Year: 1868

4 WIEAA LIS 15tAOtla
/ mass Of honest men are taught and BE-
/ lieve that the success of that party means
/ the political re-establishment or the go
MUS Of revolt, and the elevation TO power
/ Of the Southern leaders in the late war.
I Now while I do not believe that II the
| widespread suspicion of this Intent could
/ be discharged from the m'Iid5 OF our
! people here, there would be great diff
( f1culty Ia obtaining 8 fair hear
I ing, it Is too potent q weapon Of
! party warfare to be relinquished during
this contest for the Presidency. II the
! Democratic party is defeated In their
canvass, 1t will be because the people


fesr its success would jeopardize the sub


stantisl results Of the war. Now upon


this point the Northern mind Is aOs0-


lutely determined, and no party could


maintain itself which should repudiate
the war or surrender its scquisitione.
For my own part think 1t would be
very difficult to get rid Of any Of
| the logical and legitimate results
of the War IL we tried TO ever 80
hard, but stiil our people ara very sen


sitive on that point. I cannot see,
for instance, Of what value yeur pet
dogma of the constitutional right to Sc
cede would be to you, even if we granted
you dispensation to proclaim 1t on tae
house-tOps. Constitutional or not, it
viii never again be practicable, except IN
! tie form OF revolution, and that is "a
extra constitutional right which cannot


be taken away from any people. slavery
I take to be stone dead for the reasons
| you very clearly and ably state In your
! letter to ms. Il would never again be OF


any value to you If you had 1t back, and
the ghost of it, which is so much dreaded
at the North, the phantom Of involun-
tary serYitude for poverty and color, as
punishment for vagrancy, which haunts
so many well meaning men among US,
! would speedily become burden 80 Odi-


Gus and SO intolerably expensive that II
for no better reason, you would be glad
to drop IL. But at the same time you


must yourselves be well aware that the
| hasty and incOnsiderate legislation upon
this subject, in two or three CT your
Estates lately in rebellion" did more TO
fasten universal suffrage upon you than
/ any other one thing. The North is well
/ aware that there is q wide distinction
{ between civil rights and political priVi-
/ leges nor were our wisest and most prac-
! tiesl statesmen of the Republican party
/ at first inclined to adopt the dangerous
/ experiment of placing political power in
( the hands Of your poor, Ignorant field
/ hands upon mere fsnciful theory of the
/ natural equality OF man. Doubtless a
I citizen of Massachusetts, who Is utterly
] illiterate may be my superior In all


manly qualities, but unless he can read
| the Constitution in the English language
! he is not my equal politically. The prin-
| ciple is here admitted that we may and
I must temper theoretical equality with
J practical tests Of fitness for public duty.
/ Now this was iguOred in your case, be-
! cause 1t was urged and believed that


thus alone could the blacks protect them
/ selves, and it was said that any ad-


mitted qualification would be abused
! by.you TO their total exclusion from the


franchise, and consequent helpiessness.
! The Northern people, having freed the


slaves aad left them still mingled with


their former masters, could not, with de-


cency or humanity, abandon them ma


ked to the savage elmity which they


were taught to believe you felt to them


nor could they calmly look on to see
! those oppressed of whose comfort aud


happiness they had become the guardi-


ans. The Northern States pardoned the
palpable uaurpation OF q power never
granted to Congress. upon the plea 8.
necessity. Universal suffrage was no
necessary corollsry OF the war; IL was


extorted by distrust, offspring % the long
| slavery agitation. That gave enormous


power to the class Of politicians whG


preach the perfect and complete wickea-
4 ness OF the Southern white. These same


men urge and they Iersuade many that


you still cherish devotion TO the ''LOsi


Cause" which does not content itSe!i
( with the hopeless tenderness which we


feel for the dead, but is ready to take


arms again st the least encouragement


These feArs miDgle largely in the Gan.


vass, and will exert a strong influence in


the result. I think that distrust and fsal


have dictated youc terms, more than


malice or revenge. It wac not cheer


fully that the North sacrificed the Con.


stitution for which It fought so long


For my own part, have never felt any


apprehension of losing any Of the proper


results OF the war. l have always be-


lisved that you IRust, from necessity


yield them as frankly as we claimed


them. have never doubted that it wai


possible to treat you, after your surren.


der, Ia such q way as TO enlist your aid


and engage your sympRthies in q


constitutional restoration of the Union


and yet secure freedom and fair.


negs to the black, and tranquility


and happiness to the whites. AS yoU


very forcibly say, there is no policy pos


sibie for you but peace, War now would


be your utter destruction. The Union il
of more value to you than to US, and tC


the Constitution alone can you fly fOi


protection. A general and cordial con


fidenoe in your attitude, feelings RnC


protests is essential to your peace anG


prosperity. We must renew the old


spirit within US, or the new Union viii


be an empty form. hsven II by party


success In a very close vote at the North


aided By your own efforts at the South


you obtain temporary relief from your


shject state to-day, your condition will


still be preesrious, your path full oi


snares, and true Union as distant IS


ever So long as One-hRlf the North is


persuaded that you have the Will and the
power to jockey them out of what cost


them so dear, we ATTEMPT TO reGuild ouT
Union on the sands. Time alone and a
patient aud enduring persistence on your
part in well doing, In the face OF all dis
/ couragement, can effeetuslly remove the
cause of your ills; palliative will but
I induce reaction again. A cheerful con-


currenoe in the essential principles OF
democratic and constitutional govern
ment regard as requi 3ite for your peace


full progress in the future. Inclining TO
these opinions, | should have excused


myself from accepting your kind invita-


tion had you not expressly disolaimed


any political intent. 1 do not wish to


make any political speeches to your peO-
/ pie In the interest OF any party, nor add
| new bitterness to your already danger


Gus position. But as | have felt the evil
/ very much of late that OF our own
/ knowledge we were so little informed OF
! the real needs, and wishes, and purposes
! of each other; as I cannot feel sure that
! I may not be Of some use, and as l de.
/ plore with all nay heart the distracted and
/ discovered condition of our once united


people, will meat you rs you request
as fellOw-citigens should meet, in times
I of difficulty, TO consult with you upon
! our duty at this time. I shall try to
/ speak frankly rather than agrseably, and
/ I shall hops for equal sincerity in return.
! I need not assure you that what have


written has been dictated by the kindest
! feelings. 1 sm not insensible 70 your


trials and suffsriDgs; the loss Of friends,
! prosperity and power, and exclusion


from all part or lot In voting away your


last pittanoe, is bitter indeed. But hOl-


low as the ordinary platitudss sound In
/ the sufferers ear, may 1t not be Ia the
/ good providence of God to prove TO the


uttermest the quality OF your people and


lead them through these dark ways 20 q
Z nd uablor 90 racy haxosad-