New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1873-07-04
From the New Orleans RepG'i.aa June }. 1907.
LETTER FROM GENERAL LONG,
STREET.

| LETTER JhOM SE1NEAN.hH A-o.>N.
STREET.
| lie Inifes with the Republican Party 1
| the Great Work Of RecOnstructlon-I
( in Favor of Negro Suffrage. North an
SOuih-RepubIican Principles the Law
! q: the Land.
We deem the present fitting occasion {
| reproduce General Longstreet's famous lei
| tex TO John NJ. G. Parker. written June
1867. The noble sentiments therein. ex
pressed aroused spitefui feelings aga;ns
| the General. which. though still! felt, ar
rarely expressed now. aca even then Will
! bated breath:
new ORLEA:s. la. June 3. 1867.
:, ~ =. Parker, E.4.
MI DEAR SIR-YCU: esteemed favor O.
| the fifteenth ultimo was iGly received.
was much pleased to have the opportunity
! to hear Senator Wilson, and was agreeably
surprised to meet such fairness and frank
ness ID . politician whom 1 have bee:
| taught to believe U7compromisingiy OF
| posed to the whole people OF the South.
have mature!y considered your suggestion
| to wisely unite in efforts 20 restore Louis
Iana to her former position In the Union
| through the party now IN power. My
letter of the sixth OK April. to which you
refer. clearly indicates desire for practi
cal reconstruction and reconciliation. Prac
! teal men can surely distinguish between
practical reconstruction and reconstruction
as an abstract question. I will endeavor
however. with renewed energy, TO meet
your wishes in the matter. The serious dit
| ticulty that apprehend i. the want OF that
wisdom which is necessary Tor the great
| work. ( shall be happy to work in any
barpnsS that VplIet To dis.
tressed people and harmony to the nation
1t matters not whether bear the mantle o!
Mr.. Davis or the mantle of Mr.. Sumner, SO
that I may help to bring the glory OF
| ''peace and good will toward men"
shall set out by assuming proposition
that l hold to he self-evident, viz: The
highest Of human laws is the law that il
established by appeal to arms.
The great principles that divided political
parties prior to the war were thoroughly
discussed by our wisest statesmen. When
argument was exhausted. resor: was
had to compromise. When compro-
mise was unavaiGrg. discussion was
renewed and expedients "ere sought, bus
none could be found to suit the emergency.
Appeal was finally made to the sword to
determine which OF the claims was the true
construction of constitutional law. The
sword has decided in favC: of the North,
10 be principles, and are become law. The
views that we hold cease TO be principles
because they are opposed to law. 1t is.
therefore, our duty to abandon ideas that
are obsolete and conform to the require.
ments of law. The military bill and amend
ments are peace offerings. We should ac.
cep: them as such and place ourselves upon
them as the starting point from which to
meet future political issues as they arise.
10 9TH
sought alliance with the Democratic party,
merely because it was opposed TO the Re.
publican party. But, as far as can judge.
there is nothin. tangible about it. except
the issues that were staked upon the war
and there lost. Finding nothing to take
hold of except prejudice. which can not be
worked into good for any one. it is proper
and right that should seek some stand
point from which goou can be done. If l
appreciate the principles ct the Democratic
party, its prominent features opposed the en-.
reimbursement of the colored men, and deny
the right to legislate upon the subject OF
suffrage, except by the States individually.
These two features have tendency to eX-
ciude Southern men FROM that party; for
the cClOred man lS already enfranchlsed
here. and we can no. seek alliance with a
party that would restrict his rights. The
exclusive right of the States to legislate
Ment Of the blacks, whethe. for better or for
worse. q fixture anon. Us. 1t appears.
therefore. that those who cry loudest
against this new order Of things as public
calamity, are those whose principles would
fix it upon us without a remedy. Hence it
becomes us to insist that suffrage should
be extended in all of the States, and fully
tested. The people OF the North should
adopt what they have forced upon us, and
ka 10 ha roll thaIy chOuI1
remove it by the remedy under republican
principles of uniform laws upon suffrage.
If every man in this country will meet
tie crisis with proper appreciation of our
condition, and come fairly up to his re-
spOnsibilities, on the morrow the sun will
shine upon happy people. our fields will
again begin to yield their increase. our
railroads and rivers will TEEN with abun-
dant commerce. our towns and cities will
resound with the tumUl. of trade, and We
shall: be invigorated b. the blessings OF
Almighty God.
l am, sir, yer: respectfully. your most
obedient servant,
JAMES LONGSTREEr,
"Cili non puo fare come voglia. faccia
come puo."
ut Iuimu.. qnaado ut volumus non
iicet.''
'Chi sputa contra il veto 81 eputa con
ira il viso."
All this foreign stuff was translated By
General Banks, ten years ago, while
in command of the Department of the Gulf.
Said he to q number Of Louisiana planters
who could scarcely be brought TO under.
stand that they would have to procure
labor 10 work their plantations by dong
what the rest Of the world was doing,
namely. paying wages" Gentlemen.
said he. ''go to work, the season is crowd,
ing you; make up you: minds to pay wages;
IL is the only way can do. and" added he
with significance and in the spirit OF the
above philosophy. wise men will do wha:
they can. when they can't do what they
would" They went to work on his sugges'
ton and the system has worked well since.
Where are we now The system o. paying
for labor i. acGuiesced in. Not only are We
willing to pay wages, but we are glad even
to work on shares. All. we need further is
a good government in which the rights and
interests Of population equally strong
numerically, are mutually and properly un-
6erstood and honestly AID inyactially ad-
lninistered.
Messrs. Beauregard and Marks ard o:her
gentlemen OF rejecting minds deserve
credit for having come to the front to clear
away the last impeiiment in the way OF
Louisianas prosperity. Sooner or later the
malccntents will be glad to follow in their
wake, if there be such thing as wake up
in them.
HyShorn3nn EPaeiVn1.