, 1863-09-19
IMPORTANT ADMISSION OF +.
HEBEE. WRITER.

REBEL WRITER
The National InteUigeneer published
letter, few days ago, signed John Adams,
Jr., which the editor says is from the pen
Of q resident in Richmond, Va, well
known to the editor as man Of discern
ucnt, veracity and high character, and
that he has enjoyed large opportunities OF
learning the feelings Of the masses in the
rebel States. We reproduce a portion Of
The letter in question:
NORFOLK, August 20, 1868.
To the Editors Of the National Intelligeneer:
Hsving Just returned from toar through po.-
tious Of t6e States Of Virginia, North oarolina..
SsSiar met IN nj travels many Of tic former
prominent politicians Of those States, and. as was
most natural under the circumstances, had fre.
guent conversations With tlcm on m the eqeee1 t o.
cnt and future Of our country, ard its prohane fo
eplt, feel assured to some extent that brtef
synopsis Of the impressions MADE o. ny miao
The war. they argue, trat Instituted for the pur-
to to 1ne 4So
fitiouixm or Northern aggressions on their rights
Its bearing OF the institution hes been to 7re9ksA
and sa1gsr " xn'ts 9sSr1 6T tap peg af
leaders, and that nearly ali thetl promises have
proven failures. They see. they feul the crushing
effects Of the ssar upon re elaTe htates, ana "a
or slavery will not only be IN danger Of 6AnthAa-
ton, but that their former slaves Will ts drafted
i,e x a,y M he tnitf a e. sas1 Sa fer pH''''
This one single TACT bears snore. henrt5y HI'oa
Uena than anything else connected tetfe re Var;;
and to escape this now apparent inevitable tate,
theY express Willingness TO accede to any ter1ua
which ehall not humilate and degrade them.
This letter makes severalimportant con-
tcssions, to which We ask the attention
Of the general reader-and especially
Of these Coppcrhcads, who secuted the
Presidents Emancipation Proclamation
As an idle, harmless, pronunciamento, like
ming it to the Pope's bull against the comet.
The writer admits, firs-That the rebels
began the war Tor the deliberate purpose
of smashing up the Union IN order to Sc
cure further guarantees for Slavery. tits,
therefore, slave-moDgers' rebellion That
point is conceded. Secoud-The effect Of
the war has been different from what the
leaders represented to their dupes; tn" :"pe-
culiarinstitudon is in great danger Of en-
tire overthrow, and is in fair way to be
wiped out, The slsve-mongcrs, in their
pursuit Of further guarantees" are much
like the dead man, as described by his
tombstone: II WIS well; would be bet
ter; I took pbync, and here am" The
secession physic stands fair chance Of
Killing the institution" j. Third-Not
only is the war annihilating Slavery, but
the former slaves are being drafted into
the Federal army, and used to put down
their rebel masters! Fourth single
fact, the writer says, bears more heavily
upon the rebels than anything else con
nected with the war, and he adds, to es.
cape this inevitable fate, they express
willingness to aocede to any terms which
sha1l not hnmi]iate and degrade them.
So it seems that the Emancipation Pro-
clamation, 80 bitterly denounced and mcr-
c1lessly ridiculed by the Copperheads, is
the thing after all which the rebels most
dread, which bears most heavily upon
them, and reaches them In the most vul-
nerable part, just as the Radicals predict
ed would be the case.
Nobody in the North wants to !" humih-
ater Or degrade" the masses In the se-
ceded States. All that is asked Of them Ia
to Inv down their arms and submit to tho
laws, and cease committing treason against
the United States. They have already for
feited their slaves, who are now legally
ftee-shough many Of them are still held
in bondage in violation Of the Presidents
Proclamation. The leaders Of the rebel
lion must be caught, tried, and if convicted