The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1865-06-17

Letter from DIR. ID. H. bingham ON Re.
constr uctiOn.
WEsr POINT n Y Inna lh 1861

Letter from Dr. ID. H. Bfngham ON ne
construction.
WEST PoIsT, N. Y, Juno 16, 1885.
TO THE EDITOR OF THE HERALD.
SR-I addressed TO You communication, on the 18th
nst defining the political status reference to the
rebellion Of the individuals from my State Of Alabama
represented be delegation rejecting and representing
the loyal sentiment Of that State and now, recently,
IN the city Of Washington for the purpose Of comforting
with President johnson in reference TO reconstruction
of the State governmentin other words TO secure the
offices to be dispensed by the President thereby retaining
the political power and patronage Of the national and State
authority the hands of the old dynasty their
acts antecedents and rebeous procvities under
observation for period Of nearly years after the
Inauguration Of the rebclionand requested you to pub
ish it, have lived in the Southern States for period
OF forty yearshirty two Of which in Alabama there
fore have pretty fair knowledge Of Southern character
well as Of Southern men, and consequently feel my
self competent TO express opinion Of their objects and
aims in thus suddenly changing their position from
CANT, defiant rebels TO meek, humble and submssively
loyal men to United States authority Ny object in
doing not to indulge ID any splenetc pre-
| judice, but TO the false impression made
! upon the public mind NORTH which your journal and
others in your city have created, well TO enter my
protest against the policy OF committing the
sruction Of State government the hands OF
1
bcllon, and have employed all their energies influence
and wealth to destroy it-a policy that yet, cannot
believe the President will adopt Your Washington
correspondent see, still reterates tho statement that
Judge Parsons will be appointed provisional Governor
of Alabama, and that he has been one of the
strongest Union men in North Alabama through
out the rebellion. This is not only not the fact
but gross misrepresentation intended 10 deceive the
Northern public TO his true status, and
him position and place whereby he could his in
auence and the prestige Of his authority retain polt
cal control in tho hands Of the old slave dynasty The
appointment would be n most unfortunate one, and
would open all the old that have existed between
the truly Union men, who have had nothing to do with
the rebellion and who have demonstrated their love Of
the federal government by leaving the State 1852 and
1858, sacrificing everything but life and honor for its
sake, and the disunonsts and rebels who remained
coerced the poor deluded into the rebel
ranks to fight the battles OF slavery against In
man and civil liberty; and now, when the
military power CT tho rebellion is overthrown and
dispersed, they come up with all the innocence OF
lambs and gentleness Of sucng doves claim TO have
done nothing but what they compelled 10 do and
with unparalleled modcsty ask TO be rensated into posi-
ton and place that will enable thcm still control the
masses whom they have deuded invegled and forced
into their armies In rebellion and ruined aBddemornlized
in their suicidal effort to destroy the government The
plea OF force which the intelligent slavehder up
defence Of his treason to his government pre-
posterous nbsuIy No such force attempted 10 be
exercised nc, upon the Hon. George W. Lane
now deceased M j. H. Larcombe and many others that
might be Iancd ard all lived in North Alabama and all
remained nearly two after the state seeded and
not Of acquiesced with the bchcsts Of
secession am surprised 10 find the very
Impression that prevails here in the North in regard
the condition OF the majority OF the slavehodng
masses or the Southern country. These people, with
the exception OF those districts OF country where there
are few shareholders, as East Tennessee and the
tainous region Of North Alabama have been trained and
educated TO yield ready and willing obedience to tho
requirements Of their slnveholding neghbon, and all
greatly defer to the influence which official auth nry
and position Ia supposed to possess AS class,
the slaveholders have separate and distinct interest
from The savcholding masses, aD1 they always
used the political power and influence which wealth
and superior intelligence gives them 10 keep this class
people in condition Of ignorance and dcinora on
upon level almost With comparatively few exceptions
with their slaves Hence when the nsurgent States
into rebellion three hundred and nine thousand
hundred and ninety line rs-two hundred
fourteen thousand Of whom only from nine
rlayes-wh perhaps two thirds Of the remaining eighty
i've hoafand Union mon, In the inception Of the rebel
lion enabled 20 revolutlonze and suppress
oil Unpn sentiment and prodcction for the Union
millions one hundred and fifty three thousand non
slavehoding persons, and, by tho touuiem Of
vigilance committees, lynch companies ard ether
tyrannca associations, reduce tho male portion T.
state Of vassasgo aud entirely substvient TO their
sonable behcsts with the exception OF aoble ex
ampcs Of tried loyalty and patriotism In solaed
Of the southern country And the Alabama delegation
consisting Of Judge Parsons Joseph Brady, George Il
Houston Mich Davis Luxe Pryor NJ J. Stafford Hbb
Roberts and otherr were not inactive agents n producins
these results which eliminated In the most arocous
rebellion the world knew do not deny that these
Union men Just before and at the mo the
State OF Alabama seeded and some OF them nued
up 10 the attack of Fort Sumter but thor sin and
niquty consist in their not continuing Union men.
They were all men Of wealth ana intelligence and had
prestige Of wealth and influence that had they exerted
II In favor Of the Union and the administration with
much zeal and ability they did In favor Of the
fedcracy, they could have kept their savcholdipg
constituents out OF the rebel ranks and thereby pre-
vented the wicked designs and Vaccinations OF the
leaders in their parcidal effort to destroy the Union
over which they shedding crocodile tears Of love
and devotion. Upon the appearance OF Mr.. Lincolns
proclamation II was denounced by the Shareholders,
and all identified with that interest generally az
unconstitutional unwarrantable and in direct viola
tion Of all awthus representing him TO be usurper
tyrant and despot before the people, whereas, had
they told them the truth and Informed them Of the true
facts Of the they could have induced them 70
enter the rebel army.
These men come here, and by way Of excuse for
their treason acgc that they carried into rebellion
by the great wave OF public opinion, W. they
the very men that produced and created that wave by
the storm they themselves rsret In ihc public mind
riding themselves upon the wBflgud they had created
ill expended It's fury and has overwhelmed all alike In
irrcrevabo ruin poverty and desolaton These being
the facts Of their participation In destroying the govern
ment OF State desoleng country and impovers
ing people the question 70 be conaidered s they
any VI them, IN interest with the Old slave pow
Of Alabama, the proper and soahs W b eStrus,se