North Branch democrat. (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, August 31, 1864, Image 1

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    NEW SERIES,
gtojt! ftawrcrat.
A w*kly Democratic ,
paper, devoted to Pol- f jpS&hl;"
tics, Newe, the Arts |1 jL.&Tfc. y
and Sciences Ac. Pub- jl &i- .if ~
lished every Wednes- r _]
day, at Tunkhannock, ajj
Wyoming County.Pa. t£. V JjjtSfj jJ.—]-
BY HARVEY SICKLER.
Terms—l copy 1 year, (in advance) 51.50. I
not pain within six montha, $2.00 will be charged
ADVEnTISING.
10 lines art . I j I
less, make three four f two jthree j six j one
one square weeks weeks]mo , th\mo'thimo'th\ytar
LSquare POO 1,25j 2,25 2,8?} 3,00 < 5,00
2 do 2,00 2,50 3.25 3501 4,50 6.00
3 do 3 00: 3,75 4,75 5,50 7,00 9,00
i Column. 4 00| 4,50; G.oOi 8,00 10,00 15,00
do. 600 ~,oo; io,oo! 12.00 17,00 25,00
do. 800 9,50 14,00 18,00 25,00 35,00
1 do. 10, 001 12, <W 17,00' 22,00? 28,00' 40,00
Business Cards of one square, with paper, 85.
JOB WOBK
of *ll kinds neatly executed, and at prices to suit
the times.
business sotirfS.
CIEO. S. TUTTON, ATTORNEY AT LAW,
X Tunkhannock, l'a. Office in Stark's Biick
Block, Tioga street.
WM. M. PIATT, ATTORNEY AT LAW, Of
fice in Stark's Brick Block, Tioga St., Tunk
hannock, Pa.
F> R.&S, W, IjITTIJE ATTORNEY'S AT,
t LAW, Office on Tioga street, Tunkhannock
Pa.
HS. COOPER, PHYSICIAN A SURGEON
• Newton Centre, Luzerne County Pa.
LIME FOR FARMERS, AS A FERTILIZE
for sale at YERNOY
Meshoppen. Sept. 18 186!.
JV. SMITH, M. D . PHYSICIAN A SURGEON,
• Office on Bridge Street, next door to the Demo
crat Office, Tunkhannock, Pa.
1 > I{. ,T C- BECKKH .
PHYSICIAN di SURGEON,
Would respectfully announce to the citizensof Wy
oming that he has located at Tnnkha- >ck where
he will promptly attend to all calls in the line of
hie profession.
Tv Will bo found at homo on Saturdays of
each week*
WALL'S HOTEL,
LATE AMERICA** HOUSE,
TUNKHANNOCK, WYOMING CO., PA.
rHI9 establishment has recently been refitted and
furnished in the latest style Every attention
will he given to the <-omfort an l convenience of those
wjb patronize the Houe.
T. B. WALL. Owner and Proprietor.
Tunkhannock, September 11, ioCl.
WORTH BRANCH HOTEL,
MESHOPPEN, WYOMING COUNTY, PA
Wm. 11. CORTRIGHT, Prop'r
HAVING resumed the proprietorship of the above
Hotel, the undersigned will spare no effort to
tender the house an agreeable place of sojourn for
*ll who may favor it with their custom.
Wm. II CCRTF.IUUT.
June, 3rd, 1863
Ulfaitff flfltfl,
TOWAWBA., 3PA.
D. B. BARTLET,
{Late of the Bbrainard llocse, Elmika, N. Y.
PROPRIETOR.
The MEANS HOTEL, B ono of the LARGEST
.nd BEST ARRANGED Houses in the country—lt
is fitted up in the most modern and improved style,
end no pains are spared to make it a pleasant and
■agreeable stopping-place for all,
r 3, n2l, ly
M. GILMAN,
DENTIST.
If OILMAN, has permanently located in Tunk-
TVX* hannock Borough, and respectfully tenders his
professional sen-ices to the citizens of this place and
urrounding country.
ALL WORK WARRANTED, TO GIVE SATIS
FACTION.
cr Office over Tutton's Law Offic*, near th e Pos
385 oe.
Dec. 11, 1861.
