Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1875-05-08
MR.. KELLEY.S LETTER.
PHILADELPHIA. Nav 3. lS

II. J. WALTERS, ESQ, Lewistoma Penn.
DEAR SIR Your frank and courteous letter o
inquiry of the LIST has just come to hand and post
poning q number of earlier date hasten to reply
The report of my recent conversation with mum
Der of the representatives Of leading papers il
Washington u.s. so far as it goes, substantially cor
rect. 1t certainly affords no ground for complain
| of intentional unfarness, though inaccurate il
saying that was in Atlanta, and in other equally
important matters. You say this publication rep.
resents me as having materially modified my views
in regard to the Southern situation. think you
overest,mate the change of opinion have under
gone. Circumstances that had transpired in
Louisiana, Mississippi, and Arkansas seemed to
me to justify very stringent legislation, and it is
on this point that my convictions have been modi-
fed.
If il be true that ian idle brain is the devils
workshop" we must expect turbulence among
millions of men who live in constrained idlene.,
because there is no market for their labor. Nc
measure of force will reduce such q community to
order 1t will always be liable to have its passions
influenced by trivial causes, and should not on
such occasions be harshly dealt with Hence my
regret at having voted for the Force bill.
BY referring to page III of volume of my
letters and addresses, published by Henry Carey
Baird, you will find an address | made to my
neighbors who did me the honor to serenade me on
my return from an extended tour through the
South ON the II of June, 1867. have seen moth
ing in the course Of my recent trip to essentially
modify the views l then expressed. As you have
probably not seen the volume, let me express my
present convictions by citing brief passage from
the address referred to:
"Whatis required to regenerate the South is sub
soil plows, phosphates, agricultural implements
generally large increase Of horses, mules, and
horned cattle a steadily increasing sudply of
steam engines and machinery, and such manufac-
turing machinery as can be moved by water power.
These, with comparatively small amount Of cash
capital, and few earnest men to teach others
their use and value, would ia a few years make
the South bloom like garden, and develop pop
ulation as loyal as that Of any Northern State
during the war The interests Of Northern CAPT
talists require them to supply these potent agents
at the earliest practical day"
Are not these views consistent with the reports
you have seen of my, recent expressions But
these agents have not been supplied. On the con-
trary, the financial policy Of the Government, in
the hands of either party, has rendered their ac-
QUESTION impossible. 1t was about the date above
referred TO that Mr. McCulloch announced the
| resolution of Andrew Johnsons Administration
to contract the currency sufficiently to enable us
TO resume specie payments. This policy received
the appreciation OF his democratic followers, to-
gcher with that OF the republican papers of New
York, New England, aud other money centres.
In brief, it became the policy of the country !,
and has been persisted in by Congress till the
Treasury is threatened with bankruptcy and the
militia Of Philadelphia is encamped in our coal re-
gons TO enforce order at the point of the bayonet
If this policy is sill persisted in We shall 90 from
bad to worse, as England did, when by the act of
1919 Parliament fixed the day four years in adj
vance when specie payments should be resumed,
until we, too, shall have our Peterboro and Brs.
to riots to suppress which troops will be required
to fire upon the suffering people. This uhwise
legislation has pressed with peculiar severity up
| on the poverty stricken, desolated South, and has
negotten widespread discomfort, as it is now do
ing throughout the North; and this has been the
| refrain OF all my recent conversations.
10 conclude. let me say that YOU do me too
much honor when you assume that have been q
journalist. Though passed years in printing
| Office, 1t was in my childhood, and ! never was
promoted beyond the position Of copy-reader.
Yours, very truly,
WIN. ID. KELLEY.