The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1867-07-03
From the Louisville (Ky.) Journal
Gen. NJ. JEFF. Thompson Endorses the
Sentiments of Gen. LOngstreet.

sentiments Oh Ge0s LOnSStIccSs
LOUISVILLE, June 16.
George D. Prentice, Esq.,:
My DEAR FRIEND: You desire me to
write you my feelings and opinions under the
existing political condition of the country.
Your friendship to me in the dark days of
the late war, while We were politically enc
mics, gives you the right to command my
services in any way that / can return your
kindness, and therefore will comply with
your request, and in as few words as posi-
BILE express my present sentiments. might
cover the whole ground when l say that I
heartily concur in the sentiments of Gen.
JAS Longstreet; but Gen. Longstreet was
professional soldier, who fought like a hero,
and surrendered like brave knight who has
been endorsed. and he may not go far enough
in his language to place himself right before
the world; therefore l, who was civilian
before the war, and only buckled on my sa-
bre to contend for certain rights" Gas was
the case with the armies on either side,)
can go further than Gen. Longstreet, for 1
have resumed my social status and have not
changed my occupation. a
tell you, then, plainly that never fought
the United States because hated the United
States. / never fought the North because l
hated the North. did not desire to be one
iota freer than was under the flag of the
Union: but there was an abstract political
principle of State Rights and four thousand
millions of dollars worth of African slaves
that thought could only be saved out of
the Union. From the first hostile gun fired
by John Brown, at Harper's Ferry, until the
5th day of June, 1865, when / surrendered
my troops, l was fair, square, and consist
ent enemy of abolitionism and those who
fought their battles; but when desolation
came, and starvation and ruin stared our
women and children in the face, followed
the example of my noble leaders-surrender
ed all political rights and became one of
conquered but still proud people. Our war
had been no boys play" Our surrender
was no farce No politician had aught to
do with the finale, and our proudest and no
blest simply received parole saying, "he
shall not be interfered with by the United
States authorities, as long as he observes
this parole, and the laws in force where he
may reside" This, then, was our actual con-
dition on July i, 1866. In short time a
million of soldiers stacked their guns and re-
sumed the peaceful pursuits of life. And in
in the march of Improvement and resenstruc.
ton. We have not been asked to love the
dominant party. nor TO kiss the rod that
smote us, but the victors have the right to
say, "Shall we make the brave men our
friends by courtesy, or shall we make the
towards friends through fear?" And they
only have the right to make the laws, which
we have simply The right to obey. or leave
the country. or remain aliens in our own
land.
The proper policy for the yictors TO pursue
is not nv province to discuss, neither have
right to complain nor will presume 70
advise. I can simply set nv soldiers an ex-
ample of patience. industry and enterprise
to build up our broken fortunes, and make
the land bloom again in peace. confidence
and plenty; therefore will accept all cour-
tesies and fayors that the laws NAV grant me
and not let nv individual likes or dislikes
interfere with nv duty to the country in which