The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1867-09-21
HIerscIleI v. Johnson on the RE.
publican Party.

ject Reconstruction in the South and
the policy ofthc Republican party:
AUGUSTA, (Ga.), Aug. 6, 1867.
Ed. TRIBUNE You have comment
ed IN the Tribune on my recent letter
to n Committee of Atlanta, Georgia.
depressing uy views, in part, upon
THE scheme of reconstruction adopted
lby Congress and offered To the ten
prosecuted Slates'for their acceptance
4 y our comments arc intended to be Sc
we're; they are also unjust to me and
to those who may agree with me,
though, ana bound 10 presume, not
so intended by you. | should have
felt grateful if you had published the
letter, which believe you have not
done. ciaim no right To its publica-
ton in the Tribune for | fully rccog-
nize your right to publish or reject
whatsoever you may deem expcdicnt
and proper. | therefore prefer no
complaint on this score, though, from
your usual fairness, might have cx-
pected you to pursue u different
course.
The masses at the North, and / am
not sure that the remark is not applI-
cable even to yourself and very many
of the editors and leading men Of that
section, are not informed of the true
condition of things in Georgia and
the other nine States which are term
ed disloyal. Especially are they not
! informed Of the real feelings and mo
! tives of those who are adverse to- the
: Congressional scheme Reconstruction
ffIf they were, | would fain hope that
4he policy OF the domiuant power
Z, would be less cxacting and proscrip-
tive, not 10 Gay oppressive. II those
! fwho lead public sentiment in your
sportion Of the Union be true patriots
land statesman, their real desire is to
promote the welfare Of our whole
4 country aud perpetnatc good govern
mcut, in contradistiuction to mere
party asccudcncy. This certainly
lshould Dc the aim of ali coed men,
| assure YOU that no other feeling has
Ia place in my breast. never, in my
whole life, cherished sentiment or
did an act Of intentional hostility to
i. the Constitution of the United States
; or to the Union Of the States, based
upon II, according TO nay honest opin.
ion of its spirit aud meaning. The
late war has wrought great changes
, in the Southern States, ansl has brought
before the people ofthc Union for final
decision many grave questions, inyoly-
ling, in my poor Judgment, the charac.
ter and destiny of our Government.
[ Indeed constitutional liberty itself is
in great peril. This Is my honest con
victiou. Statesmen should survey
our surroundings with the view oi
aycrting that peril rather than the
maintenance Of party asccudcncy. No
men can mare artlently desire the res
toration of the Union upon the prin-
ciples of the Constitution than | do.
, / submit to all the Legitimate results
, Of the war, and / would gladly adopt
any plan OF reconstruction which
: would not seek to impose terms upon
us inconsistent with those results and
calculated to- impcril constitutional
liberty. You seem to think that am
factiously opposed to the Congression,
al scheme; that | wish to prolong and
aggravatc present political disturb.
, ancc and discord that | am actuatcd
by the spirit Of disloyalty; that
: throw the small mite of my poor
Judgment into the scale of strife and
; discomfort. Little do you know, and
less do you appreciate, my earnest
longings for peace, harmony, prosper
Iity, national equality and Justice
The scheme of reconstruction offered
to us processes to extend TO us the
right of choosing by vote; it callston
) Us to say whether we are for or against
; convention, such as that scheme con,
templates. When ], in the exercise
of that yolition, express myself as op.
, posed to It, you and the other leading
Republicans of the North, who con,
slider my poor opinions worthy to he
noticed, infer therefrom chat ! am dis
! loyal, factious and rebellious. Ifthose
who are opposed to that plan are thus
to be- branded, why call on us tc
+ choose If we are free to choose, is
, it quite consistent, charitable and just
to denounce us because we do not
choose as the Republicans desire that
we should? Aye, more than this: td
. threaten us with perpetual disfran
, chisement and confiscation if we dc
not so choose? Is that the way tc
{ establish State Governments, "deriv
fling their Just powers from the consent
: of the governed ?" 1t is true / am
, disfranchised-I am not permitted tc
register under the Sherman BILL But
| did not know that | was therefore
not at liberty to write and speak free
; ly to my fellow-citizens without being
: denounced as disloyal and factious.-
; | profess to.be loyal to the Constitu
ton, and intend to be loyal to the
Union when it shall be settled that
Georgia constitutes one of the States
: of the Union. But If loyalty means
i fidelity and adhesion to the Republic
$ an party, shall never belong to, il
e elnor be loyal to it so long asat persists
: courte Of policy which must end in
: the overthrow of the CONSTITUTION.
: have taken the oath Of amnesty, and
: intend to keep it in good faith, in let
3 ter and, in spirit. 1t binds me to sup
port the Constitution. That will dc
i to the best of my ability. 1t binds
$ me to support the emancipation Of ne
: groes from slavery. That intend tc
/ do, and favor their investment by law
D with every right that is. consistent
with their welfare, the interest o.
: well organized society, and the per
!, petuation of good government. More