The Valley Virginian. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1865-1895, 1876-10-19
From the Philadelphia Times, Oct. 6.
Col Moshv Interviewed,

! the great majority, II not Ill vi "lloni .".Di
ed the lists, not in hostility to the Nortt,Dnl
in obedience to an instinct OF sell prcserva..
ton and to. guard against invasion OF their
native territory.
CATER the, first campaign, however, Wig
oroas conscriptions set in, and the army was
| then made ND of all classes. was frequent
| " called upon to act as scout under General
Lee, ana in the spring OF 1868, on Ills recon-
mendation, received commission autnor-
ling me to raise a battalion, which acted
afterward in detached public service. My
first apnointment was to the rank OF lieuten-
ant, and aftewarl was made colonel and
so remained until the close OF the war. rms
is the first alusion have made to the rebel
sg 5sg &u vi, ssi ssss ssasss
a soldier, but because it has brought SO much
suffering on the people. If could blot out
all recollection of it I'd be willing to surren-
der to oblivion all the reputation it gave to
me. Since the cessation of hostilitles Gen.
Grant has been the best friend | have met
with. and he would have been the best friend
to the South, too, if they had permitted him
! to be. He has only returned their flre.
| think of all men he was the most magnanI-
| nous, and I was one OF those VINO favored
his election to a third term. The third term
was popular in the South, too. Southerners,
having fought four years to break up the gov
err ment and failed, they were inspired with
no reverence to its traditions. don't know
Hayes, but fought agains. him. The most
liberal men in the North are those who fought
to preserve the Union. II the South will OH
" vote for Hayes they will soon be rid OF
carpet -baggers So far these fellows have
been II necessity, for Grant couldn't be ex-
pectcd to appoint to office men who had just
emerged from bloody feud with the govern
ment. Consequently these leeches bad to be
resorted to rs derneir resorts. They brought
with them corruption and are now perpetual
ting it, and will grow worse until the people
prove their right to govern themselves by
sustaining the administration, heart and soul.
When they do this there will be some change,
with an improvement. Elect Tildcn and q
lawless element would arise in the South That
Tlden couldn't control. 1t would be Andy
.Johnson's administration over again. If
| Tilden is defeated this time the Southern
people will cut loose from the Northern de-
mocracy and will never attempt another Sec
| tional contest" sifss0. ft8
81 do not think that the democratic politi
| clans of the South have accepted in good
faith and with loyal sentiments the results
of the war. My candid opinion is that they
have accepted the amendments TO the con-
stitution for the purpose of getting rid OF
them.
| III do not wish, in this respect, to reflect
in any way upon the integrity of the South
ern people, for with them am in deep SYM
patty. It is the politicians upon whose sin
cerity, or rather insinccrity, | reflect. lave
no confidence in them whatever, never had
and never will have, and firmly believe that
the Southern people are to-day just as loyal
| as the Northcrncrs arc. 1t was but q small
minority Of the Southern politicians that
| hurled the South into the war OF secession,
| and it is the same small minority that con-
troll the party machinery. l am OF opinion
that the solid front which the South now
presents will produce q decided reaction in
the North; in other words, the attempt to
solidfy the Southern political forces is going
to make solid North against the South. |
think, too, that. the good faith Of the South
ern people will always be suspected while
| they remain liz alliance with the Northern
Democracy. Now, on the other hand, if
| these people would come out and vote for
Hayes and Wheeler-not for the reason that
they are Republicans, but because they are
| the representative candidates of the masses
of the North-ther action would be the
best pledge they could give OF their loyalty
to a restored Union. Such action OH their
part would eliminate the war feeling from
politics, and bring about 4 reorganization OF
| parties on new issues.
| There are many men in the South of
sound conservative and national sentiments,
who are to be found to-day arrayed against
the Democratic party and in hearty sympathy
with the election of Hayes. Even if this were
not so my own opinions and purposes would
remain the same. Eleven years ago ceased
to be a Confederate soldier, and ever since
have been citizen of the United States. AS
a soldier | did what [ conceived to be my
duty conscientiously, and as q citizen | in
tend to do the same thing as far as my in
telligence will permit. have been repeat
edly asked to support Tilden anu Hendricks,
because, it is said, they are the candidates of
the Southern people, and if elected will be
under their control. Now. it is just for this
reason that am on the side of the opposition,
and is for the same reason that their election
is an impossibility.
The sectional unity of the Southern peo-
pie has been the governing idea and bane of
their politics. So far from it's being the
remedy.for anything, it has been the cause
of the most Of the evils which they have suf-
fered. So long as it continues, the war will
DE controlling element in politics; for any
cry in the South that untes the confederates,
re-echoes through the North and rekindles
the war fires here. For this reason, every
Presidential canvass becomes battle be-
o"NSAA oi1o wv SCCttOIlSs LilO CilC 6OuLlI UCIuS
the weaker, must necessarily be the losing
party.
TO insist on keeping up this sectional
fight may be very heroic, but in my opinion,
is just Us reckless and unwlse as was the
charge at Balacklava. The reconstruction
measures necessarily divided parties in the
South on the color line, for the issue they
presented was the political equality OF races.
While the South was opposing it the Repub
lican party was on the side of the negro.
But since the South has accepted it and in
corporated it in the platform on which it has
mounted its candidate, see no reason for
continuing to divide on an issue which has
become extinct. Having adopted all the
principles of party and sanctioned all its
measures, can certainly see nothing incon-
sistent in voting fot its candidates. You must
know that as long as we keep up the fight on
The old lines, with the same allies and same
battle cries, the North will be suspicious of
our good faith, no matter how we protest
1t. All that the Republicans propose is to
preserve what they have accomplished. The
democrats arc pledged not to disturb what
the Republicans have done. 1t cannot be
complained that the sincerity of Gov. Tiden
to execute certain laws is distrusted when
his supporters justify their opposition to
Governor Hayes on the ground that his par
they should 90 for repeating them if they
come into power. | concur with those who
desire change in the policy Of the national
government toward the South, but then such
change can only come from the shifting OF
the attitude of the Southern people toward
the administration. 1t is great mistake to
! suppose that there is no one in the South
supporting Hayes but the negroesand carpet
baggers. | should be very sorry il this were
SO; but even if it wcrcI would still vote for
the candidate of my choice, and would not
let this class deprive me of that pleasure.
suppose they support Hayes because it is to
their interest to do so.
Lasting peace can only come from utter
, oblivion of the past. l know as we'll as any
one what the Southern people have had to
endure; but this has been .the experience Of
every conquered people. The figure of Jul
dea upon Roman coin yelled and weeping
among her palm trees was a type Of those
who had fought for a cause that failed.