The Portland daily press., 1867-09-12
A Louisiana Rebel ON the War.
EXTRAORDINARY VIEW OF THE NEGRO oUEs-


TION.
A gentleman of this city has just received a
letter from former resident, who went South
before the war, and warmly espoused the rebel
cause The letter, dated Aug. %, comes from
Louisiana. We are permitted to make the
following extracts:
Politics have become sad tts,e for loyal
Americana and scarcely know what to say
for myself will say however, that was ~ . 80,
cessionist until 1864, when Mr.. Davis declared
that the South was not fighting to preserve
slavery, but for independence. Since then, L
have been unable to side with the rebels, but
have believed that their leaders are dishonest,
and that it's the duty of the United States to
try the more prominent Of them for treason; to
convict and hang them, and to impeach and
dlsplace the next great enemy to our country's
prosperity, Andrew johnson. Unless these
things are done very soon, shall regard our
form OF government as no government a. all
and shall think that we have no statesmen
capable of comprehending tue present crisis,
and of dealing with treason and traitors in
such a way as to prevent the ruin Of the coun-
Youl will think this strange talk for a re-
bel; but / will soon convince you that 1t was
not so strange for me, who never was rebel
in the usual sense of the term.
will tell you why / was a rebel. First,
however, let me say that / never was one of
one Of those men who leave New England, be-
come residents of the South, and repudiate the
land that gave them birth. Nor have ever
been a lover of Southern society, IT'S manners,
or its people. The quality of hating the North
and loving tho South could never have been
my passport for siding with secession"
My chief reason was this: believed that
the negroes were better situated in the South
0rn States than they would be in = state of
freedom. therefore took the side of the rebels
for the sake of The negro's welfare. then
supposed that the rebels were honest in saying
that the war was invoked on that ground
While, however, believe that American
slavery was a blessing to the African, did
not doubt that it was a curse to any white race
that maintained it. OF this / see more ample
proofs daily in the Incidence, thriftlessness,
hau2htiness and malice, and the general mani
fostation OF tho evil pr0pensities OF human ma
ture among those who have always been accus-
toned to the institution. Here is just my pO-
sition-I know that the whites were cursed by
slavery but that tho blacks were benefited
thereby. Hu.. GoHta
The act of war on the part of the South COM
pletely empowered Mr.. Lincoln to emancipate
the slaves of the rebels. His doing so was a
a neces . ty and fastened the close of the war;
and if the chief conspirators could he properly
dealt with, the dying embers Of hate in the
When say that emancipation was a neces-
sity, must make single qualification. That
act was fraught with no benefits to the ne
groes the whites alone deriving advantage
therefrOm. HOOK upon tne freedmen as now
sinking, and destined to sink still lower as a
race. Investing them with equal rights and
privileges with white citizens will not save
them from this fate.
As honestly sided with the negroes, when
espoused the Southern cause, now take my
stand in behalf of the same race among the
foremost of the Radicals. While there exirted
between the black man and the white man the
tie of pecuniary interest was willing to leave
the slave in the hands of his master, but not
now. The tie of interest being removed, 1
would be glad to see the poor slaves removed
beyond the sight of their former masters But
as cannot see this, hope to see those who
have freed them enact laws for their perfect
protection, and enforce them.
was willing in 1860 to see this country rent
in twain for what believed 10 be the negrO's
good. 1 am now not less willing to see every
rebel State and every individual rebel made 1
pOwerless by national law to injure The freed
man. would like to say something of that
infamous faction at the North,th Copperheads,
but have not space.