Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1876-08-15


a former Confederate comradc in reply to one
urging him to support Tidcn:
WARRENToN, VA, Aug. 6, 1876.
M Dear Sir Il have just received your
communication I.qulring II It be true, as le'
ported, that | am supporting Hayes. 1t Is true
tina, | an a cordial aud earnest advocate OF
iii, election Of that ticket, notwithstanding
you say That all the Southern people, and es-
pocially the Confederate soldiers, are united IN
support OF the democratic. hope, however,
that in this you arc mistaken, and that many
men in the South of soubd conservative and
nationa sentiments will be found 90 the other
side; however this may be, it will not divert
me from my purpose. thought you kuew hat
| ceased TO be a Confederate soldier about
eleven years ago and became a citizen OF the
Uoited States As a soldier | did coisclcntl-
ously what thought was ny duty; as citizen
[ shall do the same thing as far as know how.
TIE ground 90 wnch you urge me to support
Tden and Hendricks is that they are the can
didates Of the Sou bern people, aud. 1t elcc cd,
will be under their control. Now, It's because
this thing is apparent that the election OF Ill
den is an mpossibility. In attempnngto grasp
TOO much the South will lose everything. The
sectional unity Of the Southern people has
been the governing idea auG bane or their poll
ties So far tr0m its beng Il remedy Tor any
hing il has b:cu the cause CT III 'St OF the evils
they have suffered. So ;oGg as 1t continues The
war will be . controlling element oil Politics.
Tor any cry in the South that ua'cs the Con
:ede:acs re echoes ts:rough the North and It.
kipdius the war ii:es there. Thus, every Pres
idcnt,ai canvass becomes battle between the
two sections, and the South being The weaker
must he the losing party. 10 ios!st on keeping
up this sectional fight may be gerry heTolc-so
was the charge at B ,iak !ava-bu!, IN my opn
;ou, Is Just u rccki. IS alA just as unWlse. The
recons, uctloD measures necessarily divided
parties 10 the South CD color Iipe, Tor the
lssue they presented vas the political equality
Of he races. While the South was npoSlng II
the republican pa:ly was 90 the side OF the
negro. But size the South mas accepted i,
and Incorporated ii rs the platform ou which
it has muu1cd its candidate | sec 90 reason
for continuing TO divide on an Issue which has
oecomc exiiact. Having ado ted ali the pr;n-
cipcs II party, aud sanctioned ali lis mca.
fures. | CD see no objection 10 voting Tor It's
can !i1ate. Do You 10; SOC, thu, that as !olg
a, w, keen W. the ti.h or The old Ices, with
the sane allies anu the same battle cries, the
North will be suspicious OF our good faith, 40
matter IN what ioi I'll We protest II All tina.
the republicans propose Is to preserve what
they have accomplished; the democrats arc
pledged not 10 dis rb what the republicans
have dooc YUucanu0t complain tina; The sln'
ccrty of the pledges Of Governor IlIden TO
cX@ cute certain laws Is usted when his sup
porturs Justify their opposition 10 Governor
Hayes 90 the grouod that his party has enact.
ed these aws 70 be consistent they should
90 for repeating them if they come into power.
| concur with you 10 desire for change in
the policy OF the national Cover nmcot toward
tie South, but that can only come from a
change in the attitude of the Southern people
toward the administration. You say tnat 20
ouc 10 the South is supporting Hayes but ne-
yrocs and carpet baggers. | would be sorry to
thnk this we're SO, but if 1t we're l should still!
vote Tor the candidates OF my choice and would
not let this class deprive me OF It. l suppose
they support Hayes because they think 1t Is to
their interest TO DO SO. think 1t would De
equally TO the interest of all the Southern pco
pie to do The same thing. But yousay that even
admitting it would be better tor them to do
SO, yet, Us it is notorious they will not, that
| ought to surrender my individual CONVICTIONS
to the will of the mojJrity. don't think So
1t is better for some to 60 right than for all to
90 wrong 1t think they are going Troog |
could DO no good by going with them. If they
insist 90 breaking their neck don't intend t.
assist them. Besides, you say that II ilGen
is elected he will be under the control OF the
Conf deratcs. If that is SO then you will have
no need of me. But suppose Haycs!s elected,
with solid South against him-what ar" you
goipg to do then? You do not sec now, bat
YOU will taen see the force OF my logic? 1t vas
lor these reasons that four years ago | urged
the Southern people that it they really desired
peace ADD reconciliation 10 curry their passions
aud rcscnilucGts and support The man who Was
not ouiy the representation OF an overwhelming
majority Of the Ntrth, bu' was the most pow
cr!ui, as lie had been the most gencrouI,-ot
our Toes. l have seen 90 cause 10 change my
opinions or TO regret my course. Many things
have since occurred which 40 one dcplorcS
more than do. But you can never say |
adopted the fatal policy. 'Anything to beat
Grant" In The cluhct they invited Grant to
beat thea. Having predicted all sorts OF evils
10 result i:om The election oil Grant they have
done all 10 their power to make their prcdc-
ton. come true.
You speak of the bitter hostility of the North
toward the South. Well, four years Of hard
6gntiug is not calculated to make men love
each other; neither is ar everlasting rehearsal
of the wrongs which each side imagncS it has
suffered going to bring Us any nearer to bet
ter understanding. Peace Can only come with
oblivion of the past. | know as we'll as you
! what ;he Sou hern people have had to endure;
tu this has been the experience of every con
,ercd people. The figure of Judca Oh the
Roman coin--ve yelled and weeping among her
pam trccs-was the type o fthosc who fought
for cause that failed 1t will always remain
So The wound Of war time alone can heal,
but many grievances sprluging from our ad
| ninstrstiou could long ago have been correct;
ed by ceasiug to oppose the inevitable. In
doing this the Southern people have played
lDto the hands Of their worst enemies. From
chrouic habit of com planning they too often
injure good cause by mixing up real with i'm.
ayinary wrongs. For Instance, Mr.. Lamar, IL
the very able speech be recently delivered II
the House of Representatives, said that what
the South wanted was local self government. |
thought the South had it. II it has not, how
did it &c, into Congress? If Mississippi ha,