The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-05-23
SILL ARPs--so CALLED.
-
Letter From tls Author.
~,
THE BOOT NOW IN PRESS
from the Metropolitan Record. ]

lent friend. Hoa. Charles RI. Smith, or "Pill
Arm" the name by which he is more fanil-
iarly known. This letter EXPLAINS itself,
and we have only few words to add
The hook will 1be issued in about month
from the nresen date, win he sold for one
:. ao'sez. .s-A-s''S half q copy, will contain a
.-sS9of humorous illustrations ex-
ecupe. .,f sast style Of art. and will al
80 have yF,.Ske portrait of the author
en- sngravetsS b gel.
As to tlis .leanest of the distinguished
anthor in regard to the reconstruction Of
the erthoqraphv, we have only to say that
we have done our hest; hut if we have not
always succeeded, it must be attributed to
the rebellims character of the language -
We have tried bard TO make it "barmon-
ize" will, the strict rules laid down by
Messrs. Murray and Webster, and trnst we
shall be acquitted from any cnmplicitv in
the design against "Hcr Maiesty's Eng
lish," if in some instances the aspell" has
not been altogether broken:
TO TIE PUBLISHER.
Yours, reauestine copies Of my humor-
ous letters for publication, is before NE.
have thought that they were hardly wor-
thy Of being placed before the public in
hook form. At the time they were written
they were appreciated because the minds
of the people needed relaxation from the
momentons and absorbing interests Of fine
war. The fountain of Thought was tired,
and these were its rest. The lnnmor that
is in them was entertaining then. for it
was pertinent to the occasion that pro-
voked it, and very innArtinent to those it
held up before tie public eye.
do not think that such humor will hear
4he wasting severity of time. 1t was once
considered sparkling and eXhilirating, hit
like good wine it has become stale from
having been too long uncorked.
Nevertheless, these letters may he wor-
thy Of preservation, as illustrative of 3
part of the WARS a side-slinw to the
Southern side of it---an index TO our feel
ings and sentiments, aud for this reason
only place them at rour disposal.
must request. however. that in compiling
them, you will thoroughly r"vise and re-
cunstruct the orthorrapl,y When ] kerar
writing under the SIGNATURE Of Bill Arp.
was honestly ianalizirr the language and
hnmor Of en- unlettered rnuntiyanan who
bears that name. tried to write as he
would, could he have written at all. His
earnest, honest wit attracted nv ATTENTION.
and he declares to this day that have
faithfully EXPRESSED his sentiments Those
who know him can see more of him in nv
letters thaa they can of me, and in this
view of my lahnrs | may he snsnncted of
playing Boswell to an uneducated and hui
morous man, whose name Is not Johnson
but Arp.
Reflection ilas, however. convinced me
that while good taste wonld not condemn
one or two letters for numbering her Ma
jesty's English, vet a freanent re"etitinn
of the offence can hardly he justified. II is
demoralizing to language. Tho truth is.
no wit is good wit that will mt bear to be
correctly written, and therefore direct a
reconstruction of the photography, even at
the peril of Mr.. Arms reputation.
For the sentiments that peryade these
letters, have no apology to make At the
time they appeared in the press Of the
Sonth, these sentiments were the silent
echoes Of our peoples thoughts, and this
accounts in the main for the popularity
with which they were received Ofcourse
they contain exaggeratinns, and pronhe-
cies which were never fulfilled; but both
sections were playing "brag" as well as
"battle," and Though we could not COM
pete with our oupOnents in the former.
vet some of us did try TO hold our own. At
both games we were whipped by over
whelming forces and we have given it nm.
CONQUERED, but not convinced, we have az
cepted the situation. and have pledged
ourselves TO abide by it. We have sworn
to do so. We have declared it most SOL
emily in convention. We have asserted
it in every act and deed; and Southern
honor, which our enemies cannot anpreci-
ate, but which is untarnished and im"er-
ishable, is the seal of our good faith. Who
ever testifies to the existence among MS of
an association designing n renewal of the
rebellion, is either the victim OF his own
cowardice, or else the author of selfish
and heartless lie. l say this with feeling
and indignation, for we see IN such testi-
moIy willingness, nay, a desire on the
part of our military rulers, to retain over
a,s their power and their tyranny for ma
licious or ayaricious ends. We have long
felt, and we still are feeling their insults,
their black mail, their robberies Ours is
the stranded ship, and the Federal officers
among us are the wreckers; ours the car
cass, and they the vnltures who are pick
ing our denuded bones. The little that
was left our people is seized, and released
on paying a part into private. pockets
They get rich and resign, and q fresh corps
Of vampires take their places, to renew the
operation, I have even known them to
steal by night, and Hathaway the poor pit
lance Of damaged corn that or generous
az Government had stored for distribution
to our starving poor. 1t is for such purpo-
seq that military dominion is to be contin-
ued. Would that this were all But not
content with even this exhaustion of our
scanty means, they are annulling our con-
tracts made with the laborprs who We're
content to worl, in our fields for fair wages,
and are tolling them off tn parts unknown
Under false pretences Our ploughs are
standing in the fields idle, our farms will
90 untitled. and the land swarms with
agents who are briblng fine poor negroes
away under promises of higher wages, and
under the sanction of q Bureau rs rotton rs
the promises of Pharoah.
Ve tictis. Bnt still we abide all these
sad results, and look upon it rs u part OF
the war; and in keeping with the charac-
ter of those who have so long been our en-
emies They bat exhibit the animhs OF a
people whose hate and avariee induced the
rebellion. Such oppression has turned
from them almost the last opponent of Sc
cession, and caused them to regret that
they did not throw their lives and fortunes
into the fight.
Perhaps this is all for the best. We cam
not tell. We have almost ceased philos-
ophize upon it, for we have no time to
think. The work OF actual reconstruction
absorbs our time and energies. ]. mean
the reconstruction of our Individual for
tunes, our houses, our fields and farms, our
railroads manufactures, graYeyards,
schools and churches. We have no time to
stop and mourn over the loss Of liberty.
But | can find time TO ask, What has the
North gained by the war; What princi-
pies have been established3 What great
or vital questions have been settled! Is
the sovereignty ofa State forever annulled!
Then let Illinois take down her tieceittui
sign, obiiterate her great seal Of State, ard
choose another, for the one she now has IS