New Orleans Republican., 1868-08-25

tice R. NJ. Pearson, of North Carolina, him;
self Conservative, to the Conservatives of
that State, which has been alluded to in
our dispatches. 1t is full of interest to the
Conservatives of Tennessee, and we hope
will be carefully perused by all who wish
well for their country:
To the Conservative Party:
| am alarmed at the condition of the
country. and fear we are drifting into
another civil war. In my opinion the
Z" war clouds" are as dark now as in the
winter of 1860-0l. We were then prom
ised peaceable secession;" we are now to
have "peaceable nullification.n Under
these circumstances l feel it to be duty to
make known the reasoning by which /
have arrived at the conclusion that every
man who has an interest at stake, and who
wishes to have peace and avoid bloodshed,
should vote for Grant and Colfax. Being
a member of the Conservative party, and
having been elected Chief Justice of the
| Supreme Court on the nomination of both
parties, by unanimous vote of the peo
| Pile, it is fair to presume that have their
| confidence, and that what l say will be
considered calmly, as the advice of friend
who has no motive save the public good.
l trust 10 be held justified, by the emer-
gency, for expressing my opinion, and to
be allowed to do so without being drawn
into the vortex Of politics; with my views
silence would be criminal. God Almighty!
forbid a war of races. Violent politicians
avowed their purpose to agitate, turn
things upside down, nullify and bring on
another war, rather than submit to let the
negroes vote and hold office. But is it not
the part of wisdom and patriotism to ac-
cept 1.-The situation,N and try to make the
most OF bad bargain, rather than make
bad worse! l can not, as Others seem to be
able to do, exclude from my mind the fact
that the South attempted revolution and
was subiugaied, and our condition Is one
Of the bitter fruits of rebellion! LET us
have peace This is the point on which
my opinion rests.
TIE SEYMOUR CONTENTION AND RECoysTRUC.
TIoN.
The New York Convention declares our
State government mere creation of usur-
patton, and of course not entitled to the
allegiance of the people; and it proclaims
the reconstruction acts of Congress "uncon-
stitutional, revolutionary, and void
emitting the word null, lest it might call
up unpleasant reeollections of the days of
notification, when the strong will of Jack
son prevented war. If the reconstruction
acts are void so are the reconstruction
measures of President johnson, and the
| negroes are still slaves.
This leads to war. But it is said slavery
and secession are dead issues. Why, or
how Admit however, that the only OBJ
ject is to deprive the freedmen of political
rights, how can that be effected? Some
say "it is to be done by the ballot and not
by the bayonet." How? That's the uues-
ton. The freedmen are now in possession
OF the right to vote; of course if they vote
the constitution can not be amended so the
only mode IS to carry out practically the
doctrine that the reconstruction acts are
void, and our constitution is of no effect.
This is notification, and disguise it as they
may, it must result in war History fur
nishes no instances of four millions OF peo-
pie, backed, as they are in our State by a
clear majority of 10000 votes, being de-
prived of political rights which they have
enjoyed for years. It can not be done
without civil war. 1t is against the order
of nature.
My countrymen, it is time to pause. and
refuse longer to follow the lead of violent
politicians. We should discard prejudice
| and passion, and act on our own Judgment
| as TO what should be done under the cir
cumstances by which we find ourselves
surrounded
The most violent members of any party.
provided that they can get members
enough at the start to make a respectable
showing, always carry their point; for rea-
son is put aside, vituperation and abuse are
hurled at all who hesitate-"he is not a
friend OF the South; he is a traitor to his
race and color,n etc. The women and
children Creatures of teeling) join in the
clamor, and so it goes. You and | were
opposed to secession, the bulk of the people
opposed it, yet we were hurried into it.
After the ordinance, like true men we ad-
hered to our State and rendered faithful
allegiance to the Confederacy up to the
surrender. What did we gain by it?
should rather ask who can estimate what
we lost by it
s WHAT CONSERVATIVES LOST BY INAcTIoN.
will specify instances where bad was
made worse by violent politicians
l. We labored under supposed ineon-
venience in not being allowed to carry
slaves into the territories, and owing to the
preludices against slavery, fugitive slave
could not be reclaimed under the act of
Congress without more cost than his value.
To remedy this the South seeded. We
lost ali our slaves
z. AT the Fortress Monroe conference it
was In our power to be restored to all the
rights OF State, provided we would submit
to gradual emancipation, that is, eyery ne.
gro born after day to be fixed should be
Tree at the age of twenty-one. But the cry
was = independence or nothing,n slight Il
out" when it was known we could not omen
the spring campaign without q reinforce
ment OF 100000 negro soldiers, which was
impossible, or if possible, fatal to our cause.
Inc result was a surrender without terms.
followed by instant emancipation, with four
mullons OF freedmen in our midst So bad
was again made worse! 4
b 8. What was to be done with the freed
men! The idea of four millions of people.
not slaves, existing in our midst without
some political right, was out of the cues
ton. such condition of things never has.
within the memory Of man. and never viii
exist It is against the eternal laws of ma
ture! at that time we had IL in ofr mower 4
70 put all things right by submitting 10
4uaiilso negro suffrage. That's, let every
freedman who could read or write, or own |
ea say SlOO worth of property, have the
right to vote. Not much harm would have
come OF this, for the negro vote would have |
oeen cen scattered and neutralized. But no |
Inls Is a white mans government
freludIce excluded reason. How did it re. |
snlD The State is reduced to a military
alsulct, with provisional government. |
SUBJECT 70 the order of the /" General com. |
mandlng." The freedmen are entitled TO |