The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-04-05
L.rvnn rnon ALAsAnA.

L1RTRn YR0M ALABAMA.
Wa publish 9 private letter, addressed TO |
pondent of the GArx CfrY, during the war.
He then led our "boys in blss," on many .
raid against the rebels, and he 10 nov peace
fully engaged in agricultural pursuits down in
Alabama. His letter gives Northern mans
ideas Of the present sempss- and purpose of
the pscbls Of that region, and Will, for that
reason, be interesting 70 The rssders Of ths
GArE Crrr:
PaAIau BLuYy, Wilcox County, Ala,
March -, 1887.
DELR FRIRxp: wish you 70 say that | am
well, and my family have had very good
health since We arrived in the State. have
not heard directly from you since parted
with you in Keokuk, saying would write you
at your request most willingly. Ihavs much
respect for every loyal man Who, during the
trying times Of our late struggle, reuaiasd
true and firm in the right, and for none do
have higher regard than for yourself-vho
was always trus-always firm in the right
unsel6sh in resisting the wrong, even q. your
own financial or social disadvantage.
remember many things Of you during the
last six yesn. Yet, Why an l talking
this way 70 your Why am impressed With
this idea to>dsyY
Ivil tell you, and this is my apology. The
political situation 10 lately taking more def
mite shape than for the last two years, and
when l think of the present situation, and
talk with my neighbors in Alabama, so many
things remind me Of your sayings, and of our
talk about the Sosth, the more an impress
ed with the fact that your ideas we're right
and that what We have said about johnson
being the worst enemy to the Sopth," is
true. All that was wanted vas . steady
hand, with fru grasp, TO have solved the
entire problem of Reconstruction.
The late military BILL" or Sherman .
Bill, with Shellabargsrs aneudmsnt, has
suddenly become popular among Southern
men around ms-many alleging that they
always bad been in favor OF negro suffrage
and the principles of this Bill" Judge -,
nov State Senator in this State, and one
who came near being elected United States
Senator, called upon me several Gays ago,
and said be did not doubt that Alabama, at
least this portion Of Alabama, would cheer
fully accept the situation, and register tbs
negro vote in good faith, fer, said he, I've
must either do that, and chserfuly give then
the franchise, or ait mute and allow others ts
do IL, and thus make the negroes . uni
against us, and build up An irreprsssibl,
party without brains, to rule Us in the
future We, in the former slAve-holdna
districts. have an additional reason Why W,
should be in favor Of it, a. it will give usad
ditionA power in Legislature andin Congress
for heretofore the poor districts Of Alabama
settled by poor whites, have controlled III
richer districts on account Of slave popula
ton. We now can take our proper place il
the Liquidation Of the country, aud We mus
do is.i
These, among other thoughts we're throw
out in the course of conversation With Juds
-, and be says that he win make ii hi
bosinsss 70 20 sreund in Msrsnso, Dalla,
Lowndss, Wilcox, and Psny counties, IN
talk the leading men into . different cours,
81 am disfrauchissd myself, Jet ills no reaso
should cease TO b. good citizen, and .,
for the best interests the community.
You viii see from the above that Judge :
looks philosophically 4 the situation, and
ready 70 do what is for the bssa.
Nov, Friend Howell, will say that hay
many misgivings - to the result Of uaiverss
suffrage, and hope il will turn out that thsi
misgvinss are baseless ~ the buebear
emancipation. While admit tha, sutYras
il but sequence OF the present status Of 81
negro, yet am reminded also tina, it b,
been doctrine almost universally receive
that the psrpetuiy of our institutions d
pended upon popular and universal educ
zion. The school house and the church a
the pillars Of permanent Republicanism.
% what viii ensue when you extend the fra
chiss 70 IN isnoront, debassd, and easi
duped, population. In this and adjoinir
counties the negro vote viii BE- nearly thr,
70 one white, and with the white, ignorant,
clAsa, what viii you say Of the mas
fvs-sixths Of which 10 in total ign
rance. Already the negro is scared in son
neishborhoods into the idea that the m.
who viii come round to take the names &
rssistry are only getting their names - L
q thsn Ike I'LL"
very all taught to believe in the ma
i'm, " Do rightly slough the heavens fall" Il
Hope thas anarshy viii not grow on. of I'm
vsrsal suffrage. Ny own idea hes been Ii
impartial suffrage, with qualifications. ahou
prsesds universal sunrage. 70. the la.,
ssasss - 10 ths faes and must be mt. WI
DO yua link The best oeufss TO take in /
s prsmisssf I know that II white voters y,
tied down % some qualifications, a. to rel
ins snd writing. Il would cut % large D,
d. q - wAiAs vs1ss and nearly al the ,
GsTssss ~ while We ars about
sasaes 49, ~ - u sxpsrimsns, and D.
laps - u1l lns n long. breath, I'D Vi
sassonaeitsa kab. strssjis with the VI,
6f3tSaa, rids sscasslv without applian,
= tsos y sp, Truly We live in . change
-. "a NJ witness IL snssss q Vi
- . an s.sAsrs dssadsd would b. . failure
1,ssysAiss : quiet here, and Ill o
<sssniss sSD y'As~ sssss sssH'
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