Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1871-09-07
"Thc Lost Cause"


confidential circular introducing the doc
ument, very remarkable pamphlet, en-
titled, Concession, or How the Los
Cause May be Regained, and the Inde
pendence of the South Secured-Beins
an Address to my Fellow Countrymcn, by
Concessionist, &c. Published by the
Southern Association The '.strictly
confidential circular letter is dated
"Rooms of the Southern Association
New York, August, 1871" though it ap-
pears to be issued for the Southern AS
sociation. Washington" And this is all
that we know about it, though looking at
the indignant reputation of the "New
Departure by jeff Davis, Alexander HI.
Stephens and numerous other leading
Southern fre-eaters, we may say to this
extraordinary political paper, as Hamlet
said to his Governors ghost
Thou com'st in such questionable
shape,
I'll speak to thee.
The document before us is divided into
three parts. Part First is compact,
double-distilled Southern argument, in
tended to show that "we, the people of
the South, are nation, different and dis
tinct from the people of the North" and
that ''no effort to bind us together by
force can succeed" and that at best 'such
union can only be temporary" Part
show the Lost Cause may be regained," :"
and says that to this end ''the first step is
to turn back forever upon the venal, hy-
pocritical, false-hearted, Yankee, New
Departure Democracy of the North" be-
cause, intent only upon the spoils of Office,
'they have ever deluded and deceived u.s."
Next concentrate all your attention and
energies upon your own domestic polit;-
cal affairs" and then, men of the South,
having cleared the track, you have only
to do three things to secure your inde-
pendence, viz:
F,rst-Secure the complete control,
through the ballot box, of the local gov
ernment of every Southern State.
Second-When this is done call a con-
vention of the States and elect Presi
dent for your Southern Confederacy.
Third-Appointa Commission to Wash
ington to demand your independence, aud
lTCdU lOI pcdCCdDlc SCpdidtlOu.
1t is contended that this plan of opera
tions, being according to law" can not
be interfered with, and that the demand
suggested, if firmly made this time, will
succeed. We are next told that North
Carolina has commenced the good work"
in the impeachment of the radical Cover
nor, &c. Part Third of this concession
ist'' document is addressed to the people
of the North,' in favor of the separation
of the two sections, whereby ''the inde-
pendence of the South and the peace,
prosperity and liberty of the North are
inseparably linked together" In other
words, the two sections can not be unitel
till they are divided, and they must be
separated in order to live harmoniously
together.
Whence cometh this extraordinary rev.
olutionary document! You may call it
madness; ''but there is method in it, 1t
is concessionist. and yet it is secessiOnist.
1t breaches concession in order to gain Sc
cession, and, sticking a pin here, we think
there is something in it. We are inform
ed, in the circular letter aforesaid, that
this Southern programme of independence
'.was prepared by one of the most distin-
guished of Georgias statesmen" This
means, We suspect, that MIR. 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 North
ern 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 Second) 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 (Jef Davis, of
course) to preside over our destiny, will
be recalled from his retirement amid the
rejoicings of redeemed people,"
Now, all this may be very absurd but
it cannot be denied that the Southern pro-
gramme here presented furnishes new
and striking Interpretation of the late
speech of jeff. Davis in Alabama and
Georgia on the acceptance of the situa-
tion." He accepts nothing, he admits
nothing, and he will do nothing toward
the acceptance of the situation" Mr..
Stephens, in his new paper, holds the
same position. .'Fore God," as Dogberry
puts it, "they are both in tale" There
is evidently an understanding between
them. Davis proclaimed his position, and
Stephens. takes it up as the New De-
parture" of the 'lost cause" Upon this
theory there Is mischief in this thing. 1t
demolishes the democratic party in the
South. 1t revives the issue of the war in
new shape. 1t explains the ku-klux
klans and the ku-klux bill. 1t gives color
to what General Grant lately said to our
correspondent at Long Branch on the
Treaty of Washington. He feared anoth-
er war with the South, and hence his
great desire for peace with England. Rnt
may not this pamphlet be republican
counterfeit? We hope so; but we fear
that it is not. 1t has all the ear-marks Of
Southern manifesto, and doubtless 1t
speaks the sentiments and the purposes Of
a large body of Southern men. IL there
is any man within this call who knows
that this is not Southern manifesto lot
him speak for we learn that this PAM
phlet is even now in the course of distri-
button to all the known friends of the
"lost cause" North, South, East and
West.