The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1876-08-23
SHALL THERE sBvBR I'm PB<oE,
An Earnes Appeal hem IN O0ccr whe
Fought or the Wrona side.

J'i's' w 'uV 'e'P'N " WIZ
much mistaken we may nave oeen' We "ero
honest and sincere-n"" honss' ahu "o" s",-
cere let the Thousands OF unnamed unhonoreo'
and unknown graves OF our beat and oraVest'
our truest and phrest, tell.
II was my fortune once during the war anu
near lite close, to be prisoner, TAKEN upon inc
neld Of tile. Que wretrhed coward, VINO
came up when the fight was over wouiu nave
taken my life In cold blood. II was only saved
by the prompt Interference OF sergeant whose
name never knew. He stepped between the
woud-be assassin and myself, and sterniV re-
buked him, telling him that he had shirked the
neht eni had only come up when the danger
was over.
For several weeks I, with hundreds OF others,
was held prisoner. From the brave soldiers
bad fought, both officers and men, received
nothing but kindness. At last we were given In
charge TO a Lieutenant Colonel White, COM
manding, N remember right, an Indiana
regiment. do not know II he lives now, or. II
living, where he Ia, or what his politics may be.
To me as to his other prisoners he was most
kind, and he invited mo to ride by his side
while on the march, and to mess with him at
night. 1t was about the time OF near the time
when Lee surrendered, rumors Of which event
had reached my captors.
Iseldom. OF course. discussed politics with
same. but remember once the ultima ate fate OF
the then bleeding and almost PROSTATE Confede-
racy was the tonic OF our conversation. refused
10 admit that our cause was hopeless, but re-
member that said to him, I" II we are to DO
conquered sincerely hope that our fate may be
left to be determined by the soldiers we have
fought, and not by the politicians, VINO will be
q. ost likely to profit by our misfprtunes and
fall;" and 1 well remember his reply was'
"Of that you need have no fear. When this war
IL over the soldiers Of the North will control the
policy OF the Government"
Then told him, II know II YOU are right, and
| II our banner must 20 down, we shalt meet with
| thst generosity with which the brave always
treat a fallen foe" Now know not, as I have
| before said. whether Col. White is living. A few
| DAYS after this conversation I was piroled. and
| by the time had made my way TO my nome the
| war was over-we were conquered. From that
| day have neither seen nor heard OF him. II he
he living, and this meets his eye ask him to re-
| mem Ter the march from Selma, Ala, to Column
| bus Ga, aud try aud rec IL this conversation
and the on ,er with whom Il was h I'd.
| Now, I ask the brave soldiers OF the North "
they have done their duty to their former foes
sinco they have conquered us. Have they, like
the brave sergeant OF whom l have SOCK n,
! stood between me and the coward who would
|
former and fallen foes and the Politicians
who have almost driven us TO despair
| Ia there no hope that the psople of
| the North may have filth in our faith, may
| trust us a. one brave man, one brave people,
trusts anot1erf Are we to be forever the means
| by which dishonest politicians run INTO power
| and keep IN 20 yer? n we have sinned. have
we not suffered and must we forever suffer
1t Is impossible for Northern people 20 conceive
| It Is impossible for any man In the vet free,
| happy, and comparatively prosperous North to
| conceive, the intense anxiety with which l. and
| Thousands Of Southern men, watch the Presi-
dental canvass In the North We ara not poll
tcians We sre not oii,e seekers. We expect
no ofhrcs. We want no ofice@ BIT we feel
that all we hold dear for ourselves and for our
children depends upon the result OF this election,
almost wish that the South had no vote In
| this contest, 40 fearful am tina, 1t will do more
n ,rm than good TO the ticket we so earnestly de-
sire to see successful, and to the cause Of hon
estv and reform so much do fclr that the true
Issues. constitutional government. reform. and
honesty. may he lost sight Of In the storm Of
sectional hate. which Is the only hope 81 the Re
pubncans. and which they are irving In every W ~
70 raise. II the South wer, out Of IN question.
does any man doubt that the entire North would
arise almost rs one man and sweep from power
|
| INF lrtunately. to every cry for reform the re-
| ply IL, " rhe South opnresse, the negro;" to
every exposure OF corrIition In hi9h or low
| PLACES among the ON 'ers OF the Government,
the answer T., " The C,nfe lerite II use OF Rep
resentatives is persecu'ine the loyal men OF the
North" Is It possible that the honest, indie O.
pendent voters Of the North whether Demo-
Gratis or Republicans, can be deceived again
can again place In power a purely sectional
party one which. while pretending pence and
good Will t. the south, continually fans the fires
OF discord and encourages the confirm / rob
berry Of Impoverished aud defenceless States2
| 1t Is impossios for any Northern man to ap-
preciste and understnn the .infIl condition
| OF what was once, and may be again under a
just and liberal q Government, one OF the finest and
| most deightf / portions Of our country. such a
Government We shall have II the North will place
In power those honest statesmen, ridden and
Hendricks. say II the North will place them
them in power, for II elected by the votes OF the
great, victorious North, 1t will forever eliminate
i the southern question fom our nation u poli-
ties. and II will be the strongest possible evil
dence to the South that the North l. now as much