Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1869-04-02
Rebel who Accepts the Situation
with all It's Consequences.


ROBERT B. smith, of Missouri, who
served in an important position on the
medical staff in Prices rebel army in the
West, and Lees in Virginia; who was
born with love for slavery, and was a
slave owner up to the loss of his darkeys
by the war, writes to the Missouri Demo.
crat long letter in which he expresses
his views of the present legal and political
status of the ex.rchels, and the proper
course for them TO pursue. lie says:
As early as the spring of 1866, when
Andrew Johusons reconstruction plan
was rampant throughout the Southern
States, | openly urged in three column
article, published in the Missouri VALLEY
Register at Lexington, its reputation by
them, and the acceptance by them of tho
proposition, universal amnesty with res
toration to all political privileges with inn
partial sutirsge) of Senator Nye, of Ne
vada backed by Sumner, Wade, Gratz,
Brown, Greeley, and other members of
the Republican party. AT that time every
string of the thousand OF the Democratic
harp twangcd "White Mans government"
told them that this was but drugged
drink, that would sooth them into slum-
Der, and that they would wake up from its
effects to find themselves in more
wretched condition than ever-that we
had commenced the war with Radicalism,
had fought II throughout, and had finally
surrendered TO it-that Radicalism was
the rule, the party in power was the gov
ernment--and that while treating or trad.
ing, 1t was better policy and more princi-
pie to treat with something tangi-
bic and for something tangible
than To- bargain with nonentity for a
nonontity-lor such consider the John
sou or Democratic party, and the citizen.
ship then offered by that party to the
south-no one but he who had been a
traitor to them being able to represent
them. On the other hand l urged them
that the Radical party offered them Qiid
pro quo that Jefferson Davis, their great
leader, whose crime was their crime, was
still in prison TO be tried for his life, aud
threatened with failing health--thst Early
breckenridge, and many others, selfexiled
knowing that prison awaited their re-
turn to this country unpardoned, that duty
TO these illustrious persons who were sut.
fering for their sake or sins, If any, de-
manded their acceptance of the Radical
compromise, and that the White Mans
government was like the Roman republic
of old, mo more;" that when Andrew
johnson, Frank Blair & Co. freed the ne
gro they forever and forever destroyed the
White Mans government in this country
and that the emancipation Of millions o
blacks brought with IL of necessity their
entranchisement-that this enfranchise
ment would be, whether they gave TO II
their assent or NOT, and that in four years
at the tarthest many active prominent
Johnson men among them would accedC
to the necessity and policy of uniYersa
amnesty and impartial suffrage. | am glat
60 see that my prediction has been fulfilled
and that many prominent military Snt
civil citizens of the South have signited
their adhei cnce TO this doctrino-a princi
pie, and the only principle that will ever
bring peace TO the country-Me 6lUSua
ehlsewent Of al, both tahIte and black
While many ex-rebels agree with me in
the position and principle have stated
there are many who disagree, and, oI
course, have right 20 thinK as they
please-a right, let them also remember
that no one can be deprived Of The diff
hculty under which they labor, think
is, that we are still living under the old
constitution intact in every trace snt
line, and that II we are not We ought e
be and that they are, in measure, re
sponsible for the care OF this government
Nothing, in my opinion, could be nor,
| etIOneOus. we ulu our uttermOst 10 un
hinge, destroy, and dismember il, and did
doubtless, crack II to its foundation, an(
l think II fortunate for the whole countr,
that we were not employed in its rebuild
ing and reformation, for had our hell
been had, many, doubtless, in the Nortl
would have cried 10 all time, bad brick
bad mortar, or dll plaster and R0thing bU
ddu6--snd thus we would have no peac
and their confidence never restored. A
things are we find ourselves without an
governmental habitation, our own fai
; fabric (the Coniederaoy) almost finished
swept from the face of the earth, mum
. bered midst the things that have been,
and we ex-ConfedeTates still unroOte
I aud unroosted, bearing the "peltings Q
, the pittiloss storm" The law makers {
, this State and the United States have no,
remodeled and completed such ediaces q
/ satisfy their faith in their frmness and ii
4 ness. II is said II we knock the door
/ will be opened unto u.s. II so, let us 4
! in; and being in, let us so bear ourselvC
that peace and confidence, tilial and IN
, ternal, mey hll the land,
| =