New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1872-05-28

political opinions between the PresidentanC
1 myself, I wrote the letter suggesting hil
claims for second term. About the time
! that this letter was published, however, The
first nomination was withdrawn, and one O
/ the State Senators who had been in active
cooperation with the combination against
the State, was substituted, and speedily con
fTmed by the Senate, Thus were the con
| spirators recognized as the Presidentia
! party, and rewarded for what I consider
/ their misdeeds.
As my letter Of resignation clearly de
| lined my position IN regard to the January
! eonspirators, the President evidently
/ knew that in thus rewarding them he drew
1 a distinct line between bis position and my
| own-a line that ] cauld not pass, and one
that must force me to disavow former ex.
! preseiOns in his favor. This discl0ses an.
| other point of difference between Presi
/ Dental appreciation of reconstruction
and nine My theory was that re-
| construction meant reconciliation, and
to exemplify its truth I have en-,
dured trials that seldom fall to the lot OF
man. Acts of magnanimity that marked
the advent of this administration encour-
aged the hope that in their fruition my an
ticipatious would be realized, are renounced
and tina mask, the bright promise of peace,
is removed and reveals the sequel. If we
can not have peace let US at least have
consistency. Let us not enact laws for the
guarantee of republican governments and
then repudiate and overthrow those gov
srnments without the form of law, nor re-
ward those who eonspire against the laws
at the expense of those who support it.
Reporter What is your view OF martial
lawl
General Longstreet-0f course I am par
tial to it; trained from early youth as q col
der il is easy to submit to severe construc-
tion Of martial law, and / am somewhat in
clned to ike it because it is easier and less
difficult to execute than other laws pertain
ing to civil republican life, but army dis
cipline nor martial law have taught us to
comprehend the application of the law
against the law. If the soldier who
is accustomed to yield with alacrity to
martial application of the law Is at a loss
to know where to find its guardian, what
must be the condition of the citizen, who,
from childhood to mature age, has known
nothing but the most liberal Interpretation
of the law in a land of liberty.
RepOrter-You think the Cincinnati con-
vention develops the true theory in the
present emergency
General Lengstreet-T am certain Of it /;
such is my opinion. With great Difference
to the high authority to the contrary, ] still
cling to mine as the true theory, and look
to the Cincinnati nominations as its expo
nents.
Reporter-Yeu have never yet stated to
the public explicitly your reasons for par
teipatlng in the affair of January last.
Have you any objection to state them
now
General Longstreet-Ce Certainly not. Ny
active participation in the affair was due
entirely to my official position as Adjutant
General of the State militia. / was ordered
to call out forces and defend the capitol
against riots.
Reporter-Yo presence at the Capitol
in command Of the troops had material
influence, did il not in retarding viOlencel
General Longstreet-Sueh is the impress
sien which l believe generally prevails
The precedent of federal officials entering
a State capitol by force OF arms and setting
up. a new government would have been es-
tabhshed, and possibly justified, under the
preiudices of tue moment, and the plea of
reform and State lines and States would
have taken up the line of retreat before the
march of empire.
Rep0rter-W was the real cause of
this conspiracy
General LOngstreet-I know nothing of
the allegations of the moving cause of the
Ombination to overthrow the State gov
ernment; but admitting there may have
been some cause, I do not admit Sinlillia
sia,illiGblts eltrdlltlir to be logical moral or
political philosophy.
RepOrter-DOes there not exist among
the people an evident fear Of the centraliz-
ing tendency of the government, profound
sentiment Of opposition
General Long street.-The people have been
labOring under the influence of menta excite
ment during the last twelve years and to
this may be added the strong prejudices in
eidental to civil war. Under such influences
we are apt to jump from one extreme to
the other. Beside, Capitalization appears,
at tue first glance, a natural sequence of
the war. This is delusion, however, ariss
ing from the false premises from which we
start. The doctrine of States rights, so often
confounded with State sovereignty, or the
right of secession, leads many to look upon
the terms as Synonymous, whereas it would
be difficult to find two more distinct ideas
so intimately associated. One of them in
wolves the rights of the States in the Union
and under the constitution the other, the
right Of the Statss to quit the Union and
become Independent of the constitution
as distinct in their practical application as
our unifcatiOn and disintegration. The
real need of the country is the golden
mean between secession and Capitalization.
When we have found it, we shall have the
government that Washington proposed and
left for Our research.
Reporter-Ge General, what are your views
upon the tariff
General Longstreet- apprehensions
are well founded this can not be the time
for splitang hairs upon such questions.
The tariff may, and should be, changed from
time to time, until the most feasible system
and one best adapted to the wants of the
masses is found While we are waiting to
discuss this and old party lines the govern
ment is being sapped from under our feet.
The vital question is, shall we change our
form of government Other things can
await the settlement Of this.
Reporter Judge from this, General, that
you are still identified in every material
point with the Republican party.
General Longstreet-When l entered up
on the course of reconstruction laid down
by the laws, did so without mental reser-
walton. Notwithstanding the general opin-
ion that the laws we're harsh, I preferred
to accept them as measures of peace; nor
did attribute to the law-givers desire to
be harsh from improper motives, but be-
cause future good seemed to require it.
You may imagine my surprise when /
found that my loyalty to republicans prin-
ciples was not satisfactory, because dn the
discharge of my official obligations / de-
tended republican institutions against the
hand of violence.
VALUABLE hPRovED REAL ESTATE
AT AUCTION BIZ THE SHER1FF.-Par.