A GENTLEMAN, cured of Nervous Debility. In
,competency, Premature Decay and Youthful KrrorJ
actuat.ee by a desire to benefit others, will tie happy
to furnish to all who need *., (free of charge ), the
recipe and directions for making the simple remedy
used in his case. Those wishing to profit by his, aud
possess Valuable Rcmedi, W'll reietve "the came,
by return mail, (carefully sealed,) by addressing
JOHN B. OGDEN
No- 60 Nassau street, New York.
-n4O-3
0 YOU WISH TO BE CURED 7
BLCHA.N'S ENGLISH SPECIFIC PILLS cure,.
ess than 30 days, the worst cases of NERVOI-SNKSSS,
mpotency, Premature Dacay. Seminal Weakneos
Insanity, and all Urinary, Sexual, and Nerv -
.Affections, no matter front what c&uso producedus
Price, One Dollar per box. Sent, postpaid, by mail
on receipt cf an order. Address,
JAMES S. BUTLFR,
Station D, Bible House
Jieiy York.
n3l-3m. M. A Co,.
USE NO OTHER 1-BUCHAN'S SPECIFIC
PILLS are the only Reliable Remedy for all
JDiseases of the Seminal, Urinary and Nervous Sys
tems. Try one box, and be cured. ONE DOLLAR
A BOX. One box will perfect a cure, or money to
ended. Sett by mail on receipt of price.
JAMES S. BUTLER,
Station D. Bible Pouss.
Nsw York,
, % ffkner&l Ag+nl
EXECUTION OF THE GIRONDISTS,
BT JOHN 8. C. ABBOT*
During the progress of the French Revo
lution, there were two yarties which arose,
and for a long time contested for the supre
macy—the Girondists and the Jacobins—
The mob of Paris was at the disposal of the
Jacobins, and sustained them in their most
atrocious measures. 'We must," said Mu
rat, one of the leaders of the Tacobins,
" strike into the hearts of our foes. It is
our only safety." The Girondists attempted
to arrest the progressof the frightful massa
cre in which the Jacobins were engaging.
They thus exposed themselves to the dan
gerous charge of being in sympathy with the
aristocrat. The strife which ensued, a strife
involving life or death, was one of the most
terrible recorded in history.
Madame Roland was one evening urging
Vergniaud to rally the Girondist party at ev
ery hazzard to arrest the massacres. " The
only hope of France," said she, "is in the
sacredness of the law. Tli'S atrocious car
nage causes thousands of bosoms to thrill
with horror. All the wise and good in
France, and in the world, will rise to sus
tain those who expose the.ir own hearts as a
barrier to arrest such enormities."
'* Of what avail," was the sad reply of
Vergniaud, can such exertions be ? The as
sassins are supp rted by all the power of
the street. Such a conflict must necessarily
terminate in a street fight. The camion ar
with our foes The most prominent of the
friends of order are massacred. Terror will
restrain the rest. We shall only provoke
our own destruction."
For several days the strife raged iw the
convention with the utnost intensity, be
tween tho Girondists and the Jacobins, —
The party which could obtain the majority
would surely consign the other to the scaf
fold. M. Roland, the Girondist Minister of
the Interior, was a man of great power, but
Madame Roland, was a brilliance of genius
scldi rn surpassed, prepared for him his
speeches in the convention. France recog
nized his marvelous abilities ; the one party
regarded her with adoratiou, and the other
with hate. Probably "hevcr before in the
history of the world has a woman occupied
such a position. It soon became evident that
the rage of the Jacobins would descend upon
Madame Roland, and she wa6 urged to es
cape from Par is. The heroic woman replied :
'• I am ashamed to resort to any such ex
pedient. I will neither disguise myself nor
make any attempt at street escape. My ene
mies may find me always in my place. I
owe my conn try an example of firmness and
I will give it."
She remained in Paris, and soon perished
upon the guilotine. The convention consist
ed of eight hundred members . Twenty-one
of the most illustrious men of France were
considered leaders of the Girondists. The
Jacobins accused them of treason, and over
awing the members of the convention by a
mob, carried the accusation ahd condemned
them to death. It was then voted that all
Paris should bo illuminated in view of the
triumph of lhe p- ople. At midnight the
whole convention, in procession, traversed
the brilliant streets, leading, to grace their
triumph, the doomed Girondists. They
were all then consigned to the Conciargeri,
there to await the final trial Summer carne
and went, while illustrious men lingered in
their dungeons. With fortitude, the record
of \vh ich has enabled their memories, they
struggled to sustain each other to meet that
fate which they knew could not be doubtful
At length the hour of final triumph cone.
