New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1867-06-29
RENEGADES.

There is numerous class of white per-
sons in the southern states of southern
birth and southern antecedents who, for
the sake of the future of the country are
willing to follow in the leadership of the
gallant Longstreet and come cut boldly
and advocate reconstruction upon purely
Republican principles. Like Longstreet.
they feel the only hope for peace and safety
in the south is the establishment of that sys-
TEN of government which shall guarantee
to every man wheresoever born or reared,
irrespective of color, the full enjoyment
of his liberties Of place, religion, action,
and thought They desire to discard all
prejudices and rear upon the southern soil
a component part Of this republic, rich in
agricultural resources, with a population
whose waning affection for the old republic
shall be regenerated.
These men are tainted by many leaders
in the late rebellion, men who will never
discard their hatred of those who indicated
the abolition of slavery and writhe under
their present disfranchissnent, as reaegades,
renegades 10 the south, to their southern
companions in arms, TO their southern
homes which nurtured, fostered, or adopted
them.
1t requires more true moral courage
to face these taunts than the physi-
cal courage which was exhibited
by them in facing the bayonets handled
and the batteries manned by the boys in
/ blue; = but gradually it vii! come-surely
come. as the great truth develops itself that
the only salvation for the south-the only
hope for southern men to renew the former
prosperity of their section of the Union
is the adoption OF the great Republican
landmarks, that men, irrespective of color,
| religion, or station in life, must administer
this republican government.
But who are the renegades? Not those
men who, in the days Of the rebellion,
ught for that which they then believed to
be principle, but what they now recog-
nize as buried in the grave. with the thou
sands of heroes who sleep forever upon the
battle-ield-a dead issue. The true rene
gades are the tens of thousands born and
reared in the north who came to the south
before the rebellion, and were led astray
by the Internal doctrine of state rights, and
who, in an evil hour, yielded to the strong
arm of prejudice, which grasped them in
the folds of rebellion, and forced them into
battle array against their northern brothers
and kindred, and against the flag beneath
which they were born, and against the land
of their very birth. These men,
who now refuse, when there is no
longer an angry issue, or a battle
call to allay the strife Of passion, anG sub
due the civil turmoil in our midst, to return
to their true allegiance, and shoulder to
shoulder with their brothers in the north
assist in reconstructing the southern states
upon philadelphia principles are the true
and only renegades, renegades at heart, in
thought, sentiment, and feeling.
The man of true southern birth and SEN
timent acknowledges the issue, and submits
to the justice Of the situation. The north
ern renegade is loud-mouthed, bowling
anathemas upon their brothers who were
loyal 10 the flag which has always Aoated
over the place of their birth.
Let the people at large know who the
renegades really are, and deal with them
accordinply To them alone let this stigma
be affixed.