The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1871-10-11

HIS VIEWS.
NASHVILLE, Tenn, September 70,
Is7I.-The speech delivered by Hon.
Carl Schurz, of Missouri, on Wednes-
aay. has created profound impression
in politieal circles. The most signifi-
can't incident connected with With it is
the following letter formally address
cd TO Senator Schurz and signed by
several hundred ex Confederate SOL
diers, embracing every grade and rank
of the late rebel service, from privates
and non-commissioned officers up to
Major Generals. The signers, general
". are representative men of influence
in the community:
NASHVILLE, TENN, !
September %, 1871. :
Hon. Carl Schars =
DEAR SrR-We, the undersigned, for
merly Confederate soldiers, wish to ex-
press to you our high regard for yonr-
self and our profound regard and adj
niration of the unselfsh, non-partisan,
cultured and patriotic address deliver
ed by you in this city. We admire
the manly, independent spirit which
refuses obedience to party when in
conflict with ones convictions of duty
and right. We pledge you that we are
no partisans; that we have a faith that
no words can express in the sublime
significance of the mission and destiny
of the American Republic; that we
honor and revere the national flag as
the assured herald of that day when
the races of men of all ranks and con-
ditions will be redeemed and delivered
from all species of political and men
tai thraldom. We wish to turn our
back on all sectional parties and all
parties cropping in the moonlight of the
past and to aliay ourselves with any
party that will be animated with the
spirit of civil and religious liberation
and broad and elevated patriotism, hot
bounded by State lines, but inspired
with an abiding faith in the genius of
free institutions.
NASHVILLE, September %, 187l.-
The following is Senator Schurz's re-
My to the Confederate soldiers
letter:
MAXWELL House,
Nashville, September %, 1871. s
GENTLEMEN -
/ have received your letter, and,
without affectation, / must say that 1
cannot find words strong enough to de-
scribe the JOY it has given me. spon-
taneous expressions of such sentiments
as your letter contains, coming from
YOU as late soldiers of the Confederate
army, may well be called an event of
great significance in the history of our
days. When your fellow comrades as
well as you do now rally around the
flag of the American Republic as the
symbol of universal freedom, equal
rights and constitutional government !;
when they declare that they will turn
their backs upon all parties cropping in
the moonlight of the past, and dis
countenance that partisan spirit which
is so apt to obscure the human reason
and blunt the best impulses of the hui
man heart; when they once more fully
recognize the identity of their true in
terest with those of our grea. common
country-then every patriotic citizen
will feel that the regeneration of the
South is certain to he accomplished by
her own people. IF there. is still Turk
ing here and there spirit which keeps
alive feelings Of animosity and dis
trust, and which, by means of. social
prescription or intimidation or violence
strive to impede the development of
free public opinion, you can render it
harmless by your influence and exam
pie. If there are still disturbances of
the peace and order of society occur
ring calculated to produce the impress
sion that the security and rights of cit
liens can be sufficiently protected only
by the interference of the general gov
ernment. In your local concern you
can dispel that impression by devoting
your energies to the enforcement OF
the laws, thus proving the capacity OF
local self-government to accomplish its
legitimate ends. Here as well as else
where, if there is still an apprehension
as to secret design to subvert the logi-
cal and legitimate result of the war by
reactionary movements, you will re-
move the apprehension by demonstra-
ting that the young South has risen
above old prejudices md obsolete as
pirations, and is determined to build
up again the prosperity and power Of
those States on basis in harmony
with the progressive spirit of the age
Men of courage and convictions like
you will do nothing by halves; they
will not look back when they have put