With the most imposing military array of
infantry, cavalry, and artillery, to guard
against the possibility of any counter revolu
tion, the prisoners were conducted in a long
procession, two by two, to the judgment bar.
It was the 30th of October, 1793. At elev
en o'clock at night the verdict was brought
in, and they were doomed to be led the next
morning to the guillotine. As the sentence
was pronounced, one of the Girondists, Va
lane, plunged his dagger in his heart, and
fell lifeless to the floor. Another m the de
lirium of enthusiasm, shouted : " This is the
m st glorious day of my life !" It was mid
night when the victims we re conducted back
to the Conciergerie. As they marched along,
their voices burst into the Marseillaise Hynn,
in tones which reverberated through the
corridors of the prison, and echoed through
the streets :
"Co.tie, chit lren of your country, come,
The Jay of glory dawns on high,
And tyranny has wije unfurled
Her I lood-staiued baunt>r in the sky."
They wi re placed iiv one large hall, and
the lifeless body of their companion was de
posited in one corner. By decree of the As
eernbly the remains of Valane were to be
taken, with the rest, "to the guillotine, and
the axe was to sever his head from the life
less body, and all the headless trucks were
to be interred together. Some friends of
the Girondists immediately sept to them a
sumptuous banquet, their final funeral re
past. A large oaken table was spread. Ser
vants entered with brilliant lamps. The
richest viands of meats and wines were bro't
in. Vases of flowers smiled where flowers
never blooiped before ; and the most costly
dishes appeared one after another, until the
board was covered with luxury aua splen
dor.
"TO SPEAK HIS THOUGHTS IS EVERY FREEMAN'S RIGHT. "—Thomas Jefferson.
TUNKHANNOCK, PA., WEDNESDAY, AUG'T 31, 1864.
In silence they took their places at the
table. They were all tnen of brilliant intel
lect, and most of them eloquent. A priest,
Abbe Lambart, who had gained admission,
with his pencil noted down their words,
their actions, their indication of heroism. —
The repast was prolonged till the dawn
faintly entered the grated windows. When
the cloth was removed, and the fruits, the
wine, and the flowers alone remained, the
conversation became animated, with eccas
lonally bursts of gayety. A few of the uu
belivers in immortality endeavored thus to
meet their doom. But it was hilarity mi.
natural, and unworthy of the men and their
Death is not a jest, and he who
attempts to so regard it does but dishonor
himself.
" What shall we be doing at this time to
morrow ?" asked Ducos.
"We shall sleep," responded one, "after
the fatigues of the da}*, to wake up no more.
Death is but an endless slumber."
" No," rejoined Fonchet, " annihilation is
not our destiny. These bodies perish
These thoughts never die. To-worrow, in
other words, we shall think, feel, act. We
shall have solved the problem of the destiny
of the human mind."
All turned to Vergniaud as by a common
imoulse. ll;s discourse was long, and ha<
been described as the most eloquent which
was ever uttered by human lips. "Death,"
said he iu conclusion " is the greatest act of
life. It intro iuces us to a noble existence.
Were it not so, there would be something
greater than God. It would be just man
immolating himself uselessly and hopelessly
for his country. No 1 Vergniaud is no great
er than God. Ged will not suffer Vergniaud
to morrow to ascend the scaffold but to jus.
ttfy and avenge him in future ages.
As the light of day penetrated the dun.
geon, some sought a moment's sleep, others
wrote a last line to friends, whild others
gathered in groups for conversation. At
four o'clock the gens d 1 arms entered with
the executioners. The long hair was cut
from thefr necks, that it might not impede
the axe. Gensonne picked up a lock and
sent it to his wife, saying :
" Tell her that it is the only memorial of
my love which I can transmit to her; and
that my last thoughts in death were hers.
Vergniaud scratched upon his watch & few
jines cf tender remembrance, and sent it to
the young lady to whom, iu a few days he
was to be married. Five rude carts conveyed
them to the scaffold. Eich cart contained
five persons. The streets through which
the sad procession passed was thronged with
countless thousands. It was one of the
most splendid of October mornings. As the
carts moved the Girondists saug the Mar.
sallaise Hymn. At the end ol each verse
there was a moment's silence, and then the
strain was renewed loud and sonorous.—
Arrived at the scaffold, they all embraced.
