Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1870-09-19
POLITICAL.
Card from Gel. Latham In answer to
"Sua" Correspondent.

Editors AppedL-My attention has beef
called to a card in yesterdays Sun, which
though perhaps not so intended, is calcu
lated toiproduce the impression thatI haS
co-operated with the Radical party, anC
contributed money 10 its support. TIL
unknown author Of the card is sOlicitouI
as to the effect of the rumor, and thinks
justice TO myself and friends requires tha
[ should contradict il.
1 should think that the numerous snC
unqualified endorsements of my political
soundness, which have appeared during
the last few weeks, from so many re-,
spOnsible sources, and so thoroughly
identifying me from first to last with the
opponents of radicalism, would be a sufi-
Gent answer to any insinuations put
forth on the eve of the convention. Does
il signify nothing that during the war,
viz: in August, 1863, here in Memphis, in
the midst OF the Federsl army, 1 wrote to
the Chicago Times, the organ of the Demo-
cratic party, a lengthy protest against the
whole policy of the war, extracts from
which were recently published in the AP-
PEAL? l here insert n or two others
from the same letter: al know abolition
croakers deny the existence of Union men
here, and allege the popularity of the
Times as conclusive evidence. There
are Union men here; but they
are not abolitionists ana beliey-
ing that the Union and the Consti-
tuition are zone and ~inseparable," they
must be silent or incur the epithets
"rebel sympatbizsr," "~copperhead," etc.
"~Ninety-nine of every hundred of cur
Southern citizens are sincere, and their
honesty of purpose certainly demands
our highest respect In c~ondemninu
the tyranny Of the Government, 1 said
''we are stigmatized as 'false-hearted
hypocrites,' deserving to be vigorously
dealt with for criticising a policy which
we believe TO be subversiVe of our liber-
ty."
Has the writer in the Sun forgotten that
L presided over the First Congressional
District Convention in West Tennes-
see to organize a party of opposition to
Radicalism, and that the proceedings
were published in the Memphis papers in
1865.
Has he forgotten the following, which
appeared in August, 1868, in the AUdL-
Gnche:
"Those who so u~nrelentingly struggle
for the continued oppression OF this peo-
pie, sheuld remember there is q point of
endurance, beyond which f~orbearance
ceases to be a virtue. The issue is now
directly made. The cry of fear of rebel
rule, danger to Union men, etc, etc,
can no longer be urged. There must be
no eQuivocation."
Has he forgotten that in another letter
about the same time, in the same paper. L
wrote as follows: "Vote for Senter. Cub
bins, Jones, Townsend and Sherrod. See
tina each and all these names are on your
ticket. Amy other vote classes you with
the ultra, prOscriptive, vindictive and
malignant prosecutors of the white man?,
Does he not know that for the position
which I q held for three years, l am
indebted as much, If not more, &c nv |
Conservatism than to any other cause7
After my nomination had been twice re-
fused, through the active opposition of
make one effort. / applied to Hon. Isaac
r. Hawkins, an old neighbor and warm
personal friend, for The strongest letter he
could give me to Colonel Mum, with the
view to removing his opposition TO me,
or course, under the circumstances Colo
mel Hawkins gave me the warmest po-
litical Endorsement consistent with mis-
weIl-known candor and stern integrity.
Here is a quotation from his letter TO
Colonel Num-: 81 cannot say, nor does
Latham claim, that he is a RepubIi-
can. / can recommend him as a good
man and a gentleman, whose frankness
and gentlemanly department viii endear
him to all who make his acquaintance"
And now, for the further qualification Of
the sun correspondent, and any other
/ never, by word, vote or money,
contributed to the success of Radicslism
over Democracy. 1 never desired its sue
cess, and 1 assert that / nave not a friend
Dr. an associate who is not familiar with
undertaking opposition TO the Radical
proscriptive party. Ask h Democrats of
he sixth ward, with whom / hsv met in
ward meetings, and who have received
nv open tickets at the polls. Most of my
thought no reply TO this anony-
nous note was required, but 1 do so at the
of a few who feared it might
,rove prejudicisl among those who know !
ne less intimately, IT. J. LATHAM. I