Right the first time?? Hardly.
Sage wrote:
"Now, this raises a rather interesting and LOADED question. If a man such as Nathan Bedford Forrest could exhibit such a model of true spiritual conversion and Christian character, what does that say about those who are Southern Heritage zealots who profess Christianity and yet hold such resentment and express such venom for anything related to the Union?"
According to the letter I posted...the "Union" was defined by Abraham Lincoln as being the Republican Party. I know the content of the letter is difficult to swallow. According to Lincoln's letter and several other speeches, He interchangeably uses the goals of the "Union" with the goals of the "Republican Party." In fact in Lincoln's second inaugural address, he defines the "Union" as a mystical entity that existed before statehood AND Constitution.
I don't recall meeting anyone promoting Southern Heritage that "hates" our country, but I have met a multitude of Southerners that despise the "golden boy" image that Lincoln is given today. Lincoln did a lot of bad things, and they are recorded. His Cabinet did a lot of bad things. By 1875, Grant's administration was imploding and had become synonymous with the word CORRUPTION. Forest also happened to be alive with cognitive thought and witness much of this. Forest lost the war....yet his reputation and character were still intact...and people cared about what he thought. The nation as a whole...North and South...were through with Grant, and for different reasons.
My thoughts on Forest....he was a tactician to the end, not only in military affairs, but in politics and business. When he saw the futility of continuing the war, he surrendered, on his own choosing. He had reasons to abandon the KKK, when it no longer suited his goals. By 1875, he saw a real opportunity for his home state and the South, to regain power in the Federal government, so he had ever incentive to encourage people to cease hostilities, and go vote. By 1875 hardly any of the Radical Republicans were in power, which is quite ironic, particularly with the large number of ex-Confederates flowing into Congress.
In the future if you would like clarification don't be afraid to ask. A blanked accusation of "hijacking the thread" is tacky.