The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1893-05-02
A PEACEMAKER'S TALK.
WHOSE LABORS IN THE SOUTH WE'RE
NOT WELCOME NOR BLESSED.
His Experiences With Governor Brown-Ho
Tried to Avert War and Have the
South Stick to the Union

apres the siesta, | found most interest
ing gentleman. He is not a stranger of the
south or to fame. When he left the city
of Charleston years and years before the
late civil war to make his home and for
tune Ill New York city, he took with him
that peculiar spirit and SAVIOR of the south
ern gentleman that has remained character
istic with him through all these decades
that have brought Il mellow portliness to
his form ami silver crown to his head
AT seventeen years of age, he had fixed
himself as the leading cotton merchant of
the great metropolis and represented many
merchants and millions of southern trade.
From the day of his advent among the
commercial magnateS of Gotham, the name
of
Colonel Thomas Latter
has been one of strength, sagacity and com
handing influence IN both commercial and
political circles. His business success not
only brought his into contact and favor
with the best men and minds of trade
power in New York. but as commercial and
political interests largely coincide in that
mighty city. he also became a recognized
factor and force in the larger political life
OF the metropolis. He came to know and
to have the confidence of men occupied with
the grayeSt concerns of national political re-
latlonS and upon questions that had IL
southern bearing, he was consulted with the
greatest confidence.
Knowing that his experiences in some
of the notable political emergencies would
be interesting. the representative. of The
Constitution asked him:
An Anti-Sece,sion Mission.
Colonel, what part of your activities in
politics Go you regard the most interesting
and memorable?'
IVY ell, my dear sir, it is hard to select
or sIgnalilc the one instance that stands
out as particularly acute and exciting. Yet.
II asked to select, | would always refer
first to my experiences just at the outset
OF the war i'll the vain endeavor to persuade
the southern leaders not to 80 into the Sc
ceSSl0n movement"
How came you to be drawn into that en-
deavor?"
why, although | was a southern man.
loving the south with all my heart, | still
felt that secession from the union would be
mistake. | believed in the union. desired
ITS preservation and felt that. whatever
grievances the south had. those issues could
~" Cowgirl ..e'fi.ivtt. ,,a y..en, ,4,4Itaif,
men from New York state and the eastern
states who comprised the famous Pine
street meeting, in which the sentiments
expressed were so thoroughly favorable to
the south as to cause it to be designated
tlrc-eater's caucus. Out of that meeting
grew the agreement to appoint two commits
sloners to visit the capitals of the southern
states and confer with the governors urg-
iiS lntih 10 resist secession ana remain Ill
the union. That course was deemed best
for the south and calculated in cool judg
ment to bring it all its demands sooner
than they could be enforced by war. grant
ing such war could be eventually success
full. and it was thought the south owed that
course to the friendship and faithfulness of
it's friends in the north
Who We're the commissioners"
"EX-President Willard Fillmore and my
self, but Mr.. Fillmore fell i'll on the eve
of our departure from New York and [
was compelled to make the venture alone.
as there WAS no time for delay Armed
with papers setting forth fully the views N
the distinguished men of all parties who
had agreed upon this matter, [ came south.
Tho Plausible Pleas.
Upon what grounds, chiefly, did you re-
ly in you arguments to these southern gov
ernOrsT'
Our idea, as | have said. was that the
south would be stronger in the union than
out of it. She could command the open and
courageous support for her claims of the
men i'll the north whose sympathics We're
upon her side. The north was full of men
who could and would have fought in poll
tics and legisatioa for the fullest rights
contended for by the south and guaranteed
by the constitution, but those men could
not and would not follow or fight for the
south in secession. We felt seriously that
such secession by the southern states would
be wrong to the friends of the south and of
sound democratic principles in the north
Mr.. Lincoln had been elected by minority
vote and we felt that he could not well get
the backing of the country i'll any scheme
of legislation that would humiate and
grossly wrong the south. On the contrary
we believed and we still believe, that the
best interests demanded that she remain
in the union, resist any unconstitutional
entertainments, make her cause tho cause of
the majority of democrats in the country
thus bringing the factions of the party to-
gether for a grand and triumphant victory
and policy in the next elections for congress
in 1862 and the next election for president
in 1864. Secession could do only what it
did do-leave the northern democracy in
hopeless minority and render it powerless
to sympathize with, much less command
it's active aid for, Il seeded south. 1t
was wrong to leave us i'll that prcdicamcnt
after we had so Loyalty champoned southern
interests and for that wrong the people of
the south encountered defeat from Il solid
north and made possible the hard and ex-
acting conditions of republican supremacy
for the past thirtytwo years.
An Unavailin= Appeal.
"What We're your efforts, and their res
suits in seeking to influence southern gov
errors to oppose the secession movement"
Il did not stop to present my arguments
to the executive of Maryland, for | felt sure
that he was not a SeceSsiOnist Nor did |
linger in Richmond, for l found there that
the people were not rampant for a divis-
ion of the union. They were very largely
in agreement with the views | had come to
present, and 80 | FASTENED on to South Car
Dina. where the war cloud was centering.
] called upon the governor and presented
the appeal that our northern friends had
adopted and 81 gned. but it was of no avail.
He said the people of South Carolina were
determined not to remain in the union and
that he would not antagOnize that prefer
ence. But he took me down to Charleston