The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1876-08-16
CHlonnI John s. MOShY

HIS POLITICAL STATUS DBFINED-HE IS FOR
HAYES AND AGAINST TILDEN, AND TRUSTS TO
THE FUTURE FOR HIS MEDICATION.
A long letter written by Colonel John S.
Mosbv to " a former Confederate comrade'
was published in the New York Herald OF
Monday. The following are sample extracts
from it:
~ have Just received your communities
ton inquirng il it be true, as reported, that
am supporting Hayes and Wheeler. 1t is
true that l am cordial and earnest advo-
| cate OF the election OF that ticket, notwith-
standing you say that all the southern peo-
ole, and especially the Confederate soldiers,
are united in the support Of the Democratic.
/ hope, however, that in this you are MIS-
taken, and that many men in the South OF
sound conservative and national sentiments
will be found on the other side. However
this may be, it will not divert me from my
purpose. I thought you knew that [ ceased
to be Confederate soldier about eleven
wears ago and became Il citizen OF the United
States.
81 concur with you in Il desire for 4
change in the policy of the National Gov
eminent toward the South, but that can
only come from change in the attitude OF
the southern people toward the Administra-
ton. You say that no one in the South Is
supporting Hayes but negroes and carpet
baggers. l would be sorry to think this
were so, but if it were l should still vote
for the candidate OF my choice, and would
not let this class deprive me OF it. | sup
pose they support Hayes because they think
| it is to their interest to do so. | think it
would be equally to the interest OF all the
southern people to do the same thing. But
YOU say that even admitting it would be
| !, 81. To do of ic
Gus they will not, that ought to surrender
nv individual convictions to the will of the
majority. don't think so. 1t is better for
some to 20 right than for all to go wrong.
| II I think they are going wrong l could
do no good by going with them.
| II they insist on breaking their necks
| / don't intend to assist them. Besides,
YOU say that il Tlden is elected he will be
under the control Of the Confederates. If
that is so then you will have no need OF me.
But suppose Hayes is elected, with solid
I South against him, what are YOU going to
do thens Yous do not see now, but YOU
will then see the force of my logic. 1t was
| for these reasons that four years ago urged
the southern people that if they really de-
sired peace and reconciliation to bury their
passions and resentmentS and support the
man who was not only the representative
| OF an overwhelming majority OF the North,
but was the most powerful, us he had been
the most generous, OF our foes. have
seen no cause to change my opinions or to
regret my course. Many things have since
occurred which no one deplores more than
/ do. But 'you can never say / did it.
The responsibility is with those who adopt
ed the fatal policy, Anything to beat
Grant In the conflict they invited Grant
TO beat them Having pl edicted all sorts OF
evils to result from the election Of Grant
they have done all in their power to make
their predictions come true.
H.You speak OF the bitter hostility OF the
North toward the South. Well, four years
OF hard fighting liz not calculated to make
men love each other; neither is an eYerlast-
Ing rehearsal OF the wrongs which each side
imagines it has suffered going to bring us
any nearer TO better understanding. Peace
can only come with Oblivion OF the past. |
know rs well as you what the southern
people have had to endure; but this has
been the experience Of every conquered
people. The figure OF ,Judea on the Roman
icoin--yeiled and weeping among her palm
trees-was the type OF those who fought for
a cause that failed. 1t will always remain
so. The wound OF war time alone ean heal,
but many grievances springing from our
administration could long ago have been
corrected by csasin s to oppose the inevita-.
BILE. I'm doing this the southern people have
played into the hands Of their worst enc
mics. From chronic habit OF complaining