Keowee courier. [volume] (Pickens Court House, S.C.) 1849-current, 1867-06-22
NEW ORLEANS, ia, June 3, 1885,

My Dear Sir-Your esteemed favor Of the
18th ult, was duly received. was much
pleased to have the opportunity to hear Scna-
tor Wilson, and wasagrccably surprised tomcct
such fairness and frankncss in a politician
whom have been taught to believe uncom-
promisingly opposed to the white people of the
South
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 in
dicatcs desire for practical reconstruction
and reconciliation. Practical men can surely
distinguish between practical reconstruction
and reconstruction as an abstract question:
/ will cndcavor however, with renewed oncr.
gy, to meet your wishes ia the matter The
serious difficulty that apprchcnd is the want
OF that wisdom which is necessary for the
great work. shall be ha3Rpyo u tS our walk cTstresscd Re
.r.S, and harmony to the nation. It mat
tcrs not whether bear the mantle Of Mr..
Davis or the mantle of Mr. Sumner, so that
l may help to bring the glory of "pcacc and
goodwill toward men"
| shall set out by assuming proposition
that hold to be self evident, viz The high
est of human laws is the law that is cstab
iishcd ny appeal to arms
The great principle that divided political
parties prior to the war were thoroughly dis
cussed by our wisest statesmen when ar
gumcnt was exhausted resort was had to com.
promise. When compron 'se was unavailing
discussion was renewed, and expcdients we're
sought, but mono could be found to suit the
emergency: Appeal was finally made to tho
sword, to determine which of the claims was
trua of
The sword has decided in favor of the North,
and what they claimed as principles cease to
be principles, and arc become law. The
views that we hold cease to be principles be-
cause they arc opposed te,slaw 1t il there
fore our duty to abandon ideas that arc obso-
lete and conform to the requirements of law. |
The military bill, aud amendments, are
peace offerings We should accept thcm as
such, and place ourselves upon them as the
starting point from which to meet future pol.
itical issues as they arise.
Like other Southern men, naturally sought
alliance with the Democratic party, merely
because it was opposed to the Republican par
ty. But as tay as can Judge, there is moth
ing tangiblcHbout it, except prejudice, which
cannot be worked into good for any ono, it is
proper and right chat should seek some
standpoint from which good may be done.
If appreciate the principles of Democrat
lc party, its prominent features oppose the en-.
franchiscment of the colorcd mnu, and dcny
the right to lcgisatc upon the subject of suf
trage, except by the States indivdually.-
These two features have tendency to exclude
Southern men from that party; for the color
cd man is already enfranchiscd here, and we
cannot seek alliance with,a party that would
restrict his rights. Tho exclusive right of
the States to legisato upon suffrage will make J
the enfranchisement of the blacks. whether |
for better or for worse, fixture among US
1t appears, therefore, that those who cry
loudcst against this new order of things as |
public calamity, are those whose principles
would fix it upon us without remedy
Hence it becomes lis to insist that suffrage be |
extended in all of the States, and fully tested. |
The people of the North should adopt what
they have forced upon'us; and if it be prov.
cd to be mistake, they should remove it by
tho remedy under Republican principles Of
uniform laws upon suffrage
If every man in the country will meet the
crisis with proper appreciation of our con.
dition, and como fairly up to his responsible
tiles, on to morrow the sun will smile upon
happy people; our fields will again begin to
yield theirincrease our railroads and rivers
will TEEN with abundant commerce our towns
and cities will resound with the tumpIt of
trade, and we shall be invigorated by the bless
ings Of Almighty God.
| am, sir, very respectfully,
Your most obedicnt servant,
JAMES LONGSTREET.
o