Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-01-01

General james Longstreet was one of the bra
vest and ablest officers in the rebel service he
was, after Stonewall jackson, pre-emineutly the
fighting general Of Lees army, and the idol Of
the Southern soldiers He was one of the first
to embrace the cause Of secession, and he sup
ported it with Jealous and sincere though mis-
guided patriotism His devotion to the Confede-
rate cause was not the elimination Of a slowly
maturing scheme of treason, nor the selfish
choice of an ambitious politician, but a soldiers
frank and hearty obedience TO his native State
He by long and heroic service in the field sirni-
fed his earnestness and sincerity. Rebellion
with Gen. Longstreet was no holiday pastme,
but a serious business. The prospect which il
offered to him was not one of official ease and
luxury in the councils Of the new government,
but one Of long and bloody fighting, and perhaps
a soldiers death And in all this Gen Long
street the type of a class of Southern officers
whose principles, and not policy, led them into
rebellion. As such his utterances are deserving
Of consideration.
At the close of the war General Longstreet,
with true soldierly honor, accepted the result,
and sheathed his sword in good faith. He has
since been laboring to excite a similar spirit of
frank submission in his fellow-soders and in
the Southern people. He has pointed out to them
past errors. The war he argued had oyeIthrown
the f4acies of State rights and Of secession, and
they should never be revived And he has con-
stantly striyen to heal the animosties of the
war; to quench any lingering sparks Of rebel
lion; and to turn the attention Of the Southern
people To reviving their wasted fields and pros
tratel industry. He early saw that it was not
the policy Of Andrew johnson that crushed the
rebellion, and that it would not be &C
eepted by a loyal and victorious people
He clearly perceived that reconstruction,
on the basis prescribed by Congress, could alone
secure to the South permanent peace and pros
perity. Hence he took sides squa ely and
promptly with that body, and defended its
measures with distinguished ability. In the
late Presidential contest he naturally espoused
the cause Of Grant and the Republican party.
He warned the people of the South against the
hypocrtical meekness Of Seymour and the war
like threats Of Blair, equally dangerous The |
true friends Of the South, he constantly reit- |
Grated, the Republicans and not President |
johnson or the Democratic party. Now, We |
would not measure General Longstreet's SINGER |
ity by his attachment to the Republican party, |
calculate hispstriotism by the strength of his
adherence tothe Congressional pan of reconstruc-
ton. But certain is it that General Longstreet's
views Of the duty and interest of the South
are correct. They carry with them the eyi-
dence and weight of practical good sense.
A late letter from General Longstreet, which
We publish in another column, contains some
good advice to the South, and also some inter-
esting remarks about General Grant We COM
mend it to the careful perusal of all who desire
to learn the views Of patriotic Southerner, who
thoroughly comprehends the situation aud the
treatment that it demands. His endorsement Of
Grant and Congress is as emphatic as his coun-
sci 10 the South is wise