They then resumed their funeral chant.
One after another ascended the scaffold, con.
finning the son/ till his head fell Into the
I _-t. There was no weakness. No voice
faltered ; on each succeeding moment, as
head after head fell, the song grew more
faint. Vergniaud at last stood alone. Long
confinement had spread a deadly palor over
his intellectual features. He ascended the
steps, the chorus having now died away into
a solo of surpossifig richness. For a mo.
ment he gazed upon the headless bodies of
his friends. lie then, as he surrendered
himself to the executioner, commenced anew
the strain—
" Come children of yoilr country, come,
The day of glory dawns on high.'
Tlie axe fell, an 1 his lips were silent in
death. Thu- perished the Girondists. The
history of the French Revolution, in all its
sublime annals, has not a tragedy more
thrilling.
4*5 —
Gems ol Thought,
If you would not render your children
helpless all their lives, never compel or per
mit them to help themselves.
The louder tones in which some people ap
peal t rea-on imply that reason is a great
distance from them.
The door between us and heaven cannot be
opened if that between us and our fellowman
is shut.
Always bens witty as you can with your
parting bow—your last speech is the one re
membered.
Absence is to love what fasting is to the
body ; a little stimulates it, but a long absti
nence is fatal.
Superficial knowledse is like oil upon wa
ter; it rbines deceitfully, but can easily be
skimmed off.
The loveliest faces are to be seen bv moon
light, when one sees half with the eye and
half with the fancy.
Not in unmanly characters does mildness
charm, but in manly ones ;as energy dons,
not in nnwomauly one, but in the unwoman
'y* . .
Whose would feel the tenderest participa
tion in joy, let him not look at happy children
hut at the father and mother wflo rejoice to
see them happy.
A shilling idly spent by a fool, may he
picked up by a w*ie uian, who knows better
what to do with it ; so it is not lost.
Women are fond of deferring ; men of go
ing ahead. With the former we gam by ex
hibiting patience ; with the latter, as with
public functionaries, by impatience.
Men of quick fancy more easily reconcile
themselves to the loved one when she is "sb
sent than when she is present.
Well mated lovers are like the two wings
of a dove, bearing one heart between them
and always moving harmoniously.
ANTI-SLAVERY EVENTS.
Notwithstanding it was declared in tha
beginning of the war, by the " Government,"
through Secretary Seward, that " the righta
of the States, and the condition ofeveiy
human being in them will remain subject to
exactly the same laws and lorms of adminis
tration, whether the revolution shall succeed ,
or whether it shall fail," the chief subject of
legislation in the North during the last three
years has related to the negro. The Boston
Liberator recently printed the following list
of anti-slavery events that have occurred
since Mr. Lincoln's inauguration:
1. Emancipation in AVestern Virginia.
2. Emancipation in Missouri.
3. Emancipation in the district of Colum
bia.
4. Emancipation in Maryland.
5. Slavery abolished aud forever prohibit
ed in all Territories.
6. Kansas admitted as a free State.
7. Provisions made to admit Colorado,
Nebraska, and Nevada as free States.
8. Organization of Idaho, Montane, Daco
tab and Arizona as free Territories.
9. Recognition of the independence of
Hayti and Liberie.
10. Three millions of slaves declared free
by Proclamation of the Piesident Jauuary I,
1863.
11. All fugitive slave laws repealed.
12 Inter state slave trade abolished.
13. Negroes admitted to equal rights in
the United States courts, as parties to suits
and as witnesses.
14. Equality of the negro recognized in
the public conveyances of the District of
Columbia.
15. All rebel States prohibited from re
turning to the Union with slavery.
10. Free labor established on numerous
plantations in South Carolina, Louisiana,
Mississippi Tennessee, and Arkansas
17. Schools for tiie education of freed
slaves in South Caralina. Louisiana, Tenn
essee, and in Eastern Virginia—where till
within three years to educate the negro was
punishable with death.
18 The wives and children of all slaves
employed as freemen in military and oiher
service of the United States made'free.
