The Ouachita telegraph. [volume] (Monroe, La.) 1865-1889, 1883-06-02
BENJAMIN AND THE REPUBLIC.

II
The following interview with Hon. :. :.
Judah p. Benjamin appears in various :,
h
ado you take any interests no" III +
politics :' Il
uNot much. The fact of it is that :, !,
nv opinion about America has been !.
derived almost if not entirely from the !,
letters of my brothers and personei /.
friends in America, and my only po- ,
liticol correspondent was the late :
Alexander IL. Stephens, of whose death
have recently heard with the deepest
pain and regret; but even his letters
we're few and far between, and NINE
were doubtless as infrequent. In such
a busy life as mine for the last fifteen
wears, there has been for me little time
to snare. Besides, I gave up politlcs
and everything connected thereWlth,
forever when l left America. l have
never, of course, accepted the recon-
struction, and am now a citizen OF
Great Britain. In the meantime l
b,ve beeu asked to stand for Pariia-
ment. and I have no doubt but that
should nave been as successful in poll
tics here as was in America, but sucb
successes as those are hollow and un-
| substantial. At my age l sometimes
vearn for the flesh pots, and empty
honor does not fill them. l have de-
c,ined repeatedly both office and ap.
nointment. I have had enough OF
nolitics, and saw them, too, as such
feryent times as few have"
ado you dwell on that time rs satls'
factory:" -,
uJardly satisfactory. The efforts OF
tho fine resulted in lamentable failure.
ont of the situation such result was
inevitable. Had the Intervention that
war promised us by foreign powers
been made, the result would habe been
far different. It was q matter OF num-
hers and food Reduced at last to the
Q direct extremities that a starving army
oou,d be. with our resources and hopes
exhausted, we had simply to await the
end.'
uDo YOU say, Mr.. Benjamin., tha'
o Won helieye had the war OF secession
Il been a successful one, the best Interests
e, g or tho South would have been served {!
!. ssFor me to answer that question II
y s;nnlv to pass into the domain OF spe
oulation. Idon't know. Fifteen year
- AGO was in no such doubt. From
what can learn, the condition OF tn
South is an unavoidable one. so lar
OF the was led to the abolition OF SLAYER
IL II was for good. So far as 1T split IN
ke had blood which had always breWe
i'll hetwecn the North and South an
ng hroupht about final settlement
''s those uuarels, which could have bee
concluded in no other way, 1t was II
IN Good but it is not to be so readily a.
,nittcd that had the result been diHe
,,r, ont the prosperity which the Nor'
ali oniovs would not have been. possess@
The hy tho South. Her position cou
i fa, sc,rce,v be worse. 1t is folly to s;
that North America, or that part OF
,lic at least, which is embraced in U
:. Eedoral States, is not large enough
ono nation. On the contrary, there
room for as many as are in Eurol
tiy tho and prosperity for them all. l belie
un- from nv heart that the structure ca
cen od the Federal States of America
/ o, c,l, ,nort some day from its own
1rll. hercnt weakness.
,e~ s.To my mind the probability OF tn
=, oxistence requires too little speculati'
- Thcv may hold together for Ion!
neriotl than dispassionate critics OF
>,,, fairs now believe butthe fact Isl
49, sneaEinp now with too little knoWle'
nr the new conditions under Wn
s in thcv exist to ask my expressions
at have any weight. The vast volu
Wed Wed of immigration which has swept
the country is working changes OF
- most radical nature. The Amerlca'
ALE. 1850 does not exist in 1883. EXte
influences have metamorphosed
law and in the rapid growth and deye
ment of his country he has found
Fifth ambitions and poses in a new charae
ler:i ization of patriotism. Experience
III 1r;th II, opcned his eyes, and now he II
ction with a clearer vision to his future,
ofncccssity with keener apprehehs
Hood H Thn war of secession failed from p
cal causes. OF its Righteousness t
can be no question. OF the earnes!
DELI" of the struggle no one can DOUBT"
uWhat would be, in your oplnlo
LA.. case of another outbreak between
es OF States. the most likely cause OF trou
of the Where would the line be draw
rerm. r.,,,. uThat | cannot say. 1t may
g. between the East and West, bet
- the territories of the manufactures
those of the agriculturists, or may
he based upon religious dihere
Fifty years from now the countr!
of the Mississippi, already SUP
with turbulent population, W
teeming with such elements tn
,y Government Of the people can su