The weekly North-Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 186?-1869, 1868-09-30
Letter from Gen. Rufus Barringer.
CuAnLorrE. n. G.. Sept. 81, 1868.

MCDONALD, Committee, &c:
Gentlemen Yours of the 18th instant is
before me, informing me of my unanimous
nomination as the Grant and Coliax eector
for this District have been absent from
the State tour weeks, and this nomination
was made without my knowledge or con-
sent. did not wish to take an active part
in politics. | have avoided committing
myself fully to any party. do not live 10y
office or agitation But in view of the mo-
mentous ISSUE presented by the Democratic
party at New York, go for Grant and Col
fax with all my heart, and accept the nom
ination rendered. l beg to thank the Re
publicans of the District for the confidence
reposed in me, and to return the committee
nv obligations for the kind manner in Which
they have made known to me the wishes OF
the party.
Owing to an affection of my voice, | may
not be able to canvass very extensively. But
/ shall in a few days enter upon the work
before me- Meantime give you an outline
of my views, which you Can use as you think
best.
Early in the summer of 1865, saw that
reconstruction was not impossible, and
ICSOlVCl 10 10 I'LL COuitt W pIOiiiotC IT,
meant to do so, not with mere lip service,
but with an honest conviction and with
heartfelt zeal Why not2 had once loved
the Union 1t was the work of our fathers.
1t had often protected me in foreign and far
distant lands 1t had given us untold bles-
sings at home had opposed the war, but
when it came, and l saw no way to save our
selves no hope to preserve society, but FOR
all TO 90 together and take our chances on
the field of battle, forgot party, and went
into it with all my soul. While thus doing
my whole duty to my people and t" my sec
ton, nothing occurred to myself personally
to awaken undue bitterness or revenge. l
knew what the conflict would he before l
went into it. l had cherished 10 prejudces
against the North. had learned to appre-
cate her wonderful energy, steadiness of
purpose, enterprise skill and genius.
gloried in free institutions but l knew with
what fierceness and fury free people always
fight. 1t was after all, only a struggle be-
tween two opposing theories of civilization,
each superior of its kind; bat each having
characteristics hateful to the other. But
with slavery-the great distinctive feature
gone, these superficial differences must grad
ually disappear Our theory having gone
under we had no alternative but to adopt
the other, and to proceed cautiously and
gradually to conform to it, or plunge hope
lessly into the vortex of anarchy and strife.
recognized the fact that great wars settle
political rights and principles. People said
we were not conquered; but overpowered
by numbers. But there are always moral
causes that give the victor his numbers and
inspire them with fortitude, enthusiasm and
courage to press onward to the death, and
until victory crown their efforts.
What were these moral causes? The un-
reflective, the selfish, and the vindictive are
apt to look only at the surface, and say hate,
fanaticism and the lust of power. But it is
fatal mistake to suppose that these perma-
nently control the interest of man, guide the
destiny of nations or animate the hopes of
the world. Whatever, then, the moral
causes were that triumphed in the conflict,
they must so on to conquer, until they reach
their just and legitimate results. The mil
lions that prayed and fought and persisted
for them, will not, after all this, stop at any
halfway house, or turn back in defeat and
disgrace. Until these results are reached,
there can be no repose. Resistance re-ani-
mates them. But once reached, all settle
down, and the work of peace truly begins.
Passions die out. The wounds of war are
healed. Society is reconstructed on its true
basis. Virtue and intelligence resume their
sway. Rents made in laws, constitutions
and in all prescriptive rights, are peacefully
bound up, and the new guarantees become
political landmarks.
Now, all admitted that it was the Repub-
lican party that triumphed in the war. Here
of fhn S0nth If w obor hot II
the essential elements of Black Republic
canism that were at work North, that cleo
ted MIR. Lincoln, that organized the Union
armies, and that led them finally to victory.
The great bulk of the Democrats North, who
entered the Federal army, became Republi-
cans. In May, 1865, the Democratic party
was politically dead, and the distinctive
tenets of Republicanism were practically re
cognized all North. For myself, 1 always
felt that these theories lay at the bottom of
the Revolution. I did not dread them to
the extent of Others, and I was ALWAYS will
ling to compromise our troubles, if l could
have believed, that the Southern people were
only In temper to accept just results. l
knew they were not, and was willing ratll-
er than subjugation, to fight for their sake.
But when that overwhelming calamity came,
suits of our defeat, adopt Republican theo-
ries, and proceed in our own way and time
to conform to them. will be frank now.
and admit that the progress of the war, and
especially my own experience in the army,
dispelled in some measure prejudices had
against the masses, and especially colored
people. AS Southron born and as Con-
tederate officer never can forget the fidelity
and devotion of the humber class of whites
and of the slaves in our midst. Though it
comes from myself will say it: If the pol
lticians and the upper class at home, who
had all at stake, had done their duty,
like those IN the army, the result might pos
sibly have been different. Through four
terrible years l for one never missed tour
OF duty, except when wounded, on leave, or
in prison. Nor did my men desert me.
No member of my old company was ever so
much as tried by general court martial My
regiment was pronounced in official reports
"a pattern for Others" My brigade entered
upon the campaign of 1866, with thrice the
numbers OF any other in the service, and in
the day of trial, thirty officers and over two
hundred men sealed the last Confederate
victory with their blood. Let those who
enjoyed bomb-proofs and civil offices, while
brave and true men battled at the front,
call me what they please, I am bold to say,
that the lesson of all our troubles has given
me more faith in the humber American free
man, more confidence i'll liberal institutions.
and, l am not afraid to say, more respect for
even Black Republican principles lam not
ashamed of the cause for which I fought,
nor of the part played in the war. But as
God in his mercy spared my life through
20 and odd actions on the field of battle,