The weekly clarion. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1863-1882, 1873-08-21
LYNCHBURG, July &c, 1873.

LYNCHBURG, July 26, 1873.
To the Editors of the Petersburg APP
peal and Index:
GENTLEMEN-I find in your paper Of
to-day, with your Endorsement, an ex
tract from the Raleigh On. c. Sentinel,
severely commenting on Gen. Beaure
gard in connection with what is known
as unitication" | take the occasion to
make an appeal in behalf Of my old com
mander, friend and c0mrade, against the
condemnation which is being heaped
upon him by persons who do not under
stand his position and motives. l am
lately in receipt Of letter from him, and
| take the liberty of copying portion OF
it. He says:
Like many others, you think that
we have time to lodit, and allow matters
to adjust themselves quietly and gradu-
ally; but can assure you that we are
driven to the wall, and are on our last
legs. No one can realize our sad dis
tress unless he witness our condition. 1t
makes ones heart bleed to think of the
poverty and ruin which are actually
staring in the face most of our best
people. l do not speak for myself and
family; for, thanks to my professional
reputation, | can manage to get along
comfortably enough here or elsewhere,
but / refer to thousands of planters who
have no other resource than their indus
try and knowledge of the cultivation of
the soil. Take away from them their
plantations, and they viii be perfectly
helpless,
/" Our 'unihcation' movement may not
take like prairie on fire, but it will
surely succeed in this State when viewed
in its proper light for, after all, we only
propose to accord to the colored man the
the political and civil rights guaranteed
to them by our Radical constitution on
condition that they will aid us in getting
rid of those vagabonds who have been
plundering us so numerically for the last
five years
''In advocating this plan give up no
principle and wish to part with no
friends | believe now, as / did when
fired the first gun in 1861, and one of
the last in 1865, that the cause we up
held was a just and holy one; but We
failed in our struggle, were Overpowered
and conquered, and we have to submit
to the old Gallo maxim, MILheur Gur
pailIcus. | view our present condition in
its practical light Ii | were attacked
by a set Of robbers, and some negroes
could come to my assistance, ought | re-
fuse their aid because they are colored
people? No, indeed | would accent.
and give them probably my shirt, with
which to make rope to hang the scoun-
drels and thus | am willing to do for
the plunderers of Louisiana. This move
ment is not at all political, nor do re-
commend it to other States not similarly
situated, where the inhabitants are not
boldly called upon by those in authority
(under the protection of Federal bayo-
nets) to stand and deliver
What | recommend to my people is
simply 'unifcation' to rid themselves of
those INSCRIPTIONS carpet-baggers who
are running US, and immigration to en-
able our planters to change their extern
sive and expensive plantations into small
and profitable farms, by which also We
will be able to turn our vagrant colored
population into property holders and
taxpayers, thereby making them useful,
conservative citizens.
my friends need not fear that shall
30 further in this movement than | at
first intended. l am no politician, and
have no desire to occupy office, either
Federal, State or municipal; and no
consideration at present lin view of the
position l have assumed) could induce
me to accept one if rendered me- Those
who are absurd and unjust enough to
compare me to an ex-Confederate officer
whose mourning We wear in our hearts.
must know very little of me if they sun.
pose am about to follow his example,
have too high a regard for my reputa.
ton (Which belongs not alone to me) ever
to forswear the past; but, at the same
time, claim the right of advising, to the
best of my ability, my fellow citizens Of
Louisiana what is best to do to save
themselves and their State from utter
ruin and desolation. Having done so
my part is ended, and theirs must CON-
mence."
Now, submit that, however much We
may diamnt from Gen. Beauregard and
his COD tutors as to the soundness of the
policy proposed by them, there is no
good and sufficient cause for impugning
his motives and casting upon him that
grave censure with which he has been
visited by some, nor for chasing him with