The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-09-12
JEFF. Thompson ON the Situation.
Wendell Phillips Again Ven
tilates Himself.
nto, rto., nto. Etc, ETC., Eto.
LETTER FROM M. JEFF. THOMPSON.
THE Lessons of the Wharf.-The Only Hope
of the south,


Boston, Mass, Sept. 3, 1867 -Gentlemen:-
have received various letters from among you,
asking what mean by my letter to Mr. Prem
tlce, of the LoulsotNe Journal indoTsiug General
Longstreet? and what advice ! have to otter you
as TO your political course? have delayed
answering these letters in hopes that would
soon return to New Orleans; but, finding that
cannot return for several weeks, and otner let
tiers having come that will brook no delay,
have determined 10 address you a circular, that
may no longer be misre presented and misun-
derstood among those who were my true friends
IN our darkest hours, and with whom have
shared so many hardships and dangers, sue
cesses and defeats.
One of the letters received contains the gist
oIail, and will answer it; ii says:-"Longstreet
is fossever damned tbroughoDt the country
Whfh became the theatre of his immortality
adyour old friends are not reserved IN their
einathemas against you, Give me some ar6rq.
Iment with which to defend YOU for am foo
IWell acquainted with the spirit which animated
you In our disastrous struggle, with your cheer.
ud endurance OF suffering, and your persistent
realty to the last, to believe that you have
abandoned your devoted followers, or have ref
past.n NJ
For Gods sake what has, ;ongstreet done 70
damn him tor what RpI anathema atized? from
what 40 need defeXse? The war produced no
pnrer or 6Iaver mGu than General James Long.
Sye' Sage nroTed rnE snre from the rst to the last
a 4 uely any Hfan to point to one word or sentence
In my lettsfr to Mr.. Prentice that breathes a
that %, for our people; or to fact stated
SuaI can kIot be substantiated. | am aware that
SOM SOlne Secnbblers have assailed me- but 'they
Deiong to the Tray, Blanche. and Sweetheart
Ier, who simply obey the instincts of their
s&Bwn natures by barking at what they do not
understand" but am 10th to believe that any
tried soldier will doubt another's honesty
because he may differ with him in the
plans to accomplish the general good, and
have an abiding faith that they will let any
comrade have the privilege to exercise his own
judgment as to the best manner to build up the
country without being anathematisA nd !,
who was leader in the beginning 'ol-
lower at the end, and who durin, 'oe
struggle was with you at the front, or prisoner
of war, will positively assert and manfully main
tain my right to express my opinions freely upon
all subjects affecting the welfare of the South,
to and among Southrons, without fear or favor
from chimerical theorists or bomb-proof poll
II the war was to defend the South in the
exercise of its belief of the right 10 secede, then
do not regret the fight, though may have to
grieve over the death of this theory. il the war
was to preserve African slavery, then do not
regret the struggle, though do grieve over the
loss of s. 000 000 600 worth OF property, and the
sad fate that awaits the poor negro; put IL we
fought four years simply for the personal
triumph of some political partsans, few OF
whom would still make us believe that the
country is ruined only because they are ex-
cluded from Office then sincerely regret the
conflict, and will greve anew over the graves OF
the brave men who fell around me.
must again repeat that ~ did not fight the
did not fight the North because hdted the
North, ~ but fought for what conceived to be
the honor the safety, and the material interests
of the Southern people, and l am struggling
now in another way, to accomplish the same
object, and will make as many sacrlhces, and
labor as earnestly and persistently, as any man
in the South to control the political elements,
to devise plans ana projects, and put IN success
full operation enterprises tnat Will build up ouI
poor, desolated, and impoverished country.
This is what the South really needs; this Is al
the truly patriotic men of the North ask; and
win advocate the best plans, In my Judgment
to accomplish the object, regardless OF who
originates or supports them, Whigs Democrats
Federals, Republicans, Radicals, Conservatives,
This is all the defense need. Tell the people
] am still for the honor, safety, and material
prosperity. of the South, and while l VIII no
cast shadow on the graves of our dead, or ex
tinguish one ray of the glory OF our manly
struggle, yet must bid the living look to the
future, and help build up our common country
from the Atlantic to the Pacific, from the Lakes
Tell them to remember that political theories
like seciarian (reigous) theories, are principle
only in the minds of the bigoted and foolish
and demagogues are only too apt to msapply
these terms, TO mislead them, Constitution
and laws are subject to changes, by legal mean
and by revolutions, and when changed are to bt
obeyed; and II the lessons sad experiences
teaches are not needed, then are people unit fOl
selfgovernment, and the sad fate OF republican
Mexico will be our lot. The extent OF the limits
10 SLaLeb hlRuth, ds dERuCu w lnOMdb JCuCISOu
and Alexander Hamilton, and the rights to owl
slaves, were submitted to the arhtrament of the
sword, and, in my opinion, they were decided
both against us, and neither our honor, nor oul
interest, require further contest for them.
can remember, but too well, the years of eX
citement and injury to the country from the
conflict on these theories In Kansas; and oul
late war, with its stricken heds, its bloody
graves, the ruin and desolaton which FOLLOWED
In its track is as indelibly fixed in my memor,
as in any mans in the whole South; and Will
remembering the dread past, must receive Ii
lessons, and not quarrel over dead theories, bu
look TO the live issues Of the present and future
for Though may be dsfranchised), II is still
my duty to help restore tranquility, and BULL
mp the broken prosperity of the country, for tn
widows and orphans, my soldiers and my Chill
dren's sakes, and on all practical question:
affecting the material interests, such as banks
tariffs, taxes, suffrage, internel improvements
and revenues, ] will be found as true TO tn
South as I was in her stormiest hours.
All now agree that, byright of revolution, ou
States were out of the Federal Union, and on
Government was q dc Jdcto Government; there
Snre, II our conquerors think that safety Q
instlce requires that the conditions upon Whic
{heee States may be Teadmttted into the Unio
shsIi be that our leaders In the held and prom
nenf statesmen must be denied the right to Iol
~ Mold once, and also that political equalis
- -. ha hhOuQh ~