The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1869-07-21
WHITE SULPHUR SPRINGS,
West Virginia, August, 1868.

tfGENERAL Full of soIicitude for
the future of our country, 1 come
with my heart in my hand to learn
the condition, WISHES and intentions
of the people of the Southern States,
and especially to ascertain the SEN
timent- Of that brave, energetic and
selfsacrifcing class of men, who,
after sustaining the Confederacy for
sWore allegiance to the Government
Of the United States, whose trusted
and beloved leader you have been.
/ see that interpreting State rights
to conflict with National unity has
produced violent reaction against
them, which is drifting us toward
consolidation; and, also that so great
country as ours, even now, is GER
tain to be, must have State Govern.
ments to attend to local details, or 60
further and fare worse.
sit is plain to US at the West and
North that the continuance of semi
anarchy, such as has ex lsted for the
last three years IN ten States of our
Union, largely increases the danger
OF Capitalization sWells our Nations
al expenditures; diminish hes our pro-
ductions and our revenue; inspires
doubts of our political and financial
stability; depreciates the value of
our National bonds and currency,
aud places tine credit OF the richest
below that of the poorest nation in
Christendom. We know that our
currency must be deprecated so long
a5 cur bonds are below par, and that
therefore, the vast business and COM
merce of our country must suffer the
terrible evil of huctating standard
of value until we can remedy the
evil condition of things at the South.
We also see other mischief quite pos
sible, if not-pFobabie, to arise /; such
as from failure of crops, local. in
surrection,. and many other unfor-
seen contingencies, which may fur
ther depreciato our credit and cur
rency, provoke discomfort and dis
order among our people, and bring
domagogical agitation, revolution,
repudiat1on, anda thousand unnamed !
evils and viIlainies on US. We know |
that the interests of the people of the
South are for law and order, and they !
must share our fate for good or evil |
''l believe that every one know, |
who reflects, believes that If the peo-
pie of the Southern States could be |
at peace, and their energy and good |
viii heartily applied to repair the !
wastes of war. re0rgapiZing their |
business, set the freedmen peacaably, |
prosperousiy and contentedIy at |
work invite capital, enterprise and
labor from elsewhere to come freely
among them, they would soon re-
build their ruined fortunes, multiply
manifold the value of their lands,
establish public confidence in our
political stability, bring our Govern
ment bonds TO premium, our cur
rency to a gold ttandard, and assure
for themeelves and the whole nation
a happy and prosperous future.
Seeing this and how all just inter
estsconcur in the work, l ask the
officers and soldiers who fought for
the Union, ask every thinking man
of the great West and North why it
can not be done? We are told by
those who have controlled the Coy
ernment tor the last four years that
the people of the South will not do
it; that if eyer done at all, it must be
done by the poor, simple, uneducat-
ed landiess freemen, and the few
whites who, against the public SEN
timent OF the Intelligent white peO-
pie, are willing to attempt to lead,
and make their living of OF these
ignorant, inexperienced colOred peo-
pie-mOstIy men who must be needy
adventures, or without any of those
attributes on which reliance for good
guidance or government can be plac-
ed. We are told that this kind of
government must be continued at
the South until six or eight millions
of Intelligent, energetic white people
move into 1t, or move out of the
Nov, / think the Union army
thinks, and the people Of the North
and West, I dare say, believe there
must be, or there ought TO be,
shorter, surer way to get good goV~
eminent for all at the South. We
know that they organized and sus-
tanned the Southern Confederacy for
four years against gigantic efforts,
ought TO be able to give peace, laws
order and protection to the whole
people of the South. They have the
interest and the poWers to employs
protect, educate and elevate the poor
freedmen and, restore themselves
and our country to all the blessings
of which L have just spoken.
THE question we want answered
Is, fare they willing to do1tW i
came down to find what the people
OF the South think of this, and to ask
YOU what the officers and soldiers
who served in the COnfede army,
and the lerdIng people who sanc-
toned it, think of these things? L
want to ask you, in whose purity
and patriotism / here express un-
qualilled, confidence, aand as many
other good men IS you can 1conye-
| niently consult, to say what you
think of il, and also what you are
willing to do about it? L want a
4 written expression of views that can
be followed by a concurrence of &C.
J tien, I want to know If you and