Louisiana capitolian. (Baton Rouge, La.) 1879-1881, 1881-12-17
pulse whom ! burned Che letter was that
the evidence to condemn my friend
should not remain with me.'n

shoulu hOt remain with me- ~
> Tho correspondent asked Mr.. gia,
thcws' aWho else saw TINT letter b.
aldo yourselffp &
mo other living man after IL cam
0 into my possession. IL was sealed nm
directed TO Mr.. John +. Coyle, QUO d
the editors Of The National Intolliget,
cer."
do you recall its eontentsip
almost NJ wildly as though In,
, just committed them TO memory. 1
began:
WASHINGTON, D. G., April IA, 1sG5.-.
10 my eoahtrymen: For years hav,
devoted my time, my energies, and ev
erydollar possessed In the world for III,
fartheranee Of aa object | have beer
bahied and disappointed. The hour ha,
come when ] must change my plan
Many, | know--the lterd-wlil blame iie
for what ! nm about to do, but posteri.
ty, Mn sure, will Justify me. Right or
wrong, God jndge INC, not man. 30 my
motive good or bad, Of ono thing ! am
slire--the lasting condemnation of the
North. love peace more than lifs.
have loved the Union beyond express
sion. For ionf or fve years ] waited,
hoped, and prayed for tho dirk clouds TO
break, and for u restoration Of our form.
or sunshine. To whit longer would be q
crime. My prayers have proved IA idle
as my hope. Gods will be done. no
to see md share the bitter end. This
war IL IL war with tho Constitution and
Vie reserved rights Of tho States
ltisa war upon Southern rights and
institutions. The nomination OF Abra-
ham Lincoln, four years ago, bespoke
war His election forced 1T. | have
held the South was right. In d foreign
struggle !, too, could shy, my country
right or wrong but tn such D struggle
az ours whore the brother tries to pierce
the brothers. heart, for Gods sake
choose the right When u country like
this spnrns justice FROM her side she for
feits the allegiance Of honest freemep,
and should leave him untrampied by
any fealty soever to net o. his conyci.
enee may approve. People ofthe North,
to hate tyranny, to love liberty and Jus.
tice' to strike ut wrong md oppression,
WINS the tebching Of our fathers. The
study of early history will not let me
forget IL, and may IL never.
do not want 10 forget the heroic pa. |
triotisn Of our fathers who rebelled |
against the oppression Of the mother
country This country was formed by
Che white, not the black man, and look.
ing upon African slavery from the same
held by the noble trainers of
OR Constitution, for one have ever
1t one Of the grentest bless.
nRs, both for themselves and us TINT
sod ever bestowed upon u favored ma.
5ion. Witness heretofore our wealth
md power. Witness their elevation and
above their condition
elsewhere. ] have lived among IL most
It my life, and have seen less harsh
treatment from master 20 man than |
lave beheld in the North from father to
on. Yet, Heayen knows TO one would
'e willing to do more for the negro race
han ], could | but SEGA way TO Sill |
'etter their condition, Il
nuT LlNcoLN's Policy
= only preparing the way tor theft III. !
ihilation. The South are not, nor have !
hey been fighting for the continuance 4
{ slavery. The first battle Of Bull Rim \
i'd away with that idea. Their causes !
nee for war have been rs noble and :
reater fnr than those that urged our II
'thers on. Even should we allow they y
ere wrong ut the beginning Of this I
,nfict, cruelty and injustice have made 81
Re wrong become the right, and they II
and now the wonder and admiration i,
the world as o noble band Of patriotic VI
'roes. Hereafter, reading Of their a
reds, u
TirERMopYLAE WILL BE FoRsOTTEN. III
When ] added in the capture and ex-
ution of john Brown was o 10
arderer on our Western border, and Of
DO was fairly tried and convicted be- O,
re an impartial Judge and jury Of trea- Al A
n, and who, by the way, has since ~
en- made god--I was proud OF my Il
tie share in til, transaction, for | hi
emed 1t my duty, and that ] was
lpng our common country to perform
act of justice. But what was q crime Nj
poor John Brown is DOW considered id,
~ tlemselves-as the greatest and tn
" virtue of the whole Republican ro-
,Aex ,