What were the beliefs of the Lost Cause?

The argument of the Lost Cause insists that the South fought nobly and against all odds not to preserve slavery but entirely for other reasons, such as the rights of states to govern themselves, and that southerners were forced to defend themselves against northern aggression.

Explanation:

The following fact you do not need to know before you write to a public official:

It is important to know the official's job in order to address the letter properly. Also, it is important to know where the official can be reached in order to know where to send the letter. Finally, knowing the official's stand on the issue helps one know how to approach the issue.

However, if the official decides to take action or not is up to the official and many times that is uncertain until he or she receives the letter. Also, in some cases the idea of a letter is bringing up an issue to an official's attention, therefore there is always uncertainty on what the response will be.