The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1899-10-15
Hunting The Lost Cause.
S. o. Young, Adiutant General U. c. ",

is. o. Young. Adjutant General U. c. ".
| Galveston.
| Comrade: You say you want facts for
/ these columns. By that suppose you
want us to tell our stories without en-,
Enlistment. Now. that is as it should
be in regard to these war "reminiscences.
NO matter what we write for these col
uInns let it be facts so far as that can be
gathered as they are from memory's
pages. Now there is one thing about
which there has been great deal of talk
among men OF the present generation, and
even the old vets are beginning to lug
II into these columns. dedicated as they
are to unshirted facts. and thai is THE
Lest Cause Was there really any cause
itst during the war! Has there been any
cause lost since the war? Personally /
know nothing OF any cause lost. and this
communication is for the purpose of elc-
lung information IN relation to that par
ticuiar cause that was or is lost of SO
much Importance as to be designated by
the title of The Lost Cause.
When where and how was it lost? Who
mad charge of it? Was it lost at the COM
mencement, IN the middle or at the end
OF the war? Did Lee or johnson surrender
1t? Or was 1t captured with THE Presi-
dent3 Any information in regard to 1t
Will he thankfully received by many old
"Cenfeds.' Now it may be ! don't know
what tho war was mt about. hence can't
know anything about the cause that
was lost, Now let's put our heads to-
gether and each one give his idea of what
the war was about. and by that means we
may be able to not only find out what
particular cause was lost. but maybe lind
IL and put 1t away with other souvenirs
OF the Cdnfederacy. | can call TO mind
Just now two causes, but | don't think
either of them was lost. strayed or stolen.
The first cause" and the one about
which the most fuss was made prior to
The war was slavery Well. that cause"
was not lost, but is in more ilourishing
condition by far today than ii was any
time before the war. The conditions only
are changed, Before the war we had chat
tel slavery now We have wage slavery
which is the best form? Then a chattel
slave could not be hired for less than from
$50 to $500. according to whether he was
common or skilled labor. Board, clothes
and medical attention had to be paid for
by the party hiring. Today wage slave
can be hired for the same. yea for less
but must pay for his board. clothes and
medical attention out Of his wages. Then
there was no one to take the chattel
slaves place at any price.
NOW there are hundred or more ready
and waiting to take any wage slaves
place whenever he drops out from any
cause whatever. and there are many who
are even paying-a part Of their hard earn
ngs for the privilege Of working. An
English banker struck tho keynote when
he said; While our war was going on chat
tel slavery is likely to be destroyed By
the war power; this and my Eurupean
friends are in favor of, because cha tel
slavery carries with Il the care for and
protection OF the laborer. while wage say-
cry carries no cares whatever We can
~ N 10
mas been successfully done ever since the
war. The next cause was State soyer-
eighty. Well, that cause was not lost noe
wlthstanding the Yankees did everything
IN their power to make us think and be-
lieve It was lost. They even went so far
as to make us swear, before they allowed
US any OF the privileges OF sovereign
american citizen that we would honor and
obey all laws OF the United States All
ehactmen'e OF congress, all proclamations
o. the president. State laws. enactments OF
state legislatures to the contrary not
wihstanding. This cath we had to swal-
low beiore we were even allowed 10 lave
Inc prison pens of the United States BY
uhe Yankees II was called 1.-The amnesty
oatni by the Confeds. "the damn nasty
uatn' Notwithstanding all this, every
.iine the government is called upon to de-
cihe as TO whether this is Nation or a
confeaeracy u drops back behind that good
old confederate doctrine Of States rights. |
although they sacrificed more than mil |
non OF men and destroyed billions OF prop
erty to establish the faleehood that this
was Nation and not confederate In
proof OF which ! adduce the following: At
the time. the citizens of New Orleans rose
IN tneir wrath and went to the jail and
shot down In open daylight six Italians |
the government OF Italy promptly de- |
manded satisfaction. Mr. Blaine was Sec /
rotary OF state. and replied, to- the de-
mands OF the Italian government just as
any good Confederate would have done. I
owing to the peculiar formation OF this /
government. the United States can moi /
send troops into a State without the con 4
sent OF the legally constituted authorities
OF the State, and no settlement can bs
made by this government and the govern
ment OF Italy. You will therefore have
to settle with the city Of New Orleans and
the State OF Louisiana"
Does that look like the cause OF State l