National opinion. [volume] (Bradford, Vt.) 1865-1874, 1867-04-19
J.Q. A. Fellows on the Situation.

from the New Orleans Times of
March p. 1861. written by j. q. \.
Fellows, Esq, formerly from Tops
ham, of this county, showing the
feeling of the better portion OF the
South. Mr.. Fellows attended
school in Bradford nearly three
years, graduated from the Universe
ty Of Vermont in 1919, and soon nf
ter went South. where he has gained
a good reputation as a lawyer, and
acquired a large property. He was
one of the candidates for governor
of Louisiana at the time Michael
Haha was elected. The editor of
the Times says:
ave present herewith the letter
of j. Q. A. Fellows, Esq, in re.
Spouse to our suggestion that the
representative men of Louisiana
should give the general public tn
benefit OF their opinions Oh the pres
ent political crisis. This letter re
0ureS no comment at our hands,
The position Mr.. Fellows occupies
in this community as an honest and
consistent Union man, will entitle
his opinions to great weight, and
therefore We publish them without
further preface"
NEW ORLEANS, March 20, 1861.
To the Editor Of tie n. o. Times !:
Acting upon your suggestions, |
have Ventured t o offer t e W
thoughts upon the present crisis.
As Gen. LOngStrcct remarked, much
that is now said and written is not
pertinent TO the real question at
issue. Too many see nothing but
the mere accidents, the accessories
of the occasion, and overlook entne-
" the great question. This as Gov.
Brown says, had its origin at the
time when the Government was
established. and this question is,
whether we are one people or amcrc
confederation Ct States held t0-rJh
cr as by 4 rope Of sand. 1t is thi,
question solely which has ru Il
through the whole intellectual con
test of the century, and which cut
minated in the late terrible strife
Nothing but an appeal to arms coult
determine the issue. The ordca
has been tried, and those WhC
thought that we We're not one PEG
pie, but a confederation of States, OF
rather Of peoples, lost, and hope
leSsly lost, i'll the contest ia 1880
32, the question presented itself il
. the ariilcontroVersy, in 1850 III the
right to carry slavery INTO the terri
, tories. Whatever the apparent iSSu g
, at any time. the great question WA
, the real oasis of every controversy.
% And now, whatever side issue
!, there may be presented, the cue,
ton still is, shall the great issue G
the late contest OF arms, namely
= that we are one people, of one ma
a ton, to be made and considered
final Judgment 1t is much to b
regretted that the people oi the tc
=, IunreconStructed States. have no
Il succeeded as vet. in making it ~
~ parent, by their acts and word'
Il that the great question is abandon
- ed ; at any rate it is not Vet thu
10 apparent to the viCtOrS in the lat
~ contest. As soon as this does thu
appear to them. everything done b
y. them, of which we now complain
n will surely disappear. 1t is certai
n that every measure of the dominau
= party is sustained by the nasSe.
:, both of the people and the thinkin
men. because they deem all sue
Il measures necessary 10 preserve an
- pcrpetuate the fruits of the victor
~ which has cost 50 much ot trcaSuI
i and blood. The determination ,
-, the people at the North is, and Ia
been, and Will bc, to relax nothin
~ of their vigilance, nor stop at t.
II adoption OF Miy measure which the
a may deem essential to the prcScrV,
a ton in full OF the results OF the
victory nor will they hesitate
any measure which they may thin
will assist III preserving H.
T. Many OF these measures We ma
he know to be unnecessary and eve
$, detrimental TO the end aimed a
nj but they donot perceive it, and it
le our duty, now that the cause
is which the people at the South Stak
ii all is lost, to so act and talk rs wi
Re soonest convince the victOrS that "
Re have actually and really given NJ
- and forever, the great question i
lc controversy, and admit 10y deeds 4
le well rs words that we are one pc,
Il pie.
it Every one who had the opportl
y nifty, knows that in 1860 the gre.
:. mass of the people at the Mort
o were ready and anxious to wclcOn
IT us at the South, with open arm
ID and were only waiting to be con
- \lnced by our course that we had /
81 reality given up the contest. 81
5. when they saw the ordinance of 81
- cession repealed--not declared nu
ID and void the war debt not rcpl
- dated i'll all It's ramilicatiOnS, or
so only III form, and various mea
ures adopted which seemed nc
wholly to repudiatc it, the prom
- nent offices filled by those who wei
u the leaders Of the rebellion, mstea
y, of being filled with men Of moder.
49, ton, of whom there were Il plenty
- and when Senators and Rcprcsentl
" tives presented themselves for a,
~ mission TO Congress who did ne
~ possess the qualifications require
:" by law, and ClamOnImISlX dnman