Year: 1865

CITY OF WASHINGTON, Nov. 80, 1868.
To the Editor of the Now York Times:


There are so many erroneous statements in
relation to the condition of affairs in North
Carolina and other Southern States that in
the hope Of being able to correct them to
some extent, | send you a communication.
The extended circulation your paper has in
the North would enable great number of
persons to see a statement as candid and fair
as | am able to make it. 1t is of the utmost
consequence that the Government Of the
United States should act wisely toward the
States lately at war with it. 1t claimed the
right to protect itself and to exert its powers
until its safety and repose were secured.
When these vital ends have been attained,
its action with respect to its enemies should
be modified by its views as to their
moral guilt. 1t sometimes happens that
the highest political offences are regarded
as involving little or no moral guilt what
ever No citizen Of the United States per
haps regards Sir William Wallace as a Grim
inal, though he was actually executed for
treason committed in an attempt to liberate
his country from the dominion Of England
whose armies had subdued it. Few persons
look upon the IRISH patriot Emmett as guilty
of moral crime, though he died as a traitor
for attempting to free Ireland from the Brit
tish domination to which it had been sub
jected for centuries. A case still more re-
cent, and better known, is that of Louis
kOssuth. He was undoubtedly guilty Of
treason in attempting a revolution in Hum
gary which had for ages formed part of
the Austrian Empire, yet he was not only not
regarded as a criminal here, but on the CON
trary, was treated with the highest consider
alton by our government and people. Such
cases as these are referred to to illustrate and
sustain the position that the highest political
offence may have been conmitted without
involving serious moral guilt In the opinion
of civilized nations. Hence Christian gov
ernments cease to act against such offenders
when assured that they have nothing to ap-
prehend from them.


The late civil war wa. not produced by
majority of the people either Of the North
or the South, but by minorities OF both, who
were looked upon, however by the opposite
section in each case rs representing maiori-
ties. This minority at the North consisted
of men who said, in the first place, that the
Southern States could not be driven out of
the Union" Secondly, that if they did at
tempt to go out, they were so feeble that they
could be crushed in few weeks. Thirdly,
that the slaves would, in the beginning Of
the struggle, rise in general insurrection and
waste the Southern States. Fourthly, it was
said that these States did not produce enough
to subsist on without the aid Of the North,
and by blockade alone could be reduced to
submission. Lastly, it was said that the
United States would have the moral support
of the civilized world in any contest, and, if
necessary material aid.


In the South was to be found the counter
part Of this party. They existed chiefly in
the Cotton States, but did not constitute a
majority Of the people there. These men
said that the people Of the North, though
they loved the Union for its advantages and
pecuniary profits, would not fight for it, and
that secession would be "peaceable." Sec
ondly, they affirmed that cotton was king
that foreign nations could not do without it,
and that even if war did occur, the great
Powers of Europe would interfere to arrest
it. These parties, though minorities, seemed
to represent the two sections, and being
equally unreasonable, active, arrogant and
inso!ent, they strengthened each other by
their several demonstrations. The first year
Of the war, however, destroyed utterly the
ideas upon which these two parties were
based. The Northern extremists saw, in
the first place, that the Southern States
could not only be driven out Of the Union,
but we're willing TO leave il, on grounds
which most men in the North thought
slender and insufficient. Secondly, that when
they did secede, the Southern people made
determined and obstinate resistance.
Thirdly, that the negroes, instead Of rising
tn claim thcir freedom wore IN dOcilp and
contributed 30 much By their labor, that
,hey were seen to constitute an element Of
great strength TO the section in which they
lived. Fourthly, that the Southern States
produced in great abundance all the pro-
visions necessary TO their subsistence. And
lastly, it was seen that foreign Powers at
least divided their moral support between
the eontending parties.


Tne Southern extremists we're soon con-
WINGED that the people Of the North would
not only fight for the Union, but that they
would carry on the war with extraordinary
vigor and upon most EXTENDED scale. Sc
condlv. they saw that cotton 50 far from be-
ing "King" could not bring a single sol
dier into the field, and that foreigners,
though willing to make .he best bargains
/ possible for themselves, had no inclination
70 be involved in the contest


II must he obvious TO every fair mind
| that If these things had been previously
| understood the war never would have oc-
| CURED. The men Of sense and principle in
each section would have controlled It's Rc-
| ton, and no occasion would have been fur
| nished for a serious collision.