The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1868-10-28

pS41ls 4fnSSS! 100 seAy sc. - -
dad for publication, and I truly hope you
will not think it too much to comply with,
if il can in any degree restore confidence
between the people of the two sections
and so, ultimately; real peace and pros
with great respect, am yours trnly.
q - y = i',.ii,.'o G. L. PARK.
CoIuMBIA, S. G., October II, 1863.
1fy Dear Sir: Absence from home and
constant engagements have prevent earlier
repiy to your letter, in which you ask me
TO give Won ca statement Of the real opin-
ions YOU N) entertain upon the issues Of
the war. ita results and consequences, and
those Of the people at large, whom yea IL:
to great extent, represent y 1.-THE mass
Of she Northern people have not been
convinced of tho pacific asntiments of,the
people of the South by the authoritative
actiou of four Conventions and Legislatures;
of che patriotic and truthful utterances OF
Robert e. Lee, endorsed az they have
been with such entire unanimity by al
the true men of. the South, do not carry
conviction, my words would, indeed, be
powerlesa for good. But while am
profoundly impressed by thie fact, it IS
due to you that should respond to your
;nouiries ii. the sarno spirit that prompts
them. This i. shall do frankly, in the
hone that oil candid fnen among our
opponents will grant me \ fair hearing,
and those who have so studiously perver
ted fiy sentiments and actions hitherto,
NAV at least give me credit for sincerity
and honesty Of purpose. First, then as to
1tsn,y real opinions as to issues, results ana
consequences of the war;" The main issnes
involved In the war were secession and
slavery: the first the primary one, the
latter breughtiu later period. In regard
to these / adop fully and, without reser-
vation; ,tlts principles announced by the
Late National Democratic Convention in
New York, and in the words of the
platform promulgated there, 1 consider
these aqueetIons as settled forever.
accept this as the result accomplished BY
the war, and as it's logical legitimate
consequence. This / have done from the
day the war closed, aud have counselled
Z, cur II people to look upon 1t in the same
lieht. wan strongly in favor Of the &C
lion taken By this State comforting on the
q, negro equal civil rights with che white
nj man, and, mora than year ago, advocat
Ted the policy Of giving 20 him, as soon
az vo had the power TO do 60 legltimateiy,
s,ufrsge based on qualification. The Dem
oAratic Convention held hore in April last
recognized him ns "aa integral part OF the
body polieic,n and declared that it would,
syhen our party came into power, grant
him partial suffrage. The State Central
Clnb has lust readirmed this declaration.
and hsve no doubt but that this declare
tion is sustained by vast majority ofthe
white. citizens of the State. We regard
the Reconstruction acts as unconatitution-
al. but we look for their overthrow not to
violence, but, in the language of resolu.
ton unanimously adopted by the Deb.
cratic party in convention assembled, ."to
constitutional agencies and peaceful reme-
dies alone.1. We invoke decieion on the
constitutionality of these acts from the only
tribunal competent to pronounce on thom
tho Supreme Court of the United States;
snd we were prepared, in. good faith, TO
abide by that decision. 1t may not be
inappropriate hero, to correct Q misrepre-
tation widely spread by Radical papers
touching these acts. In these / have beef,
charged with having "dictated" that por-
zion Of the Democratic platform relating
to reconstruction This charge have
more than once denied, and do so again
most emphatically. The sonse in which |
spoke of the words Unconstitutional, rev'
olutionary and void" ss being my plank in
the platform, referred to them as constitu-
ting the plank to which I, as we'll as any
other Southern man, cluug for safety. To
place this matter beyond all question, ]
shall state, briefly, the action Of the con.
vontion OH this point, and my agehcy init.
/ Several Southern delegates offered rsso-
lntions upon these reconstruction measures.
upon which debate arose. Northern
delegates asked us not to press our reso-
lutions; but to trust to tho Democratic
party. whom succeseful, to give ms all the
rg,ief in their power. A distinguished
gentleman from one of the Northwestern
States pronounced these acts "unoonstitu-
tlonal. revolutionary and void, and urged
ms to leave this question to the Democratic
partv for it's proper solution. So anxious
we're the Southern delegates to promote
harmony; co solicitous weno they 20 syoid
any action that might eudanger the success
Of that party, to which alone they could
lock tor relief, tbas every one Of them