The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1872-08-01
Gen. Longstreet's Letter.
NEw-ORlEANs, March %. |

| NhW-ohiEANS, hlhfCn lCIZ.
Senator ". p. kellogg, Washington, y. C.
DEAR Sir: Your esteemed favor upon the
relative merits of questions that should in
fuence the voice of the people in the nm,
preaching canvass, and the leaders who
should be chosen as their representatives
| finds me in poor condition for very salts
factory reply. l have been content to oc-
cupy an humble position in the party. and
have been so closely confined to Louisiana
that fe ar to attempt to look beyond its
borders in forming opinions or making suo.
gestions.
The great question in this quarter is the
problem Reconstruction, and am inclined
to think that it is the most important na-
tional question. 1t is hardly worth our
time, at this late day, to ask whether the
Reconstruction laws are the wisest that
could have oeen devised They are laws
and have been sufficiently tested to conyin &c
us that their faithful administration will
lead to the results anticipated by those
who were instrumental in their enactment.
| think it better, therefore, to adhere to tb q
original plan than to start off upon some
other theory that may lead us into new
difficulties, and possibly to disastrous coz
fusion.
Our financial affairs are in such favorable
condition, and are so dependent upon com.
Portable reconstruction, that we NAV as.
sumo the solution of the first problem as
deciding this also.
Our reconstruction is one of the wei-hti
est jobs that WIS ever saddled upou a
Government; even more difficult than the
effort of Prussia to reconstruct Esass and
Lorraine. For with the latter il is tie
affair of n lifetime; with us. but four years
are allotted to the task-unless the people
have that patience and forbearauce that
are necessary to give to time its healing
and salutary influence. Had President
Lincoln lived, 1t is probable that he would
have encountered as great difficulties as
President ohnson, and with as little sue
cess. Yet | would not like to say that thew
were not as able political statesmen as any
of their day. Upon the advent of the pres :.
ent Administration, the responsibility of
previous failure was added to the already
momentous undertaking. 1t is evident
that the duty Of the times has been met
with spirit of good faith, and has been as
successfully met and discharged as we
should expect in so limited time.
There was time when [ had serious
doubts of the possibility of success, but the
law was before us, and we had no course to
pursue except under its mandates. | think
that it has been faithfully executed, so much
so, that in some instances it is said to have
been done with severe justice, | have said
before that we have reason to hope that we
shall have successful reconstruction. be-
lieve that this is due to the firm hand of the
present Administration. Will it not be
BETTER then, to torego the exercise of our
good privileges of quadrennial change Of
Administration, when we see and feel and
almost realize that our future will not be
left in doubt?
Then, again, the personal claims of the
President are very great. All things con-
sidered, am constrained o say that think
the people owe it to themselves and to the
President to return him to the Office that he
has filled so well, and with such entire good
faith.
remain, very respectfully and truly
yours.
JAMES LONGSTREET