19. All negroes, bond and free enrolled
as part of the military force of the nation.
20. The loyal people of Arkansas, Tenn
essee Louisiana and Florida seeking a re
turn to the Union on the basis ot freedom
to ail and of the abolition and prohibition of
slavery.
21. The abolition and prohibition of sla
very by an amendment of the Constitution
passed in the Senate b; tw>-thirds majority,
and by nearly the same in the House. Lost
by lack of three or lour votes, through the
influence of Democratic members.
22. The nation through its representatives
in Baltimore, Juns 8, made the abolition and
prohibition of slavery the basis of its gov
ernmental administration for the future.
23. The Federal Government forbidden to
j employ any man as a slave in any capacity.
2t. One hundred and Sity thousand ne
groes, mostly freed slaves in the pay and
uniform ot the Government as soldiers.
Tins list, long and apparently exhaustive
as it is, is still incomplete. We are not cer
tain that from memory we can supply the
deficiencies, but we may mention at least a
few additional items. Congress early agitat
e l the question of the repeal of the law
against the transportation of the mails by
negroes. The Senate adopted an amend
ment to the bill for organizing Montana Ter
ritory, providing that negn.es might vote*
A majority of Republican members in the
House recorded thdmselves in favor of re
taining this provision. To theso may be
added the amendment of the articles of war
so as to make it a high offense for an officer
of the army to return a runaway slave to hie
owner, and tho refusal to make it an offense
of like character for an officer to entice away
a slave ; the passage of a confiscation act,
aimed at slavery ; tho sending of six hun
dred free negroes to the Island of Avache,
who finally returned alter a sea voyage at
the public expense ; the bill to establish a
Freedmen's Bureau at in immense cost to
the Government; the various propositions
to increase the pay of the negro soldier, with
a manifest indillcrence about increasing the
pay of white soldiers ; the President's am.
nesty proclamation requiring citizens of re
stored States to take oath to support all the
Executive proclamations relating to slavery ;
and finally, to cap the climax, the recent
manifesto preventing any conference on the
subject of peace unless commissioners from
the rebel Government agree to abandon sla
very, as well as consent to the complete in
tegrity ol the Union,
Yet with such a record as this tlie Repub
licans claim to have " 6unk the partisan in
the patriot," and call upon all to rally wi th
them in supporting purely unconditional.
Union principles !— Missour Re publican
July 27th.
When the news was received here
that Chambersburg had been burned by the
rebels, some of the abolition jacobins openly
expressed their delight declaring that it was
just what they wanted to hear of, as the
'''copperheads" had suffered heavily in the
loss of property,and it would operate to ex
asperate the people of the North. Such dev
lish malignity lurks only in the hearts of
fiends. Shame Shame !.— Bedjord Gazet'e
Efsr a lady at Brussels is known to be
so extremely humane that she will not allow
even hor carpets to be beaten, and was fright
fully shocked on hearing a boy, who wa9 re
lating astory about a donkey, tell his Com
panion to cut his tail short ; and she actually j
fainted away when a relative said he had I
been killing time . *
(From, the Patrtot A Union,)
The Democracy Should Organize,
Not a moment should be lost in organizing
the Democratic party, in every township,
ward or district in the State. In every
school district there should be formed a Dem
ocratic Association, and the school houses are
good placvs to meet in. Get your neighbors
whatever may tu their political creed, to
come in and hear, and even allow them to
join decorously in the discussions. Take
several good, 6ound Democratic papers in
these associations, and thus become acquain
ted with the movements of the day, and be
enabled to meet your opponents with facts
and arguments.
To facilitate this important and vitally ne
cessary step, we Lave drawn up and given
below a form of a Constitution, which may
be varied according to the circumstances of
the case.
The Chairman of the Democratic State
Central Committee has desired us to ask of
every Democratic paper in the State to pub
lish this Constitution, and urge tho forma
tiou of Democratic Associations in their im
mediate vicinity. To such associations the
State committee will 6end documents for dis
tribution, at any time, on being informed of
the post office address of the Chairman or
Secretary.
PREAMBLE.
This Association is formed with a view to
the strict and conscientious performance of
every political duty, as citizens living under
a wise and well-ordained Government which
has descended to us from our Revolutionary
sues ; and we seek, by free discussion and a
frequent interchange of view=, to become im
bued with the true spirit of the Constitution
of Pennsylvania and of the United Stales,and
our rights and duties under them, as also
those of our rulers.
