Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1894-05-20
EXPLAINS HIS ACT.
Frank Letter from General LonSstreel
About Reconstruction.
QUESTION THAT CONFRONTED U.s.
n. Advised What lie Thongh' ".'
the Best Interests OF tho so"'"'
ern People.

GAIN llsbISs 'N'''
II has frequently been asserted that Gen
erals I,ongstreet. John H. Hood, Joe
Wheeler, Harry Hays. ana some hi'eeh
o,ner Confederate generals met in New
or,oars to discuss the status Of affairs
IN 1857 and the result OF the conference
was that 1t was agreed that General
lame, Iongstreet should lead of In "A lot
ter advising the southern people to "ac-
cpt the situation" and sustain the recon-
striction measures Of Congress az the
best solution Of the pending problem.
The Rev. DIR. J. Il. iiardwick. Of Corpus
Christi, Tex, learned OF this conference,
and having served in Virginia with Gene
raj Longstreet, felt that his old com
mandcr had been unjustly abused. Hr
therefore wrote 10 him, and the following
Is the reply;
GAINESVILLE, GA, May 49, 1891 -
Rev. J. b. Harlw.ck. ST., Corpus Christi,
Tex: My Dear Friend and Comrade,-Re-
ferring to your favor and inquiries. | beg
to say there was no change. | did not
resign from the United States army be-
cause Mr.. Abraham Lincoln was elected
President. but served under him several
months. as did also Generals Robert h..
Lee, Joseph and Albert Sidney Johnston,
and many other southern generals.
LAS class the officers in the regular
army, without regard to section, were
Union men in sympathy and interest, and
many had given Il lifetime service to II
as a nation.
No THOUGHT OF POLITICS.
There may have been probably as many
as dozen Abolitionists and half as many
Secessionists in the service: but political
matters did not receive serious considera-
ton in connection with official duties or
obligations.
General Grant. General Mcclellan,
General Meade General Hancock, and
very many others who became prominent
in the Union armies. were Democrats,
but when war between the people became
thu crucial test they abandoned politics.
and, for the time. joined the Union-Re-
publican party against the South.
when the South came under the SUI
preme pressure OF war. tho issue or strug-
gle with the southern-born officers in the
old army was not politics, but the
southern people and their cause.
THE point was. Shall we bear arms
against them or for them"
we had the unquestonable right TO
tender our resignation, and, when ac-
cepted, We were free to choose our course
but while holding a commission III the
United States army We were not.
II came South and reported at Rich
mond about July I. 1SGl.
THE DAYS OF RECONSTRUCTION.
after the war the Southern States were
put through form Of reconstruction as
ordered by President Andrew johnson.
Governors and legislators were elected
and installed as state governments, all, or
nearly ALL Democratic These govern
ments were recognized by Congress, but
laws were enacted comforting the ballot
upon the negro, and the acceptance OF
such new laws by these State govern
ments was made the condition precedent
of their complete restoration or rehabli-
tatiOn. simultaneously Congress by law
declared that In case Of rejection or the
condition that the State government
should be removed and military or pro-
vsional governors substituted in the South
10 enforce reconstruction under the late
enactments. The matter was submitted
in the early months OF 1851
AT this juncture one Of the leading
city papers Of New Orleans appealed to
the Confederate generals for their advice
in the premises. stating the soldiers would
give more disinterested counsel than the
politicians as to the course the people
should adopt Ny name headed the roll
call, and. as urged by this paper, | re-
sponded.
THE QUESTION INVOLVED.
"The matter was quite simple, or
seemed 50, to my mind, and may be
summary stated as follows: DO the in
terests OF the people who have 50 vainly
followed US call for recognition and ac-
ceptance Of the laws of Congress, the
full recognition OF their State govern
ments. the preservation of state autonomy
or do they call for prompt rejection oil
those laws. the consequent subYersion or
state autonomy by military commanders
and the VIGOROUS enforcement or those
laws by the bayonet? My Judgment VAS
the interest Of our people called for
peace and putting behind as all war spirit
and feeling, and my answer was, in SUBJ
stance, that the congressional recon-
struction measures should be In good
faith accepted--that negro suffrage should
be given Il fair trial, and, If 1t proved 20
be premature, to go to Congress and ask
it's repeal or withdrawal In due course OF
law. That was all
but ms response opened the flood
gates of savage abuse and unprecedented
ferocity. 1t was denounced as treason,
desertion from my people 10 the enemy,
and still it goes.
Democracy made resistance to negro
suffrage the exclusive issue of the day
TO be rejected at all hazards. military
satraps. and all other things acceptable.
but negro suffrage, never!
SHOWERS OF ABUSE CAME.
From the quarters Of the earth poured
letters threatening my assassination, and
all dire things that could lee devised by
Ku-Kluk Khan and similar associations.
All my efforts 10 put the matter before
the people were futile. The press was
closed against ME, and amidst the tenn
pest OF passion the still. small voice Of
truth and reason was drowned. and even
the very newspaper that insisted 1t was
my duty to advise our people denounced
me as a 'deserter' for doing the very
thing IL urged me TO do. Following its
lead and initiative, others took up the
charge. exaggerated and disseminated II
broadcast, but they We're careful not to
publish my letter, and suppressed the
very paper upon which they predicated
such severe accusations. ali this in the
face OF the fact or my loyalty 10 the best
interests of our people. Governor Joseph
T.. Brown, with his usual good Judgment.
came TO recognition of the reconstruc-
ton measures but after the overthrow
OF our State autonomy and the assign
ment of military governors. or "satraps,'
IS then denOminatcd. In this connec-
ton it should be remembered that We
accepted paroles of honor at the capitula-
ton at Appomattox Courthouse under
pledges 10 obey and respect the laws or
Congress. my construction or Observance
OF which led to my being pillored.
APPOINTMENT BY GRANT.
"My part in the reconstruction measures
was taken and ended in the early months
OF 1851 under the circumstances herein re-
lated. Two years thereafter General
Grant was inaugurated as President Of
the United States but at the time
wrote my letter as indicated IL seemed
the dominant party would nominate Sal
mon T. Chase. Charles Sumner, Horace
Greeley. and Benjamin Wade. There
was not, nor could there have been, any
Interior motive nor tacit understanding
between General Grant ana myself as
TO Office beng an inducement TO
my writing the letter referred To. Gen
eral Grant was above such paltry consid-
erations. should have instantly re-
Jected and resented such an approach,
and the subject was too momentous. Yet
when President Grant sent my name 10