Year: 1868

1e"er from "A Prominent virginian.
WHAT THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE HAVE AT


STAKE IN THE ELECTION.


RICHMOND, Va, Sept. ). 1868.
To the Editor of the Press:


word from one who has spent a life time
in the South and who from his position and
associations is qualified to speak OF the pur-
poses aud plans of the Rebels may be accept
able to your columns. The contest for the
government OF the country OF course makes
the campaign in every State of great in crest
TO every one. Especially is this true of us
who live at the South. With us our all is
staked on the issue. With us the issue is life
or death, exile or honor, peace or war. The
success of Blair will be the death knell for
the hopes of the Union men OF the South
Men who like myself, were tolerated here
during the war, will find themselves driven
out houseless and penniless, or if they choose
to stay, it will be at the price of liie would
not venture the value OF tallow candle on
the life OF Union man in the South, militia
ry or no military, if Seymour and Blair are
elected.


And in saying this, speak but what every
well informed Union man knows, and every
Rebel who is honest enough TO tell the truth
speaks outright.


| The nomination of Gen. Blair was part
of the Rebel programme. 1t is for the pur-
pose Of eElightening the people OF the north
or the real issues before the people that i
write.


There is great desire to conceal the true
issue from the public. The national debt, the
tariff and host of minor questions are pa
raded as the vital questions of the contest
l doubt not that the people of Maine ieel as
do we here land let me say more than Maine
can feel, for we were utterly impoverished at
the close of the war) the stringency of the
times.


With a State fun of bankrupts, trade all
disorganzed, public dirtrustful, and fearful
to risk any money for fear of another war
we can feel, aud do feel hard times as much
as any State in the nation.


Yet all this, as terrible as is our financia
condition is triie compared with other in
teres.s involved with us in this campaign
Our lives, our wives and children's happiness
and lives, are personal interests before which
mere money matters are trifles.


But not our lives, nor the well being G
our families are the vital interests that W,
plead, for we have risked our lives for years
we have staked all we loved, our family gods
on the success OF the Union cause once, and
we are not afraid to make the offering again
If our country cal for it. We will 90 again
cheerfully If there be need and brave the hell
ish horrors Of a Libby" OF "Castle Thunder
as and hundreds have done. or pay the for.
felt OF our love of the old flag as have many
at the end of a rope. These are not the is
sues that we plead for in this contest. These
are but local and personal, and were there
no greater would suffer in silence. But there
are issues that are national in which the peo-
| pie OF Maine have as much interest as the
citizens of Virginia. Interests which are vi
tai, which involve the life Of the whole ma.
ton, and they are the issues on which the
war was fought. The Confederate seght o
hand at New York changed the form, but the
mask covers the hideous abortion of the
Southern Confederacy. The managers of that
party knowing this too well, are striving to
call away attention from this by raising othel
issues.


If the demon face, gaunt and fendish, O.
the rebellion but show itself, they are aware
that their hopes are fed. 1t is there, the
same spirit, the same loathsome, hideous
form, only for the face secession. then has
been substituted that of revolution. They
tell you secession is dead, and they say true
But they do not tell you revolution is dead
nor will they tell you so. On the contrary
they preach it from every rebel pulpit, thun
der it from every rebel platform, and print il
on every rebel press. In 1860 the plan was
to secede in event oil Presidential defeat
In 1868 the rebel plan is to have a complete
revolution in event of success. If they sue
ceed they will control the government ant
then good bye to freedom and liberty, goo(
bye to peace and security, the whole work o
the past eight years they will atte mpt to un
do. 1t will not be sixty days after the in
auguration of Seymour and Blair before the
South will attempt to establish a military
despotism in the whole country.


But their plan involves somewhat o
finances, too. Not that they will seek to pa,
the Confederate debt; they are not sufficient
ly honest to do this. But they will insist d
the reputation OF the national debt, and
for it does not stop here-.he creation of
debt for the payment for emancipated slaves
| Vo,, Haffa oil hat
do all this. There is no power that will pre-
vent it if the entering wedge is sran.e,
them, viz, the election of Seymour and Blair
The rebel plan discussed among rebels ant
kept as secret in honor among them i
the following:


To expunge the 18th Amendment from thu
Constitution.


4 To repeal all Reconstruction Acts, ant
annul all the present State governments.


To restore to power all the lavorite South
ern men such as Lee and JEFF. Davis, &c.


To repudiate the national debt.


To substitute therefor debt for the pay
ment for empancipated slaves.


To expatriate every loyal lover of the oil
flag.


This plan will be made the condition {
peace, and if it be refused the whole powe
of the government will be held by them I
to carry on q war. But the very plan wi
provoke war in the South. Loyal men wi
not submit peaceably to be deprived of a
they hold dear, and at the first attempt t
carry out the plan rupture in the Sout
will ensue.


1t is because they believe that Gen. Bai
will carry ont their policy that leads them I
his support. If Seymour should stand in th
way, even now threats are fnaade that me
will be found to react the tragedy of ISL
| semper tyrannis."


4 Gen. Forrest who nominated Gen. Blair
the New York Convention, said, on certai
contingencies, il Blair were elected that b
troops were already drilled and ready I
gather at the first sound of the horn. Th
i Rebels of the South are smarting under the
late defeat, and everything they can d. wi
he done to gain by diplomacy what they 10.
on the battle field; and when they thin
themselves secure they will take most btt,
revenge for their humiliation.


The Ku Klux Klan is no political spook,
is demon-like reality. Give the South IN
power and there is not home in the natlo
which would be safe from the ku hluX. III
fienlsh spirit which the rebeliion nurture