Year: 1868

W HllE CHh1NbO3 " IL,


August, 1868.


GENERAL-Ful of solicitude for the
prosperity of nay country, come with my
heart In my hand to learn the condition
wishes and Intentions Of the people
cf the southern states, and especial
ly to ascertain the sentiments of that brave.
energetic and self-sacri6cing Glass OF men
who, after sustaining the confederacy for
four years, laid down their arms and swore
allegiance to the government Of the United
States, whose trusted and beloved leader
you have been. [ see that Interpreting
state rights to conflict with national unity
has produced violent reaction against
them which is drifting US toward consoli-
dation and also that SO great country as
ours, even now, is certain to be, must have
state governments to attend to local details
or go further and fare worse.


1t is plain to US at the west and north
that the continuance of semi-anarchy, such
as has existed for the last three years in
ten states Of the union, largely increases
the danger Of centralization swells our
national expenditures diminishes our
productions aud our revenue inspires
doubts Of our political and financial sta
bility; depreciates the value Of our Nation
al bonds and currency, and places the
credit Of the richest below that Of the
poorest nation in Christoulom. We know
that cur currency must be deprecated SO
long as our bonds are below par, and that,
therefore, the vast business and commerce
of our country must suffer the terrible evil
Of fuctuating standard Of value until We
can remedy the evil condition Of things at
the south. We also SEQ ether mischief
quite possible. If not probable, to arise !;
such as from q failure Of crops, local
insurrection, and many other unforeseen
contingencies which may still more de-
preciate our credit and currency, provoke
discomfort and disorder among our people,
and bring demagogical agitation, revolu-
ton, reputation, aud thousand unnamed
evils and villainies Oh US We know that
the interests of the people Of the south are
for law ard order, and they must share
our fate of good Or evil.


believe that every one who reflects,
believes that if the people Of the southern
states could be at peace, and their energy
and good will heartily applied to repair
the wastes Of war, recognizing their busi-
ness, set the freedmen peacefully, prosper
ously and eontentedly at work invite cap
ital enterprise and labor from elsewhere
to come freely among them, they would
soon rebuild their ruined fortunes, multi
ply manifold the value Of their lands
establish public confdencs in our..political
stability, bring our government bonds to
premium, orr currency to gold standard
and assure for themselves aud the whole
nation, most happy and prosperous fu-
ture


Seeing this and how all just interests
concur in the work, ask the officers and
soldiers who fought for the onion, ask
every thinking man of the great west and
north, why it cannot be done? We are
told by those who have controlled the
government for the last four years tha
the people Of the south will not do it
that if ever done at all it must be done by
the poor, simple, uneducated, landIes
freedmen, and the whites who against tn,
public sentiment of the intelligent whit
people, are wiling to attempt to lead, an
make their living off of these ignorant in
experienced eolored people-mostly me
who must be needy adventurers or withou
any Of those attributes on which relianc
for good guidance Or government can b.
placed. We are .old that this kind o
government must be continued at th
south until six or eight millions of intell
gent, energetic white people give into
or move OUT OF the country.


Now, think the union army think.
and the people Of the north aud west.
dare say, believe there must be, or ouel
to be, shorter, surer way to get goo
government for all at the south. W
know that they who organized and su.
tanned the southern confederacy for fou
years against gigantic efforts, ought to /
able to give peace. law, order aud protee
fion to the whole people Of the soutl
They have the interest and the power .
employ, protect, educate and elevate th
poor freedmen and restore themselves an
our country to all the blessings of which
have just spoken.


The question we want answered is, ar
they willing to 10 it? | came down I
md what the people of the sou.h tb;oL ,