Public ledger. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1865-1893, 1867-07-08
GEN. LONGsTREET's POSITION.

/
Our telegraphic dispatches day before
yesterday informed us that General
Losgstreet is pardoned. /"
We had thrown aside Gen. Longstreet'
letter, disgusted at the position he as
sumed, yet unwilling to say anything
which might impugn this gallant soldier.
But our Northern exchanges bring us .
wild halloo from the whole Radical camp
in exultant appreciation. The Philadel
phia Press (Forney's paper, the organ
of Stevens and Butler and Ashley, and
the whole crew of Southern haters, Radi.
cal disorganizers, impeachers and confis-
Gators, with frantic joy, clasps General
Longstreet in its loving embrace 1t
says:2 eaT'a.4 7t1'taJ giiF
"These letters of the ex.rebel leader
are the best campaign documents yet
issued. If they had been written for the
very purpose of being used in Pennsyl-
vania this fall, they could notbe clearer
or more telling. ,
"We hope to see the Longstreet letters
published prominently ia every Union
paper in Pennsylvania, and let the Re-
publican Journals in each county never
rest until they have forced their publica-
ton in the trembling sheets of their
Democratic contemporaries and neigh
bors. They viii fall like hot shot into
the camp Of the Democracy. They con
vict that time-serving organization OF
cowardice and bad faith
How puerils and pitiful reads the
Harrisburg platform beside the fresh,
fearless uttsrances OF the honest soldier
How contemplate the rear guard Of re-
bellion contrasts with the devoted col
umns that charged all along the Confed'
crate lines from Richmond 10 Chatta-
nooga
1t may yet be expedient to invite
Lieutenant General James Longstreet to
Pennsylvania as q campaign orator this
coming election. We know Of nothing
that would more advance the interests Of
our party and cause.
What is it in General Longstreet'
letter, which elicits this furious sppro-
priation Of General Longstreet as one Of
their sparty, by the remorseless persecu-
tors of the South 1t is the following
clause
shall set out by assuming a propo-
sition that / hold to be selfevident, viz
The highest human law is the law that
is established by appeal to arms,
"The great principles that divided
political parties prior to the war were
thoroughly discussed by our wisest
statesmen. When argument was ex-
hausted resort was had to compromise
When compromise was unavailing, dis
eussion was renewed, and expedients
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-
principles and are become law The
views that we hold cease to be principles
because they are opposed to law. 1t is
therefore our duty to abandon ideas that
are obsolete and conform to the require
ments Of law"
According to this Radical logic Of
General Longstreet, it is a selfevident
proposition" that when our Lord was
crucifed, Christianity should have died.
tor; and if General Longstreet had been
one of his disciples, he would not, like
Judas, have hanged himself7but he
would have Joined his murderers, and
have helped them to persecute his other
disciples and to crush his cause. 1
When Gallileo was tried by the inqui-
siticn, and condemned TO life imprison-
ment, for asserting that the earth moved
round the sun, according to General
Longstreet the facts of nature were
abolished. Force had settled them
against Gallileo aud sgainst-God. This
was a selfevident propositian.
If General LOngstreet wssth his house
upon his farm, and q robber-his neigh
bOr-should enter it, and beat him,
and kick him out Of his fRrm-General
Longstreet, doubtless, would meekly say
TO him, 1--WE had fight for the farm, and
you licked me; therefore it is yours
The highest Of human laws is the law that
is established BY an appeal 70 arms -
a self-evident proposition, sir
When Holland was overrun by the
Duke Of Alva--Ehat silly abstractionists
were the Hollanders to rise up and dare
10 dispute "the law established by an
appeal 10 arms7 But they had not
General Longstreet aud his kindred Rad
icals, TO teach them the grand and noble
morals Of force Poor Hollandersi who
not only knew nothing Of the grand prin-
ciple OF American independence-that
every people had q right not to rule
thenselves-bui Of that sill greater
principle lately discovered BY American
Radicalism, that force Is the criterion Of
sll truth. all justice, and an humanity
Cfarlesfou Mcrctvu