New Orleans Republican., 1873-07-20
Letter from NJ. jeff ThOmpson.
RosroN Mass, September 3, 1867.

To the Officers and Soldiers who were under my
command during the late Wal:
GESrLEMES-I have received various let
ters from among you. asking what mean
by nv letter to Mr.. Prentice, of the Louis
Vile Journal, indOrsing General Longstreet
and what advice have TO otter you a. 10
your political course. | have delayed an
swering these letters in hopes that would
soon return to New Orleans: but. finding
that can not return for several weeks,
and other letters having come that Will
brook no delay. | have determined to ad-
dress you circular, that may Go longer
be misrepresentei and misunderstood
among those who were my true TRENDS IN
our darkest hours, and with whom l have
shared so many hardsh!Vs and dangers,
successes and defeats.
One OF the letters received contains the
aist of all, and l will! answer il. 1t says;
"Longstreet is forever damned throughout
the country which became the theatre OF
his immortality. and your Old friends are
nct reserved in their anatnemas against
YOU. Give me some argument WIN wh!cl
10 defend you. for am TOO well acquainted
with the spirit which animated you III our
disastrous struggle. with your cheeriui
endurance of suffering and your persistent
Iealty to the last. TO believe that you nave
abandoned your devoted followers or nave
the past"
For Gods sake whath has Longst:eet done
to damn him for what ain l anatheM.
atized. from what do 1 need defense.
The war produced no purer or Drawer man
than General James Longstreet. and surely
from the first to the last have proved my
self to be faithful ant true and l DEFY any
man to point to one WORD or sentence N
NV letter to Mr.. Prentice that breathes a
= l.. for
stated that can not be substantiated. am
aware that some scribble-s have assaiied
me- but '.they belong 10 the Tray. Blanch
and Sweetheart order. who simply obey
the instincts OF their own nature by barking
at what they do not understand but AIN
.oath to believe that any tried soldier viii
doubt another's honesty because he may
differ with him in the plans to accomplish
the general good, and l have an abiding
faith that they will let any comrade have
the privilege to exercise MS own judgment,
as to the best manner to build up the coun
try without. being mathematical, and l,
who was . leader in the beginning and
follower to the end, and who. during the
whole struggle, was with you at the front,
a prisoner of war, will positively assert.
and manfully maintain my right to express
my opinions freely upon all subjects affect
ing the welfare of the South, to aud among
SOuthr0ns, without fear or favor from
chimerical theorists or bomb proof poll
ticians.
If the war was to defend the South in the
exercise of its belief OF the right to seceGe,
then do not regret the fight, though may
grieve over the death Of this theory If the
war was to preserve African slavery, then l
do not regret the struggle, though do grieve
over the loss of 81, 000, 900, 900 worth OF prop
erty, and the sad fate that may await the
Door negro. but if we fought four years
simply tor the per rsOnal triumph of some pO-
litical partisans. few OF whom would still
make us believe that the country is ruined
only because they are excluded from office,
then l sincerely regret the conflict, and will
grieve anew over the graves OF the brave
men who fell around me.
Imust again repeat that * did not fight
the United States because l hated the
United States. l did not fight the North
because l hated the North" but fought
for what l conceived to be the honor. the
cafety and the material interests of the
Southern people, and am struggling now,
in another way, to accomplish the same OBJ
ject, and l will make as many sacrifices
and labor as earnestly and persstently as
any man in the South to control the pOllui-
Cal elements, to devise plans and projects,
and put in successful operation enterprises
impoverished country. This is what the
South really needs; this is all the truly pa
triotic men of the North ask: and | will
advocate the best plans. IN my judgment
to accomplish the object, regardless OF who
orr sinates or supports them, Wings. Demo-
Gratis, Federals, Republicans. Radicals,
Conservatives Or Eclectlcs.
This is all the defense l need. Tell the
people am still for the honor, safety and
material prosperity Of the South, and while
will not cast shadow on the graves Of
our dead or extinguish one ray of the glory
of our manly struggle. yet I must bid the
living look to the future, and help build up
our common country from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, from the lakes to the guilt.
Tell them to remember that poltica: the
Ories like sectarian (reiigiousl theories are
principles only in the minds of the bigoted
and foolish, and demagogues are only TOO
apt to msapply these terms. to inis!ead
them. Constitutions ana laws are subject
to changes, by legal means and by revolu-
tiOns. and when changed are to be obeyed:
and if the lessons SAD experience teaches
are not needed then are people unit for
self government. and the sad fate ofRepub-
lican Mexico will be our lot. The extent
OF the limits to state rights is argued by
Thomas Jefferson and Alexander Hamilton
and TIE ight to own slaves were submitted
to the arbtrament Of the swOrd. and in my
opinion they were decided. both against Us,
and neither our honor, nor our interests re-
luire a further contest for them.
| can remember. but too well. the years
Of excitement and injury 70 the country
from the conflict Oh those theories in Kali
sas: and our late war. with its stricken
fields, its bloody graves. the ruin and DESC
alton which followed in its track. is as in
tellibly fixed in my memory as in any mans
n the whole South and while remember
ng the dread past, | must receive its les
ions, and not quarrel over dead theories,
,ut look to the Ire issues of the present and
uture; for Though | may be disfranchisedj,
I is still my duty to help restore tranquilll-
y. and build up the broken prosperity OF
he country, for the widows and orphans,
ny soldiers and my children sakes. and on
ii practical questions afect!n. the material
rage, internal improvements and revenues. |
will be found as true to the South as |
vas IL her Stormlest days.
All now agree that. by right Of revolt
ion. our States We're out OF the federal |
Mon, and our government was a de factO |
government; therefore il our cOnquerors |
hink that safety or justice requires that |
he conditions upon which these States |
lay be readmitted into the Union shall be I,
nat our leaders in the field and prominent |
tatesmen must be denied the right 20 vote |!
+ hold office, and also that political equal T.
ty must be extended 70 the negro. though !
7e may think this 10 be mistaken States |,
nanship, yet we mus: accept these terms !
Y do worse. tor We can no. stay |
": or stop the mare. o: events. as I'll. |
,ower is still in the hands .; our political |
nemies. A few Years will demonstrate
he wisdom or ia!lacy Of their theories. and !
Turing this probation We should work 70 !!
'uiid up our broken fortunes. and prove !
ourselves worthy to be trusted: therefore !!
Idvlse You not I" Nope over tn. past. hu: |
emember our Lost Cause. only as the
widowed husband remembers his bride |
when he looks upon his Iuo.heriess chill F,