The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-08-29

If by ''the lost cause" be meant either the
right of secession or the re-estabshment of
slavery. The South fought for a severance of
the UDion-for Independence. II fought with
heroism which does honor to Southern mau
hood, and won the admiration of the world.
The ''cause"-namely, independence-whic
was then "lost," was lost beyond all hope OF
redemption. The South foug ght for indepen-
dence to save slavery, and one is as irretrieva-
bly, lost as the other. When, therefore, one
or two erratic men IN the South vapor about
recovering the lost cause they talk quite at
random, neither expressing any ineligible
meaning OF their own, nor any expectation Of
the Southern people Such extravaganza is
lifted into notice only by the calumnious use
made of it in the Northern press.
If su h an address should be issued as is
bruited 70 be in preparation, il ought to be
numerously signed. There should appear
appended to it the names of majority of the
most distinguished officers on the Southern
side in the late war, and of the ablest civilians
who exert controlling influence ever South
ern public opinion. These men are competent
to speak for the South. They understand the
Southern people too well to mistake their
views; whatever pledges they give will be kept
by the great and chivalrous community who
recognize their leadership.
The most stupendous and absurd mistake
ever made by party pretending to states
manship, was the attempt OF the Republicans
to Teorganize the South without the cO.Opsra-
tion of the natural leaders of the people
There are fifty men in the South who con-
troll its public opinion and its political
action. They are men of character, of per-
sOnal honor, and individual influence, men
incapable of forfeiting their word, aud
whose public engagements would be respected
by those over whom they exert the ascend
ancy due to superior abilities. Instead of
ha sv,N, NNf+ a..
llsh and cement the Union, the Republican
party put them under political ostracsm-a
blundeT which has cost the country hundreds
of millions of dollars, and three years of dis
content and turmoil. Such men cannot be
deprived Of influence. The public opinion
which they control is a current to be rowed
against If you attempt to force a policy to
which they do not consent, and especially if
you attempt to force a policy by which they
are ostracsed and degraded.
When hostilities terminate between Gov
ernments foreign to each other, the transition
from war to peace is immediate and perfect.
Armies are safely disbanded, because each
Government is recognized as having power to
bind and control its own people, THIS saves
a long and burdensome afterpiece of quasi
hostihties. When our civil war ended the
Confederate Government went out OF feXistence;
but the circumstances nevertheless admitted
OF the same complete settlement as in the case
of a foreign war. Nobody doubted that the
terms of surrender agreed to by Lee and
Johnson would be faithfully kept by the
Southern eoldiers. These war-worn veterans
were ready to fight or lay down their arms,
according to the judgment of their trusted
commanders. Grant and Sherman would not
have made more fatal, a more preposterOus
blunder if they had disdained aud ignored
the Southern generals and attempted to make
peace without them, than the Republican
party has in disdaiping and ostracising the
Southern statesmen and political leaders. In
its vain and futile attempt to eXtingush their
influence, it has been obliged to keep up war
expenses in time of peace; been obliged to
Overspread the South with armies to superin-
tend the erection of governments which will
fall to pieces in every State as soon as military
protection is withdrawn. No policy can be
permanently successful in which the leaders
of Southern opinion do not cooperate. Under
Republican management the country will never
reach tranquility. The Democratic party can
guarantee pesce-not the peace of the bayonet,
but OF consent and ood-will-because the De-
mocratic party can pacify the South through
the influence of its leading men. Nobody
doubts this; but great many weak-minded
| men in the North fear that the Southern
| leaders will consent to nothing reasonable.
| An address, signed by the proper persons, set
| ting forth explicitly what the South is willing
| to regard as settled against further disturb
ance as the result of the late war, might allay
| groundless apprehensions, and make the De-
mocratic majority so large that everybody
| would recognize the Presidential election as
! final settlement.