For the well-ordering of the Association,
we agree to and adopt the following regula
tions :
1. The Association shall bo known and
styled the (here insert the name agreed upon]
of [w.re insert the name of the I unship,
ward or district in which it is located.]
2. Stated meetings of this Associationshal!
be held on the first Saturday evening of
every month throughout the year. Special
meetings may be called by the President or
fixed by adjournment at any meeting, to a
time and place certain,
3. The officers of the Association shall bo a
President, a Vice President, a Secretary and
Treasurer. The two last named offices, at
the will of the Association, may be given to
one person. The duties of the several officers
respectively shall be such as usually apper
tain to such stations.
4 Every person 011 becoming a member of
the Association, shall pay to the Treasurer
thereof the sum of .and the further
sum of monthly, until otherwise order
ed by a vote of the member". The money
thus raised to be devoted to procuring for the
ue of the members of the Association such
books, pamphlets, or papers ns may be order
ed by a vote, or to such other purposes con
sistent with the objects of the Association, as
may be aoproved of by a vote of the members
present at any stated or special meeting; and
the money shall be drawn only on orders
sigr; 1 u y the President, indicating the pur
pose of tlie appropriation.
5. This Constitution may be amended at
any stated or monthly meeting, by a vote of
a majority of the members present.
NAMES OF MEMBERS.
THE WORDS' WE USE.
Be simple, unaffected, he honest in your
speaking and writing. Never use a long
word where a short one will do. Call a
spade, not a well known oblong instrument
of manual industry ; let home be a home, net
a residence ; a place a place, not a locality :
and so of the rest. Where a short word
will do, you all ways lose by using along
one. You lose in clearness, you lose in hon
est expression of your meaning ; and, in the
estimation of all men who are competent to
Judge, you lose in reputation for ability.—
The only true way to shine, even in this
fa'se world, is to be modest and assuming,—
Falsehood may be a very thick crust, but in
the course of time, truth will tind a place to
break through, Elegance of language may
not be in the power of all of us, but simplic
ity and straignt for wariness are.
Write much as you would speak : speak
as you think. If w>th your inferiors, speak
no courser than usual ; if with your superi
ors, speak no finer. But what you say, and,
within the rules of prudence, say what you
are. Avoid all oddity of expression. No one
ever was a gainer by singularity of words, or
in pronunciation. The truly wise man will
so speak that no one will observe how he
speaks. A man may show great knowledge
of chemistry by carrying about bladders ol
'trange gases to breathi, but he will enjoy
better health, and find more time lor busi
ness, who lives on the common air. When I
hear a person use a queer expression, or
provodence a natqe in reading differently
from his neighbor, the habit always goes
down, minus sign before it stands on ihc
side of deficit, not of credit. Avoid, like
wise, all slang words. There is 110 greater
nuisance in society than a talker of slang.
Tt is only fit. (when inocent. which it seldom
is) for raw schocl boys and one term fresh
men to astonish their sisters with. Talk as
sensible men talk , use the easiest words in
their commonest meaning. Let the sense
conveyed not the veh'cle in which it is con
veyed ,be your subpart of atten lion.
Once more, avoid in conversation all sin
gularity of accuracy. One of the bores of
society is the talker who is always setting
you right ; who, when you repoit from the
paper tiiet 10, 000 men fell in some battle,
telis you that it was 9,999, who, when you
describe your walk as two niHes out and back
assures you that it lacked half a furlong of it.
Truth does not consist in minute accuracy of
detail, but in conveying a right impression ;
and there are vague ways of speaking thai
are truer than sttict fact wouid be.—
When the Psalmist said, '"Rivers of waters
run down nunc eyes, because man keep not
thy"law," be did not state the fact, but he
stated a truth deeper than fact and also truer
—Dean Alford. "
Below we publish a few extracts from the
noble and fearless letter'of SfaJ. Qen.
