The tri-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1866-1868, 1867-03-21
from the Washington Chronicle.l
Sensible Views of g An Ola Con1ed-

+ coan,s is anxious to get at the truth, anu
~ order to do so has opened his columns to
10th sides of the question. If the opinions
of this writer were generally adopted by the
neoplc of North Carolina and of the whole
South the question Of reconstruction would
be easily solved. This letter was written by
an officer who commanded cavalry wing OF
Lees army through the entire rebellion. We
trust its sensible advice will be needed by
the Southern politicians and bomb
proofs"
"All considerable people approve your
course in opening your columns to both sides
of the reconstruction question. A little rea-
son and less passion will, Hope, discover for us
a safe solution of all our troubles. Our chief
want at the South. at this time, is a bold,
vigorous, independent press. You have set
a good example, and take it as token OF
hope.
You are charged with abandoning former
principles Let those making this charge
prepare to follow. No man can breast the
storm of revolution. The term implies
change-often sudden and violent change
and he is fool or bigot who has never
learned this great lesson. What are opinions
-miscalled principles worth, in such times
as these, compared to the logic of events 3
Revolutions are the ultimate results of prin-
ciples, and once accomplished they stand as
the basis of new theories. 1t is certain that
they never 90 backward. They do, however
this good: they knock from our eyes the
scales of prejudice, habit, and time. See
what the late war has done. But for it the
people of the South would have continued to
hold as settled principle that the negro
would not fight. The Yankees proved to
the contrary, and we, alas! were too late
realizing our fatal error But for emancipa-
ton as fixed fact all parties would have
regarded any attempt to bring it about sud-
denly and by force as nnly another name for
rapine, murder, riot, Instruction, massacre,
and every outrage Known to the catalogue of
crime. A year ago the freedmens Bureau
and civil rights bills were to ruin the coun-
try. What real harm have they done, and
where is negro equality? So at every step
in this revolution old rusty scales fall from
our eyes.
Talk about change. In 1861 the Wings
in a body all changed, and went over to the
Democrats for war. Ere three years, both
parties began to change back, and cried,
ing at breakfast. 1t happened on the 10th
of April, 1865, when 1 first heard of General
Lees surrender. In an instant saw, as the
result of defeat, reunion, consolidation, a
grand national policy, Yankee notions
emancipation, and negro suffage This rev.
olutiOn must stop at negro suffrage, as the
logical result of the war, unless Southern
flotheads continue to furnish the Radicals,
with an over supply of aliment in buster
and violence. five treat the negroes ri CHIT
they will vote right and in the end prove
an immense advantage to our section. AS
for social equality it is huge bugaboo.
o. Dl,n 81
this question in all length and breadth. Let
us meet the issue before US like men-nOt
like whining children, or whipped ours,
snarling at everybody until they see a return
of the rod, and then dropping their tails and
crouching in the dust. Be assured the fight
is all over. On the present issues We have
made our first, best, and last fight We
have shed an imperishable lustre on the
Southern name, and crowned Confederate
valor with halo of glory. There let the
struggle rest If we do not mean to fight
let us cease complaining, grumbling, and
growing. Let us rather turn our attention
to tine gentler and more pleasant duties of
peace-healing the wounds of war, cement
ing the bonds of union, and restoring plen-
ty and prosperity to our bleeding and dis
tracted country. We may thus be able to
do somewhat in the way of good in read
justing the rights of States and individuals,
and, in due time, probably restore Il torn
and shattered Constitution. But never will
we again single lost right or save a solita-
~ privilege by a course OF resistance, wheth
er by word or deed. We have naught to do
with the question of States rights, and it is
not for us to decide whether we were in or
out of the Union at the end of the war. We
surrendered all on the field of battle.
Call this eating Dirt if you please. That
work is all over with me. l gobbled up my
share Ga pretty large one) when surrender
ed and took the oath of allegiance. Had l
not intended to swallow the rest of the pro-
gramme, should have refused to take the
oath and left tho country. But admit my
dirt was easier digested than expected
My whole soul was IN our lost cause. did
all 1 could to break UP the Government of
Yankees, should have insisted on their pay
ing the whole expense of the wal, and given
ample guarantees that they would never
more interfere with the institution of slave
ny. think correlative rights are due them.
But instead of these, they ask only our just
proportion of their war debt Gin the shape of
taxes and that slavery and all the ideas on
which it was founded should be eradicated,
and that we should accept the new theory
in good faith and 81 we it a fair trial. We
have refused to recognize the negro as enti-
tied to full legal rights. We would not ex
tend to him even limited or qualified suf-
frage, and we hated those amongst our own
people who favored even these concessions
to this happy race Time passed on. Two
years have elapsed since the surrender
There have been executions for treason,
no edicts of Punishment or exile, no confis-
cation, only nominal military rule, and all
our people, with few prominent exceptions,
restored to their rights and privileges. For
me. as a conquered Confederate, mot rebel,)
gladly and cordially embrace such terms of
peace and amnesty from the people fought
to whip and from the Government sought
to destroy. More than this, have not lost
my faith in free institutions. On the contra
ry, it is rather strengthened.
The world never before saw such armies |
suddenly improvised as those lately arrayed |
in mortal combat. History tells of no such |
sacrifices-no such heroism as that display
ed by the citizen soldiers of America Then |
we have seen the immense hosts, numbering
over two millions of men, promptly subsld-
ing into peaceful citizens, those who fought |
the best and the bravest, the most loyal as
subjects, and the most generous as patriots.
We have seen four millions of slaves, only
partially imbued with the principles of re-
publican institutions, suddenly emancipated