The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1867-03-28
COLUMBIA.
Thursday Morning, March %, 1857.
Gen. Longstreet Speaks.

NihOSA H''o, "o tnc Lt"tcS says, Il MS
tory in the past, and his voice is now
as firm and decided fer peace and
organization, under the law, as it was
for vigorous a&d gallant effort us
long IS there was hope OF success in
the struggle in which he had en-
gagged. The letter is dated New Or
leans, March IS:
DEAR SIR: In Your paper of yes:
terday, you have expressed d desire
30 hear the views of several gentle
men upon the political condition of
the country. find my name men
toned upon your list, and proceed.
without hesitation, to respond.
AS [ have never applied myself to
politics, | cannot claim to speak to
the wise statesmen of the country,
who are devoting their energies to
the solution of the problem which
agitates the public mind [ can only
speak the plain, honest convictions
of soldier.
It can hardly be necessary, at this
late day, to enter into discussion of
the matter that is usually brought up
in arguing the proposed plan for re
constructing the Government. In
deed, think that many of them are
not pertinent to the question.
The striking feature, and the one
that our people should keep in view,
is that we are conquered people,
Recognizing this fact fairly and
squarely, there is but one course left
for wise men to pursue. Accept the
terms that are offered us by the con
querors! There can be no discredit
to 8 conquered people for accepting
the conditions offered by their CON
querors. Nor is there any occasion
for o feeling of humiliation. We
have made an honest, and hope that
[ might say creditable fight, but we
have lost. Let US come forward, then,
and accept the ends involved in the
struggle.
Our people earnestly desire that
the constitutional Government shall
be re-established, and the only means
to accomplish this is, to comply with
gressional legislation
1t is said by some that Congress
will not receive US even after we have
compiled with their conditions. But
l can find no sufficient reason for
entertaining this proposition for a
moment. l cannot admit that the
representative men of a great nation
could make such a pledge in bad faith
Admitting, however, that there is
such mental reservation, can that
be any excuse for us in falling to dis
charge our duty? Let us accept the
terms, as we are in duty bound to do,
and if there is lack of good faith,
Let 1T be upon others.
L am, very respectfully, your most
obedlent servant,
JAMES LONGSTREET.
We extracted a paragraph, some
days ago, stating that Gen. Lee ad-
vised the same policy us suggested in
the lboIe letter, and further, urged
that We should not go istlessly about
the work of reconstruction, but that
every qualified voter should partic :
pate in the work Of REQ organization.
1t is futile and worse than idle for
any to imagine that amy principle of
honor viii bc compromised by an ear
nest participation in pressing forward
the work Of restoration as speedily as
possible. No Southern man, how
ever strong his political prejudices
may have been in the past, or with
whatever disfayor he may regard the
requirements of the present law, can
be humiliatcd or dishonored by fol-
lowing the>counsels and examples of
such tried and trusted men as Robert
E. Lee, Wade Hampton and James
Longstreet. They enjoyed the conf
dence Of the Southern people in their
most trying day, and the opinion and
advice of such men must have a
large and controlling influence over
the sentiments of their fellow-cit;
zens, who might think it a breach OF
good faith to give their assent or
voluntary assistance to u measure
which might appear to abandon OF
compromise those who have incurred
disflanchisement.
But all SIcb sentiment ,,,,c+ e,;x-o