Buell. The sentiments are the most consci
entious convictions of & tried and gafldhtsol
dier; and, as we] believe and Gn. Bui
ell hints, a revel,tirn, as unfolding as R warn,
of the real sympathy of the beat soldiers now'
in our service with (he cause of coaftihitfoftAl
liberty. The letter was addressed
friend, by whose permission it was print-
BEDFORD SPRINGS PA., . )
Suly, 10tb, tBG4 \
DEAR SIR :—The public bare seen no ofl
cial announcement of the fact—though it ir
no doubt by this time very generally known
that I have resigned my commission in tho
array. I have several times since been as
sured that ray personal friends, and many
who without the claim of personal acquniat.
ance have taken an interest in my official
career, foel that some explanation of the el*. '
cumstanr.es and motives of my action w due
to them. Accepting this claim upon mo, 1
have already answered some of my friends*in
substance as I do you now.
* *
The impulses of most men would approto
my course in this matter; if it even roatod on
no other ground than a determination not to
acquiesce in any measure that would degrade
me ; but I had a higher motive than that. I
believed that the policy and means with
which the war was being prosecuted was
discreditable to the nation, and a stain upon
civilization ; and that they would not only
fail to restore the Union, if indeed they had
not already rendered its restoration impossi
ble, but that their tendency was to subvert
the institutions under which the country had
realized unexampled prosperity and happi/
ness ; and to such a work, I could not lend
my hand. / Uj i'
While there may have been more or less
of personal ambition mixed up in the mow
ment of secession, as there mnst generally be
in the management of political affairs, yet I
do not doubt that it was mainly determined
by an honest conviction in the mi ode of then
who engaged in it that tht control of the
Government had passed permanently Into
the hands of a sectional party which woufct
soon trample on the political rights of the
South; This apprehension was a bared in by
a very latge portion of the people who did
not favor secession, and who were so uexiete
foa the preservation of the Union that CVn
coercive measures, if tempered by justioe sad
mercy, would not have estranged them.—
Under these circumstances, the use oflftttltfc.
ry force to put down armed resistance Wat
not incompatible with a resoration of tbt Utf.
ion with its former glories and affections,
provided the means were employed in iWeJh
a manner as to convince the people that their
constitutional rights Would be respected.—
Such a poliey, therefore, in the uee of force, If
force must be restored to, had the manifoat
advantage of weakening the power of the in.'
bullion and strengthening the Government,
independently of the moral force Wbieh.
dignity and justice always leadto authority.
A policy which recognised these principle*
was wisely beclared by Congress in the Ima
gining of tho war; and from a fervent denirs
for the preservation of the Union, in which
pride of our country sad all my interests' aSu
citizen centered, not less than from a natural"
impulse, I gave that policy my earnest* sap
port. Unfortunately it was too often cheat
ed of its dne effect by the intrusion of section
t
ai rancor, and the injudicious or unfaithful
acts of agents of the Government ; and when
at tho expiration of a year, a system of spolia
and disfranchisement was inaugurated, the
cause was robbed of its sanctity, and suoMffc
rendered more difficult of attainment- a
You have, in these few lines, an explana
tion of the motives of my conduct -while I
was in command, as well as of the step wtflilh
after twenty three years of service, hat etotiid
my career as a soldier, and broken up (He
professional habits and associations te whidh
I was educated, and in which I have pasted
the larger portion of my life. lam very ffir
from casting unfavorable reflections upon the
thousands in the service, who, perhaps, with
views simliar to my own, have uot chosen tiiy
course. Few of them have been similMty
situated ; and I rather commend the patience
with which they have struggled on in position
which must otherwise haxe been fillet! lty
less scrupulous men, and ia which they
might mitigate some of the calaraitien which
they yet could not wholly prevent. ; iLe
Very truly Yours, D. C. Brant.
lit ■ j 1 1- 1J
_ C , , , :. •. )S3
frX* Dr. Franklin, when a child, found
the long graces said by his father very irk
some. One day.after the wfnter'i provision
had been salted, he said, "I think, father, I
you said grace over the whole cask, once for
all, it would been a vast saving oftirae,"
i" o mi* a*
" • ■. ift dofifw
fry Some Indiana soldteraoo w scowl In
the mounlai ns of Georgia.eame upon a hemic
occupied by an old women. J, Wcllf old Wo
men, what are you— seceah V* saMHhfc- lend
er. "No," said, the. "What then ?" "Baptist
and always was," said the promptly.*
VOL. 4 NO. 4
MAJOIi CCIIERAL AUfiLL.