The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1880-03-10
General Ldnrstreet for Grant.

A Gainesville correspondent Of the Chicago
Inter Ocean he's interviewed Gen, Longstreet
and furnishes that paper with the following
a. WIN. ~ 'snss % "a prefer IS Presidential can.
First and foremost, General Grant, he
wen, this is resSnstruction with a ven'
gpance," remarked.
yes continued the General, ~ adopted
the policy Immediately at the close Of the
war. which only the slow flight Of years is
imbulng into The. sentiment OF the Southern
people. To he the surrender Of my sword
was my recpnstthction. I looked upon the
Lost Cause as totally and irrevocably lost,
| adopted the principles OF the Republican
party. 1 threw myself into sympathy with
the government into which l had been ad-
mitted as a member. 'Of course, by this &C.
tion, l SACRIFICED the esteem OF OF the south.
ern people. In New Orleans, where l was
then residing, I was forced to give up my
business, and the newspapers boastcd that
had been driven from the city. In Georgia.,
LITIGATION. But l have stood firm to the prln.
ciples l adopted, and to-day 1 am proud 70 see
indications that freedom OF thought and free
dom OF suffrage are likely 70 have some foot;
am anxious to see Grant nominated; by his
nomination political intolerance, the band
that now holds the solid South together, will
be broken. There are Southern States which
olIC nCpuDllCttll Viz OIlS lOll Stu ~ oAu
that one is General Grant-North Carolina,
Louisiana and Georgia."
Georgian" l said. increduloqsiy.
Yes" he replied, 1T Is possible FOR Gr na,t
OF the population OF the State are negroes,
and every mar Of them Republicans at heart.
Why, in a free and fair election l believe tina!
the colored and white RepublicA vote would
amount in Georgia to a majority"
"Why, then, canno Blaine and Sherman
carry. Georgia as we'll ~, Grant?" ! asked. -.
You must know, II you know anything OF
tlon times the Republicans, here, both white
and celored. fare subject to Inconvenience.
The business man who votes the Republican
ticket sacrifices thereby his business interests
pie. The negro laborer-well, six,shooters are
the Inconvenience that he sometimes meets
with in the exercise Of his suffrage; but ieav,
ing that out OF the consideration. 1t 10 hard
bread after he votes contrary TO the wishes Of
the men upon whom he depends for employ,
tment. Let Sherman or Blaine be nominated
and this state Of affairs will: continne; but
rerr Grsn' The T snsRg ns,ii me- q tb the n 1iSss % i, vote ,te
for him. They nave begun organizing clnDs
In this State already; clubs composed excia.I
sively of negroes. manipulated by, no whit+
seems to be that the negroes shall act indie
pendently for Grant, regardless OF the enorts
or the politicians to gain their proxies 10 tht
nominating convention. The negroes o.,
Georgia are q unit for Grant; but for sherman
or Blaine there will be no such enthusiasm
and their nomination would enable the DEM
ocrats Of Georgia again to control their vote,
Only give this enthusiasm OF the negroes ioi
Grant fair play, and the white Republicans OF
Georgia will no longer show a lukewarmness
In politics; they will become earnest and sin
cerc, and the dIsmcmbered Republican party
VIII again a. ~, I be organized and a power In Geor
b YOU Think there arc any Democrats In
Georgia who will support Grant?" asked.
IL think that the Independent Democrats
viii support bin II he is once; nominG IeG
the peculiar phase which; Georgia politics
have lately assumed. An independent Dem
ocratic party has sprung up In Georgia IN op-
position to the regular Democracy. This ne"
party, though 1t has many Democratic adher,
ents, must win over the Repuplican party-ai
present disorganized-in order 70 be success.
ful. The new party 10 powerful In Georgia:
support Of the Republicans and it Is helpless
Now, next fall, one month before the Presi
Dental election, there will be q State election
In Georgin. The Independents soy they vii
sweep the State, from the mountains to Tho
sea. But II they be successful they must win
the support OF the Georgia Republicans. Blu;
let US suppose that Grant Is nominated. ant
the Republican party In this State 1s organ
ly Will be. The Republicans will hardl,
make a spirited contest for the State officers
that election will lie entirely between the or
ganized and the independent Democrats. Blu;
II this state Of affairs lasts how are the indie
pendent Democrats to win the Republican
vote. the essential element to their hope o.
successful the State elec:ion7 I see but on
way, and that Is by their promise 70 aid tn.
Republicans by voting for Grant In the Presi
dental election. This is all simply tneoret'
zeal. I have heard many Independent Dem
ocrats In Georgia express an Intention TO vot
for Grant IL he received the nomination In
1880. 1t Is not to be overlooked that the or
ganized Democracy In Georgia Is O power not
easily 10 be set aside: but with the enthusi
asm for Grant among the negroes-an enthr.
siasm that will not be subdued-nnd with thu
extraordinary relations that 20 exist be
tween the two wings of the Democracy, there
Is certainly foundation for the belief that II j.
possible for Grant to Georgia" "
have heard General Longstreet's views re
iterated time and again by prominent Itepub'
llcans here. The enthusiasm among the ne.
grOes OF which he speaks becomes more and
more noticeable each day with them 1t Is
Grant or nobody; among the white Republi
cans the expression, Al will vote for the nom
inee," usually predominates over all prefer
cnces. A disposition to leave the nominatio'
in the hands Of the Northern Sates-th
States that will elect-prevails widely.