The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-09-16
Letter of Amos Kendall
srRueur-our oIn-rAsuroSEp DEMOCRAT
fOifi I ~ &c DocrRIxE.SI ~ y

7 Oil I GsC4I &c DocrRIxE.a ~ =
Hon. Amos Kendall, who was member
of General Jaclsson's Cabinet, has recently
put forth q document which may be styled
the embodiment of Hickory Sense" We
kcopy as:follows, adding thatitle venerable
old gentleman signs himself "as ever, q
Jackson Democrats" ~
If there be anypeople in the world who
| willnot submit to hopeless oppression it is
those who have been raised under the free
institutions of the United States. Let
each voter of the North ask himself how
he would feel and what he would do if an
nsurping Congress were to- deprive him of
the rights of q. freeman and subject him in
life, liberty and property to the absolute
control of ignorant and penniless negroes.
As, he would answer their inquiry SO let
him act. Let him not wonder that notes
such as lie himself might utter under like
circumstances, reach his ears occasionally
from the South; and let him ask himself
whether he is. prepared by his vote to re-
produce on this continent the conduct of
England toward Ireland, and of Russia to-
ward Poland No man of sense and intel
iligence can expect in the South, SO long as
a large portion Of the White population
are excluded from all participation in their
own government, and opposed by their
late slaves, led on by adventurous from the
North. They laid down their arms in good
fulth; they gave up their slaves; they sur
rendered thu, principle for which they had
fought; they, accepted the poverty to
which they wcrc reduced; and they sought
only to be allowed the privilege q free
and Ipyul citizepslunief the old nag This
President Lincoln, and President johnson,
following in his footsteps, desired to con-
cede to them. The former fell by tho
hand of a rebel assassin |; the latter las
been hunted, ferociously by anothcr class
of assassins: The policy of the two Presi-
dents was identical, and yet our Radicals,
with singular Inconsistency. defy the dead
Lincoln and cruelty, the living Johnson
Why is this? Lincoln is out Of their way,
and they would profit by his virtues;
johnson is q hon in their path and they
would destroy him for his fidelity in at
tempting to protect the CONSTITUTIONS.
What sort of q peace is to be expected in
the South so long as white people ars
prescribed and negroes SLOWED to govern.
may be safely inferred from the condition
of those reconstructed States-Louisiana
and Tennessee. Their Governors and Leg
islatures are calling for military aid, avow-
ing incapacity to maintain peace and en-
force, the laws by the civil authorities. If
this be go, it is conclusive proof that Con-
gressional reconstruction, as means of
tranqnilizing the South, is a failure The
road to peace is in another direction Let
Congress retire within the Unite of the
Constitution. Let them abolish their test
oaths and remove their disabilities. Let
them restore to the President his lcgiti.
mate functions, and allow his pardohs to
have Their constitutional effect. Eet them
strengthen instead Of weaken the Judicial
ny. and sustain it in its full. exercise Of it's
powers,i for. tho protection of both tho
white ind black. -. rl..G5i .lJiitpsE.ss.i
Wipe ont as with a sponge all your &c
post facto legislation, and restore to all tho
States their constitutional rights. Do this,
and you win have peace. The men whom
you now hold DISTINGUISHED and have push
ed to the verge Of despair will become
your spreties for the preservation Of peace
and the restoration of order. -, 49,
Reverse the picture, aud what are tho
prospects of this country? Attempt to
sustain these negro governments by force,
and You rednce the prescribed white men
to despair. Your army, instead of being
reduced, must be doubled. The taxes, in
stead Of being diminished, must DO in
creased. Il Congress cannot las they have
noU prevent an increase of our frightfnl
national debtin times Of peace. what noun.
tains mnst be added to it by renewal of
wara And in the anarchy which must en-
sue, what is to become Of our republican.
institntionsg Are VIC, like the. people of
SO many other republics which have lived
and persisted, destined to seek for grcposo
in the arms of q military dcspotismg 1
impiore my countrymen to look the dar-
gers of the crisis in the face, and to. tho
power left 70 them as to secure nnaion.
peace and prosperity. without further re-
sort to prescription or the sword. These
views come from ono who warucd tho
South against secession as the road to ruin,
but in vain; from one who warned tho
Democratic Party against yielding to tho
counsels Of . few leaders who were luke.
warm, or worse, in support of the war for
the Union, but in vain; from one who
thinks he secs the fatal results of pcrsis-
tence in Radical reconstruction as dis
tinctly as he foresaw the results of seces-
sion, and tho effects of Democratic policy
during the war; from one who wants moth
ing from his government but to be pre-
tected and let alone; from one who must
soon be summoned before Lis Maker to &C.
count for the manner in which he has dis
charged his duties to his God his eodutry,r
and his feIlow-mcn. F,s
PRUSSIA AND AMERICA. bos
been considered pretty much of a dcs-
potism; but she has some principles Of
magnanimity unknown to the Jacobins.
OF the North. We read that the Pms
sian Government has fnrli,llan .u,.