The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-11-30
MOSBY,S RECOLLECTIONS.
a southerner's Reasons for Accepting the
Results of tho War.

never nc JteQeral CTauG uuhi hoJ
1872, when called on him at the White
House in company with Senator John F.
Lewis, of Virginia. at that time my
homo was at Warrenton. Virginia, and l
frequently visited Washington. Once l
had seen General Grant with General
Sherman in box at the theatre. They
seemed 10 enjoy the fun of the play as
much as "the gods" in the gallery.
Not along before I called on General
Grant rode some distance on the Mid
land railroad With Senator Lewis, who,
being Republican. Was on very friendly
terms with the administration, and we
talked good deal about the President.
Like most Southern men I had been
opposed to the policy Of reconstruction,
and of course was opposed to the Repub-
lican party, which he represented. For
this reason, in spite of my personally
friendly feelings for General Grant, on
account of his magnanimous treatment
of the Southern soldiers and me individ-
ually, at the close of the gar, I had
always kept aloof from him.
In my conversation on the train with
Senator Lewis I expressed my high per
sonal regard for General Grant aud the
gratitude l felt to him, and I said I
would have called to pay my respects
but for fear that in doing 80 my motives
might be miaconstrned, and it might
create a prejudice against me in the
South, and General Grant in the North,
ii he treated me with even ordinary civ
ility.
At that time my name was monstrum
horrendum to the Northern Imagination,
and no doubt "a large majority of the best
people of that region sincerely believed
that my men fought under the black flag
inscribed with skull ard crossbones.
General Grant was then as much mis-
understood in the South as I had been
misrepresented in the North. The
kindly feelings which his noble conduct
at Appomattox had aroused was almost
obliterated by his becoming the candi-
date of the Republican party for the
Presidency. We did not then stop to
consider that General Grant had accepted
reconstruction just as General Lee did
secession, because he could not avert it.
Both had bowed to storm they were not
able successfully to oppose. Neither did
We then reflect, or rather we did not
know, that by going all along with the
tempest General Grant in some degree
moderated its fury.
When he became President he found
three Southern States under military
government, the others under carpet bag
rule, and nearly all their prominent
leaders under political disabilities. at
the close of his second term nearly all
disabilities had been removed, the irou'
clad oath repealed and the Southern
States restored to the control of the best
citizens.
NV conversation with Senator Levin,
while not confidential, uas not intended
as message TO General Grant, and | had
no expectation of it being repeated to
him. 1t was only week or 80 bef're
the nomination of Horace Greeley |
had then no idea of ever voting the Re-
publican ticket. The prejudices which
had survived var and reconstruction, As
we'll as any ambitious hopes l may have
cherished, all impel!ed me the other Way.
Ip the South the Democratic party has
appropriated the glory won by the Con-
federate armies, and of course it enjoys
the benefit of the ressnLments created by
defeat and the devastation of the country
by the Northern armies. My war record
could be of no advantage to me with the
Republicans. For the same reason in
the North the Republican party get the
benefit of all the war feeling that sur
wives. There never yet was q party or
politician who would not utilize any pre-.
judice that exists to gain power. 1t
makes no difference whether the preju-
dice be rational or not.
was member of the bar. My State
Congressional District and County were
all Democratic, or Conservative, as call
cd. If had desired political honor or
place would have sought it at the time
of reconstruction, when it was hard to
get eligible men to fill the Offices. Never
having held an Office before the war, |
Was not excluded by the reconstruction
laws from either holding Office or voting.
Greeley was nominated on a platform
ratifyiDg all that the Republicans had
done. Having accepted tae principles,
1 could see no objection to voting with
the party.
The Democrats went over to Greeley
he didn't go to them. Their battle cry
wss reconciliation" The term implies
past hostility. Logically, it meant vot-
ing with the Republican party. We did
not need any reconciliation with the
Dem ocrats.
As Grant represented the North it
seemed to me that the proper way to get
reconciled was to vote for him just as
Gen. Lee surrendered to him at Apo.
mattox when he saw that the cause for
which he had fought was lost. To throw
away the influence Of our votes on Gree.
lev sesmad to me as absurd as for Gen.
Lee to have surrendered his sword to a
sutler when he concluded to stop fight
ing.
The Southern people abandoned oppo-
sition to the laws the Republicans had
passed. They said that they only wanted
them administered in friendly spirit by
their own people. thought this object