The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1868-09-30
Peace.
AN IMPORTANT LETTER FROM HENRY WARD BEECHER.

er PEEEsEILL, Thursday, August 80.
l.. Gentlemea-I am obliged to you for the invitatio
70 which you have made to to as Chaplain of th
ne Convention of Sailors and Soldiers about to
se at Cleveland. cannot attend it, but heartily wis
w it, and all other conventions, of what party
success whose object is the restoration of all the State
lately in rebellion to their Federal relations
u Our theory OF government has place for STATE
m except in the Union It is justly taken for granted
e that the duties and responsibilities of State in Fed
eral relations tend to its political health and to that
Us the whole nation. Even territories are hastily brought
! in, often before the prescribed conditions fulfilled
q if it dangerous to leave the community outside
u of the great body polite.
+ Had the loyal Senators and Representatives of Ten.
nessee been admitted at once, the assembling oil
Congress- and in moderate succession Arkansas Geor.
gia, Alabama, North Carolina and Virginia the public
e mind of the South would have been far more healthy
than is, and those States which fingered on proba
ton to the last would have been under more salutarv
influence to good conduct than if dozen armies watch
ed over them
Refusing to admit loyal Senators and Representatives
from the South to Congress will not help the freedmen
1t will not for them the vote It will not pro-
tect them. It will not any amendment of our
Constitution, however just and wise 1t will only in.
crease the dangers and compIicate the difficulties
Whether we regard the whole nation or any section
OF it. or class of it, the first demand of our time is en-
tire reunion. ..-.
Once united, we can, by Schools churches, free
press and increasing free Speech attack each evil and
secure every good.
/ Every moment that we delay this healthful sten
complicatcs the case. The excluded population,
enough unsettled before, grows more irritable. the
army becomes indispensable to local government and
supercedes it the Government Washington is called
to Interfere in and another difficulty and ths will
be done, inaptly, aud sometimes with great Injustice
for our Government wisely adapted to its own proper
functions, is utterly devoid of those habits and un
equipped with the instruments which fit centralized
government to exercise authority in remote States
owe ripeaj ajaHa Hairc Evap
ties has resulted in mistakes which have excited the
patton. But whatever imprudence there NAV be ir
the method the real criticism should be against the re-
QUESTION of such duties of the General Government
The Federal Government is unfit to exercise minor
ponce and local government and will inevitably blum
der when it attempts it, To keep half score of States
under Federal authority but without national ties and
responsibilities to obge the central authority to goy-
ern hathe territory of the Union by Federal civil Of
hcers and by the army, is policy not only unconpe
nial to ideas and principles but preemneny dan
gerous to the spirit of Government However hu.
name the ends sought and the motives it is in fact
course OF instruction, preparing Government to be
despotic and familiarzing the people to stretch of
authority which be other than daDperous To
liberty.
am aware that good men are withheld from advo.
eating the prompt and successive admission of the ex
lied States by the ear chiefly its effect upon parties
and upon freedmen.
It is said that if admitted to Congress the Southern
Senators and Representatives will coalesce with North
ern Democrats and rule the. country Is this nation
then to remain dlsmembered to the ends of par
sies nave we learned no wisdom by the history of
the past ten years. in which just this course of sacrificing
The nation to the exigences of parties plunged US into
rebellion and war?
Even admit that the power should pass into the
lands OF party made up of Southern men and the
hitherto dishonored and misled Democracy of the
North that power could not be used lust "a thav
pleased The war has changed not alone institutions
'ut IDEAS The whole country has advanced Public
entment Is exalted far beyond what it has been at
my former period. new party. would like a river
,e obliged to seek its channels in the already existing
lopes and forms of the continent
W e have entered new era Gfliberty. The stvIe of
hought Is free and more noble. The Young men of
'ur time regenerated. The great army has haan
school, and hundreds of thousands of men aro q+onn
ome to preach truer and nobler view of human
ights. All the industrial interests of society arc
loVlng with increased wisdom towards intelligence and
oerty. EVe:y#here-ln churches, in literature and
ature and natural sciences, in physical industries in
ocal questions, as well in politics. the nation feels
nat the winter ls over, and spring hangs in the
ORION and works through all the elements. In this
apply changed and advanced condition of things no
afty OF the retrograde maintain itself Evorv
ling marches, and parties must march,
hear with wonder and shame and scorn the Fa-- o.
lew that the South once more in adjustment h -tc
ederai Government will rule this nation! I'll q Var.n
rieh-never SO rich; the South is poor-nev.r ts
re so poor. The population of the North is .aa-}g
'ubie that OF the South. The industry of the N3-.
diversity, IN iorwardness and productyeness Ia .i
machinery and education required for manatacrlz-
s. Is nan eenturyln advance OF the South Chufcbae
the North crown every hill and schools sy .rr7 in
cry neighborhoed while the South has bnt G.. -rar
lights, at long distances, like lighthouses tp,iar
'h5 the cage OF continent of da rkness. La the
essence OF such a contrast, how mean and cea7rg is
tear that the South will rule the policv of H. land
lat 1t Will have an influence; that it will contribute
time, most important Influences or restraints we are
ID TO heheve But if it rises at once to the control
the Government it will be because the North de-
'rallsed by prosperity, and bcsotted by groveng in
ests refuses to discharge its share of political div
such case the South not only will control the pov
ment but it ought 10 do it.
It IS feared, with reason that the restoration
the South to her full independence will be dctrimen
to the freedmen. The sooner VIC dismiss from our
nds the idea that the freedmen can be classified and
arated from the white population and nursed and
ended by themselves, the better it will be for them
u.s. The negro is part and parcel of Southern So
w.. He cannot be prosperous while it is unprosper-
g. It's eVlls VIII rebound upon him. It's hanninees
TeInVlgoration cannot be kept from his particna
H. The restoration Of the South to amicable rela
IS with the North, the reorganization of its industry
rehsplratlon OF It's enterprise and thrift will all re-
md to the freedmen's benefit. Nothing is 80 dan
eustothe freedmen as unsettled state Of society
ne South On hlIn comes all the spite and AMER
caprice ana revenge. He will be made the scape-
t of lawless and heartless men. Unless we turn
Government into vast military machine there
thern society remains insurrectionary If Southern
ety IS Gained, settled and occupied, and soothcd.
i new hopes and prosperous industries no armies
be needed Riots will subsde lawless hangers on
be driven off or better governed, and way will
gradually opened up to the freedmen, through edu-
On and industry, to full citizenship, With all its
ors and duties
utilization is growth. None can escape that forty
s In the wilderness who travel from the Egypt Of
rance to the promised land of civilization. The
itlell I0HSt take their march I have fp1i al ~
results. If they have the stamina to UNDERGO the
ships which every civilized people has undergone
lelr upward progress, they will in due time take
place among US. That place cannot be bought
bequeathed, nor gained by slight of hand 1t
come to sobriety, virtue, industry and frugaltv
he nation cannot be sound until the South is pros
us. so, on the other extreme, healthy condition
iyi society in the South is Indispensable to the
are of the freedmen.
eanwlile, the great chasm which rebellion made is
illed up. 1t grows deeper and stretches wider
q u rise dread speetres and threatening sounds
hat gulf be closed and bury it in slaverV aoot;or