and the masses deriving their no.
ton Of politics in the main from the speeches
of Members Of Congress and other itinerant
orators, Hence the prevalence Of error
Hence the widespread dclusion that the elec-
tion Of hfr. Lincoln would ruin the South,
and that secession was the only remedy.
Secession never sprang from the people; on
broaclcd several times within the last fifteen
years, aud had been rejected by every South
esn State, save South Carolina. Even those
that acknowledged, as once did, following
Dir. Jefferson, the abstract constitutional
right Of secession, rejected it rs practical
measure. In our towns and cities. in Vicks-
burg, jackson aud Natchez, in Baton Rouge
Aud New Orleans, whcro the people were the
best Instructed, the majority were opposed to
secession. But the politicians, acting on the
scattered and uninstructcd rural population,
were enabled to carry over two States ont Of
tions that refused to submit their ordinances
to 4 vote Of the people.
It is remarkable fact, too, thatthe persons
most prominent in these conventions were
men that had previously rejected notification
ard accession, but who perhaps, not realizing e
all they had hoped for under the Union,
plunged madly into re1olution: Take siidell,
Gov. Moore, Sparrow, Kenner, Morse, Conrad,
and others, in Louisiana, and Davis, the Yer
gers, and many others in Mississippi. The
best L Mon speeches ever read were deliver
ed by Davis only three or four years since, in
Maine, when he was, believe. the guest Of
Gov. Sheplcy. Hc commenced his political
career us candidate Of the Union Democracy
| Of that State. Disappointed ambition, ope-
| Ta'ing on temperament noto7iously selfish,
made him what hc is, and brought Us to what
We arctic slaves Of 4 military despoti5nl.
arenot cchocs Of public sentiment. They arc
| mainly in tile hands Of young. ignorant men,
CT the instruments Of Davis, having no prop
erty but the laTgesscs they receive FROM Rich
mond, and therefore laowling - war; when
the great body OF the people sigh f2r peace
ing generally prevails among our large plan
ters, especially among those Who, ikemyself
are natives Of the State.
1t Is great error to suppose that the veal
thy portion OF the community ate the wors
@ enemies OF the union-just the reverse. Tue!
have been forced into their present attitud'
by The military power at Richmond. the tlreas
contiscation and fear Of the mob. Wealtha an.
agriculture neEcr breed revolution. On ii
these points will say uorc when I see you
our peril. Ay. property has deprecated fiji:
Per cent, and though 1neyer whipped negr
in my life, never had an oyerseer, never had
slaTc to run away, never had one arrested TO
crime, and always feed, clothe, and nurse then
we'll, and give them a chance to earn goo
| w:ges for themselves, I hare lost seven Of m
hest men. Years ago I adopted Gen: Banks
idea Of 1 system Of voluntary compc1sa1fo
Tor negro labor; not one Of my people carne
Ices than SIS, except those who were to
lazy to work. This year I have given ther
one Of my best 1e1ds-seventy-nv acres
which am now planting IN the celebrate
Monterey silk cotton. It will be cultivate
in my time, with my teams. I supply subsi*
tence and clothing, picking: ginning and pacl
half Of the proceeds. This is my yoluutaT
plan fixed on as far back as September las
when commenced plowing up the field.
accords with the plan recommended By Ge1
Banks to the planters Of Louisiana, but wa
: l assure You, adopted By me- antccedently.