Year: 1867

M y - y ~ v -
Letter from Ex-United States Senator Albert


q. Brown. Of Mississippi.


TERRY, Kinds county, Miss, March -, 1857.


Your letter OF the 10th, inviting an expression OF my
views the situation OF our public affairs, was re-
ceived yesterday.


since the surrender have not meddcd in political
aair and have studously avoided every act that might
which proscribed rebel" bad nothing TO do Even
now hesitate as TO the propriety OF the course am
about TO take In answering your INQUIRIES AS 90 not
volunteer my opinions hope 70 escape ccnsure Tor ex
pressing them. To those who think II most becoming
men in my situation TO keep quiot am free TO say,
'that is very much my own opinion"


As sneak reluctantly you will not be surprised II
say as little as possible To my mind II Is only neces-
to tx in thoughts the present political status Of
rive at proper conclusions as TO what these States ought
TO do.


though, at the beginning and think, the acts of
secession VALID and that they took the States that
passed them out The fact that We were forced to say
these void db milo did not make them so In
law. We fought as think, out OF the Union, and not
in it. We fought 70 maintain an independent ana sepa,
rSs ssn Ms ceased 10 arbt and gave up our
we laid them at the feet OF the conqueror From
that day this have ceased TO have any poiiicai
rights which the conqueror bound to respect. We
often confuse ourselves bv thinking too much on the
of opponents instead OF arguing con-
ssteny and logically from premises 10 our own
conclusions What If the radicals do we were never
out of the Union and then to take US BACK on
their own harsh termsY We know we were h, out, ana
that on fair terms willing to go back. Whle
say this utterly deny that we committed any treason
A foreigner cannot commit treason, however he may
offend against the laws and constitution OF another coun.
try than his own In other respects


BY the act OF secession passed from under the con-
snton Of the United States and lost all clam on Tor
protection. We could not consistently demand protec.
ton under this constitution after We had thrown 1t OH
and made another and. as we hoped better one Tor
ourselves


have said when laid down arms and acknowl-
edged ourselves conquered ceased TO have polit
ical rights which the conqueror boupd TO respect
am not to be understood in this saying that the
queror may rightfully do with as he pleases He is
bound ne has treated other conquered peo
pie, and other conquerors have their conquered in
modern times Whether he does so or not not we, but
God ana the civilized world must be the Judges.


If the conqueror imposes harsh and inhuman terms
he degrndes himself and not his victim II is to my
mind exceedingly absurd for conquered people to talk
of being degraded by submitting to the will of the con-
queror Is lone traveller, without arms degraded be-
cause he submits TO be robbed by banditf am not
comparing conquerors to q bandit but am saying
we are unarmed helpless and as completely In their
power solitary fooman in the power Of robbers 1t
remains to be seen whether they will honor themselves
by tenperng mercy with power or degrade themselves,
not US, by contrary course We have nothing to do
but submit.


II does seem TO me that some Of our people after
swallowing q camel, are now strainng at gnat After
taking down at gulp negro emancipation, and all the
attendant measures, am ncreduous as to their strain
ing their throats by swallowing the batch of
measures proposed by Congress II is nauseating dose,
and would not take it If could help myself.
do it promptly, he will, on his next round. give
me something worse and very likely stand by
IL. ]
to give very sickenng doses and in quick succession
and make the patient take them 1t is useless grum
and NO hp AZ wn Io o
we think very cruel but whN can we do? True
may play the part Of sick child and say to ourselves
II We ever do get well we will thrash him. But guess
when get WELL II we do shall feel SO good
that wo won't want to thrash ANYBODY.


After all the measures proposed by Congress though
harsh, not bitingly severe they might have
been They have been so generally rad and ably
eaed or hat shap iorhea any Analysis or even crit
cislitf pf rxvr-S 7
Wit bScly aiudr To- Que or these negro suffrage, and
i'siwn sster nerro education. have been generally
commented on as extremely harsh aud especially when
taken u connection with the proposition TO ds,rsnchse
and forever prescribe large portion Of the most in,e


These rendered unnecessarily harsh and
ss think extremely dangerous to the safety and best
or this may speak as between ourselves, but. as
have said before on the generel subject you and
not TO bc Judges For example, II Was very harsh and
i think altogether unnecessary 10 dsfIanchise large
number OF our intelligent whites throw the mum.
ber Of states, in all probability. into the hands the
ignorant blacks and vicious whites. Surely Il would have
been sufficient TO vndicate idea 10 have disfran-
chised enough in each State TO make example
The who have done this thing will remember when


fear will be late that the interest Of this country
Is Intimately blended with their Intimately In
deed that II will be found impossible 10 nict perma.
ncn injury on one without ser ousv damaging th other
i am as You know, amonr the prescribed. but arm
satisfied. The right to vote should exercise
less FOR the bepct Of my country, and Office
Therefore the law. ~ il passes VIII give concern
Tor myself and beg my fr ends not TO include in
their thoughts when they are considering what to do
this subject.


As TO educating the nogro and le, nr him vote I
should not oppose 1t as an original propositions f II
TO b. done at the right time In The night way and by
tho right The negro n fixture in this country
He Is not going out OF it, he not rong to die out, and
no Is not going TO be driven out Nor Is his exodus from
The country desirable / frank in saying, if they,
every Of tlem could be packed baioou carried
the water and emp:ied into Africa. would not
have IL done. unless indeed II already arranged
that the balloon should return hy of Germany Ire
land Scotland, &c, and bring US return cargo OF wbo
laborers.


If the Hegro is stay here and II is desirable to have
him do what Is the duty OF the intelligent white man
towards hfm Why, TO educate him. admit him wnen
sufficiently instructed to tho right OF voting and as
rapidiy possible prepare him for safe and rational
enjoyment Of that equality before the law )" which
free man he has right to claim, and which cannot
long refuse to give


have a scheme OF my own on this subject based
think on rational and comprehensive view Of the
relations existing IN this country between the races
but forbear TO give IT, az II has BEEN superseded
much ultra and fear dangerous scheme submitted
by Congress- and which shall be compelled TO accept
In all rs amplitude.


Pardon the deressions and proixities into which am
but too conscious of having rum and will draw this
letter TO a close.


think we shall be compelled TO submit to all that
Congress has done or may do and this being so would
have our people do gracefully possiblc-not in
deed pretending they like it-that would he dsgraceful
but without any murmnrings or childish regrets


Only a word in conclusion-I earnestly hope every
every needful preparation TO vote when the time comcs
and that all who vote will do calmly with dignity
and with fixed purpose 10 save as much Of liberty
can be rescued from the wreck of the .iost cause


Very truly and faithfully, gentlemen your friend and
fellow citizen. A. G. BROWN


Another Letter frsm Governor Patton.


EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT, !


MONTGOMERY, Ala, March q, 1857. 5
Hon. ALHERr vooRnEs. Lieutenant Governor Of LousI-


ana, New orcans:-