Year: 1867

NEW ORLEANS, June 8, 1867.


]. n. @. Parker, Esq. :


MY DEAR SIR: Your esteemed favor
of the 18th ultimo was duly received.
was much pleased to have the OppOr-
tunity to hear Senator Wilson, and
was agreeably surprised to meet such
fairness and frankness in a politician
whom have been taught to believe
uncompromisingly opposed to the
white people of the South.


I have maturely considered your
suggestion to "wisely unite in efforts
to restore Louisiana to her former po-
sition in the Union through the party
now in power" My letter Of the 9Th
of April, to which you refer, clearly
indicates a desire for practical recon-
struction and reconciliation. Practi-
cal men can surely distinguish between
practical reconstruction and TecOnstFuC-
ton as an abstract question. 1 will
IendeavOr, however, with renewed en-
ergy, to meet your wishes in the mat
ter. The serious difficulty that l ap-
prehend is the want of that wisdom
which is necessary for the great work.
shall be happy to work in any har-
ness that promises relief to our dis
tressed people and harmony to the ma
ton. 1t matters not whether I bear
the mantle fAIr. Davis or the mantle
of Mr.. Sumner, so that 1 may help to
bring the glory Of "peace and goodwill
toward men,"


I shall set out by assuming a prOpO-
sition, that I hold to be self-evident,
viz The highest of human laws is the
law that is established by appeal to
arms


The great principles that divided
political parties prior to the war were
thoroughly discussed by our wisest
statesmen. When argument was ex-
hausted resort was had to compromise.
When compromise was unavailing,
discussion was. renewed, and expedi-
ents were sought, but none could be
found, to suit the emergency. Appeal
was finally made to the sword to de-
termine which of the claims was the
construction of constitution law. The
sword hos decided in favor of the
North, a-ld what they claimed as prin-
ciples cease to be principles, and are
become law. The views that we hold
cease to be principles because they are
opposed to law. 1t is therefore our
duty to abandon ideas that are obsolete
and conform to the requirements of
law.


The military bill and amendments
are peace offerings. We should accept
them as such, and place ourselves up
on them as the starting point from
which to meet future political issues
as they arise.


Like other Southern men, naturally
sought alliance with the Democratic
party, merely because it was opposed
to the Republican party. But as far
as I can Judge, there Is nothing tangible
about 1t, except the issues that acre
stqEed upou the qCar and then lost
Finding nothing to take hold of ercept
prejudice, which cannot be worked into
good for any one, it is proper and
right that I should seek some stand
point from which good may be done.


III appreciate the principles of the
Democratic party, its prominent fea-
lures oppose the enfranchisement Of
the coIored man, and deny the right
to Iegislate upon the subject of suf-
frage, except by the States individ-
ually. These tlvo features haze a ten
dellcy to exclude Southern men from
that party, for the cOJOred man is al
ready elyraIacbiSed here, and t0e cannot
seek alliance a0jtb a party that a0OuJd
restrict his rights. The exclusive right
of the States to Iegislate upon suffrage
will make the enfranchisement Of the
blacks, whether for better or for worse,
fixture amongst us. 1t appears,
therefore, that those who cry loudest
against this new order of things as
public calamity, are those whose prin-
cipIes would fix it upon us without a
remedy. Hence it becomes us to in
sist that suffrage should be extended
in all the States, and fully tested. The
people of the North should adopt what
they have forced upon us; and ifit be
proved to be mistake, they should
remove it by the remedy under repub-
lican principles Of uniform laws upon
suffrage.


If every man in the country viii
meet the crisis with a proper apprecia-
ton of our condition, and come fairly
up to his responsibilities, on tO-mor-
row the sun will smile upon a happy
people; our fields will again begin to
Weld their increase our railroads and
Iviy-oy-s-yviI tppm with abundant COM