Delaware tribune. [volume] (Wilmington, Del.) 1867-1877, 1867-06-13
REMARKABLE LETTER.

On the 10th ult. John M. G. Parker ad-
dressed letter to James Longstreet, late a
Lieutenant General in the Rebel army, com
plimenting him on letter he had written on
May 9th, and requesting him to attend a
mass meeting in New Orleans on the follow
ing evening. The meeting was to be adj
dressed by Hon. Henry Wilson.
General Longstrect's reply has just been
published, anu 1t is such remarkable letter,
so full of wisdom and sound common sense,
that we give it entire. 1t is as follows:-
NEW ORLEANS La, June Sd, 1867.
j. M. q. PARKER, esq: Ny Dear Sir:-
Your esteemed favor Of the 18th ult. was duly re-
ceiycd. was much pleased to have the oppor-
tunity to hear Senator Wilson, and was agreeably
surprised TO meet such fairness and frankness In
a politician whom / have been taught to believe
uncompromisingly opposed to the white people
of the South. l have maturely considered your
suggestion to "wisely unite In efforts to restore
Louisiana to her former position in the Union,
through the party now In power" My letter OF
the 9th Of April to which you refer, clearly indi-
Gates desire for practical reconstruction and re-
Cancellation. Practical men can surely distin-
guish between practical reconstruction and recon-
struciion as an abstract question. will endeav-
or, however, with renewed energy to meet your
wishes In the matter. The serious difficulty that
Iapprehend is the want Of that wisdom which is
necessary for the great work. ] shall be happy
to work in any harness that promises relief To
our distressed people and harmony to the nation.
1t matters not whether bear the mantle Of Mir.
Davis or the mantle Of MIR. Sumner, so that |
may help to bring the glory of "peace and good
will toward men," shah set out by assuming n
proposition that | hold TO be seli-evdent, viz
The highest OF human laws is the law that
Is established by appeal to arms The great prin-
ciples that divided political parties prior to the
war were thoroughly discussed by our wisest
Statement. When argument was exhausted resort
was had to compromise. When compromise was
unavaing discussion was renewed and eypedi-
ents were sought, but none could be found to suit
the emergency. Appeal was finally made to the
sword TO determine which of the claims was the
true construction of constitutional law The
sword has decided in favor of the North, and
what they claimed as principles cease to be prin-
ciples, and are become law. The views that we
held cease to be principles because they are OPP
posed to law. 1t Is therefore our duty to abandon
ideas that are obsolete, and conform to the re-
quirements of law. The Military bill, and amend
ments, are peace offerings. We should accept
them as such, and place ourselves upon them as
the starting point from which to meet future poll
tical issues as they arise. Like other Southern
men ! naturally sought alliance with the Dem
ocratic party, merely because IL was opposed to
the Republican party. But as far as can Judge,
there is nothing tangible about it, except the is
sues that were staked upon the war and there lost
Finding nothing to take hold Of except prejudice,
which cannot be worked into good for any one Ii
is proper and right that should seek some stand
point from which good may be DONE Ii / appre-
ciae the principles of the Democratic party, its
prominent features oppose the Acknowledgement of
the colored man, and deny the right to legislate
upon the subject of suffrage, except by the States
individually. These two features have q tendency
TO exclude Southern men from that party for the
colored man is already enfranchised here and we
cannot seek alliance with party that would re-
strict his rights. The exclusive right of the States
to lcgislate upon suffrage will make the enfran-
chisement OF the blacks whether for better or for
worse, fixture among us. 1tappears, therefore,
that those who cry loudest against this new order
OF things as a public calamity are those whose
principles would fix 1t upon us without remedy.
Hence it becomes us to insist that suffrage should
be extended in all the States, and fully tested
The people of the North should adopt what they
have forced upon us and if it be proved to be II
mistake, they should remove 1t by the remedy
under republican principles of uniform laws upon
suffrage. II every man in the country will meet
the crisis with proper appreciation OF our con-
dition, and come fairly to his responsibilities
on Tomorrow the sun will smile upon happy
people, our fields will again begin to yield lheir
increase, our railroads and rivers will teen with
abundant commerce, our towns and cities will re-
sound with the tllmult Of trade, and we shall be
inygorated by the blessings of Almighty God.
am, Sir, very respectfully, your most obedlent
servant, JAMES LoNusTREET.
We have called this remarkable letter
ii is only remarkable on account of its being
written by a leader OF the late rebellion.
Had such letter been written by defeated
leader in any other g lost cause. we should
have seen In it nothing at all strange; but
the Southern people and their leaders have
SO entirely failed TO appreciate the fact that
they appealed TO the arbitriment of arms
and failed, that such an exhibition of ordi
nary common sense as is made in the above
letter is al once unusual and refreshing
A few more such letters from prominent
Southern leaders, and actions to correspond
with their words, will render the path to d
speedy reconstruction easy