The New Orleans bulletin. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1874-1876, 1875-09-26
WHAT THE CENTENNIAL
OUGHT no ACCOM-
PLISH.

The subjoined very able article, which W,
clip from the Washington Capital Of the 5tb
from the pen Of distinguished Southern gen
tleman, on the subject of the Centennial
will be read with interest by our people who
we believe, generally and cordially indorst
its sentiments:
To the Editor Of Scribner's Monthly:
ENoN VALLEY, LAWRENCE COUNTY, PA
SI-While enjoying for a time the hos.
pitality of relative, far away from home
nv attention was drawn to an article in your
August number, entitled "What the Centen
NAL Ought to Accomplish" Your object is to
make the celebration next year at Philadel-
phia the occasion for universally asserting
to the results of the war" And you say to
the Southern people, Men Of the South, we
want you. Men of the South, we long for the
restoration of your peace and your prosper.
ity." Again you say, "Only remember and
believe that there is nothing that the North
want SO much to-day as your recognition of
the fact that the old relations between you
and us are forever restored, etc.
These are fair, very fair, words; but what
evidence do you give Of the sincerity Of your
professions, you speaking for the universal
North?
am Southern man, and have been SO for
forty years; and / claim to know the temper
and disposition of the Southern people on
this subject. They do desire restoration of
the old relations between the sections; and
firmly believe they desire it more ardently
than you do. But have you considered all
that is implied by such restoration? You in
sist as q condition to full and harmonious
determination at Philadelphia, that we shall
assent to the results of the war. Do you in
clude among those results that Internal brood
of vindictive and punitive laws which now
stain the statute book the offspring Of ma
Lightly and hate, bearing on their face proof
OF q desire to rob and crush the Southern
people?
We do recognize the political results of the
war you have enumerated-the unity and in
divisibility of the nation-the destruction of
slavery-the total destruction of States rights
and every vestge of the doctrine heretofore
held. We hold it to be settled that neither
New York nor Louisiana retain single right
which the General Government is bound to
respect, whenever through within, caprice or
pretended necessity, it sees fit to ignore it and
make an armed inroad upon the State. The
faint assertion of such right, now and then
heard is rapidly dying away beneath the
ponderous blows of Federal authority.
As one of the results, we consider that the
government of the fathers is changed. We
live under new government government
of force, not one of consent, as theirs was.
1t is one which they would refuse to recognize
if they were permitted to revisit us from their
graves. But to all this we assent in good
taith-not con dmore, but because we can not
help it, and because it is the will of the
majority; and the time has come when there
should be an end Of stife and when the I'M
questionably expressed will Of the people
should be heartily assented to as a finality
But if you demand assent to the invidious
laws passed since the war, to which have al
luded, as the price to be paid by us at Phila-
dephia for the restoration of the old relations,
I tell you fearlessly, but confidently. you will
never get it. know many Of you think that
those laws are a burning disgrace to the
they ought to be greatly modified, and
the sting and the lash removed from
them oil. But what have you done
to that end? You have had fifteen years of
uninterrupted possession of the government
in all its departments by majoritie5 enabling
you to dispense rewards and punishments at
your sweet will. But what have you done, or
what have you attempted to do, to relieve the
South from the oppressions or indemnify her
for the wrongs and losses she has suffered
from those laws? Ii you sincerely, and from
the heart desire "all causes and all memo
ries of discord wiped out forever, point us to
the substantial evidences of such desire.
Don't ask us to accept the cheapest of all
proof, uoT, et prGterea nita.
And trust, considering the temper and
disposition You profess, that we shall not be
by revival Of the old catchwords, |
that we are rebels, that we tried to destroy |
the best government, ETC., and have Justly |
forfeited every right, even the right to live,
and should be thankful if that alone be spared /
us. The case raised by these pleas has been
passed upon in Congress. 1t is res ddjadicata.
BY the passage of the conditional laws au-
.horizing compensation to Southern claim
ants for private property seized and appropri-
ated by the army and government officers
Congress overruled those objections, and they
IAN not be revived now.
One of those laws, called remedial-heayen
ave the mark authorizes the appointment
If board of commissioners to examine and
report upon Southern claims laid before them.
And if you want to know how not to do a
hing You have undertaken in good faith to
10, advise you to visit the chamber of the
Southern Claims Commission at Washing
on when that worthy judicial trio are exam
ming case. See them flagrantly abdicate
heir proper functions as judges and con-
titute themselves a board of advocates,
oughly overhauling the witnesses and ar
lently defending the government against
,ayment. See the impediments thrown
n the way Of successfully proving a
lain, chief Of which is that all claims
xceeding ten thousand dollars in amount /.
INST be proved BY witnesses produced
efore the court for examination in person
low think of penniless woman, a
blatant, who has been stripped by
be- army of her crops and stock, and Of :
she has on earth except her land, /.
eipg required to drag her witnesses at least
ne Thousand miles to Washington, at enor- =
lous expense, before her claim can even be .
card. Inc case supposed is not an imaginary I