Knoxville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Knoxville, Tenn.) 1870-1875, 1871-09-06
9THE LOST CAUSE.n
"An Astonishing Programmc, Thsugh Per-
fecfIy Absurd '''N W
LFrom tho New York Hernld Of me 21th.l

We publish to-day, with the "strictly
CONFIDENTIAL circular introducing the doe
ument very remarkable pamphlet, en-
titled, Concession, or How the Lost Cause
May be Regained, and the Independence
of the South Secured-Beng an Address
to my Fellow Countrymen, by Conces-
sionist, &c. Published by the Southern
Association The strictly confidential"
circular letter is dated "Rooms of the
Southern Association, New York. August,
1871 though 1t appears TO be issued for
the southern Association, Washington"
+. And this is all that we know about it,
though looking at the indignant repuda-
ton of the new departure by JEFF Davis,
Alexander III. Stephens and numerous
other leading Southern fre-eaters, we may
say to this extraordinary political paper,
as Hamlet said to his Governors ghost.
Thou comst in such questionable shape,
I'll speak to thee.
The document before us is divided into
three parts. Part First is q compact,
double-distilled Southern argument, in
tended to show that tive, the people of the
South, are nation, different and distinct
from the people of the North, >" and that
''no effort to bind us together by force can
,SAsucceed," and that at best 'such q union
can only be temporary" Part Second en-
ters upon the main, question, chow the
Lost Cause mayIbet regained,p and says
that to this end 'the first step is to turn
back forever, upon the .venal, hypocritical,
III IL
mocracy of the North,p because intent
only upon the spoils of office, "they have
ever deluded and deceived us.n Next
concentrate all your attention and ener-
gies upon your own domestic political af-
fairs" and then, men of the South, hay
ing cleared the track, you have only to do
three things to secure your independence,
viz:
FIRST secdreth e.e6mpIetd control through
the ballot box, oftte local government of every
Southern State. .r.fa. a r.v'-. ..s.ia .-s.. 80.
iSecond-When this is done call convention
of the States and elect President for your
THird-Appoint a Commission to Washing
ton to demand your Independence, and treat for
peaceable separation.
1t is contended that this plan of opera
tions, being according to law can not
suggested, if firmly made this time, will
succeed We are next told that North
Carolina has commenced the good work y
in the impeachment OF the radical Gov
ernor, &c. Part Third of this (" conces-
sionist" document is addressed to the
people of the North" in favor of the sepa-
ration of the two sections, whereby g the
independence of the South and the peace,
prosperity and liberty of the North are
inseparably linked together.n In other
words, the two sections can not be united
till they are divided. and they must be
separated in order to live tremendously tor
gether.
Whence cometh this extraordinary rev.
dictionary document You may call il
madness; but there is method in it," 1t
+ is concessionist, and yet it is secessionist
i 1tpreaches concession in order to gain Sc
cession, aud, sticking pin here, we think
there is something in it. We care informed,
in the circular letter aforesaid, that this
Southern programme of independence
twas prepared by one of the most dIstin-
guished of Georgia's statesmen" This
means, we suspect that Mr.. A. III. Ste
phens is the man, and upon this assump-
ton we can account for the establishment
of the new Southern rights paper at At
lanta, of which he is the political editor
and in which his whole heart is devoted to
Southern reputation of the Northern
Democracy on their "new departure
And to strengthen this opinion that Mr.
Stephens is the author of this pamphlet
we are told in it Part Seeond) that "that
glorious banner which was so sadly furled
at Appomattox, will once more fly freely
from the Capitol at Richmond, and he who
of right ought to sit there Jeff Davis, of
course) to preside over our destiny, will be
recalled from his retirement amid the re-
ioicings of a redeemed people,"
Now, ali this may be very absurd but
= it cannot be denied that the Southern pro-
/ gramme here presented furnishes a new
and striking Interpretation of the late
\ 'ftpeech OF jeff. Davisin Alabama and Geor-
ria on the acceptance OF the situntion3'
lie accepts nothing, he admits nothing,
j nd he will do nothing toward the FAC
ptance fthe situation.p Mr.. Stephens,
his new paper, holds the same position.
fore God,'' as Dogberry puts it, "they
! "a 10th in a tale" There is evidently an
Nalerstanding between them. Davis pro-
claimed his position, and Stephens takes
it up as the ''new departure of the "lost
cause" Upon this theory there is mis-
chief in this thing. 1t demolishes the
democratic party in the South, 1t revives
the issue of the war ina new shape. 1t
explains the, kuSlux SkIans and the.lSu-
kluX bill 1t gives color to what, General
= Grant lately said to our correspondent at
Long Branch on the Treaty of Washing
ton. He feared another war with the
South, and hence his greaf desire for peace
with England. But may not this pamph-
let be republican counterfeit? We hope
so but we fearthat it is not Tt has all
the ear-marlxs of q Southern manifesto,
and doubtless itspeaks the sentiments and
the purposes of "a large body of Southern
men. Ifsthere is any man within this
call who knows that this is not a Southern
manifesto let him speak ! for we learn thai
this pamphlet is even now in course o.
4 distributionl to all the known friends Of
the "lOst cause. NORTH, South, East and
West. ~ 81 10 5-
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