Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-09-29


lowing is an extract from letter of an emf
nent Massachusetts officer, who was engaged
in the recent battles in Maryland =
''The 18th of September was the day of the
greatest battle of the war, and has nobly vim
Dictated McClellan's mastery generalship. As
near as ever can be the forces were equal, al
though theirs was the larger; and flushed with
the victory at Harper's Ferry, and reinforced
by the army from there, Lee and jackson be-
heved that they could on that day resist the
steady pressure with which for three days pre-
vious Mcclellan had been forcing them to the
Potomac and send him beaten back to the
Notifications at Washington or perhaps the
line of the Susquehannah. But it was not so
to be. The rebel army has received blow
which has sent it reeling and staggering across
the Potomac, and the invasion Of the free
states, which ''loomed so giant-like" few
days ago, is over, once and forever. Of de-
tails of the terrific slaughter you will hear
more than enough. The noble old 18th suf
fered awfully. 1t brought on the field sew
enteen officers, of whom three are killed and
few weeks ago-the Sth of August-to eel
citrate the anniversary of their departure for
the war. they all came to dine with me; and
as we remembered the dead and the wounded
of Balls Bluff and the peninsula battles, we
resolved together, that, come wounds or
death, we were glad that we were here. AL
though knew all the dangers to which we
were exposed, yet hardly thought so many
would in the next battle vindicate their faith.
But the regiment is made of the sternest stuff,
and will not give back. 1t crushed the rebel
regiment in front of it, and took its colors
from it, although its own color guard had not
an unwounded man in it when the fight was
over. Kimball, the lieutenant colonel, and
Philbrick, the major, both escaped unwound-
ed. Two Drawer men never led regiment
into battle and hope soon to see both made
colonies by the governor. The regiments
they lead viii never retreat until the order
has been given at least twice"
THE CAMBRIDGE REPUBLICANS held meet
ing, Saturday evening, to hear Richard H.
Dana's report of what he did, saw, and
thought, at the state convention. Mr.. Dana
made speech, in which he criticised the con-
vention, and talked much as he did here.
Judge Henry +. French, an old Pierce demo-
crat who now acts with the republicans, de-
Tended the convention, eulogized the presi-
dents proclamation, made fun of the ''new
party" and described the Boston Courier as a
paper that Railways has the cholic." After the
discussion, ''Mr H. Il. Harding, from the
committee calling the meeting offered series
OF resolves endorsing the proclamation, SEN
ator Sumner, and Gov. Andrew, which were
unanimously adopted, and the meeting ad-
journed."
The President and the EmnncipatiOnists.
On the 18th of September meeting was held
in Chicago, at which a delegation was appoint
ed to present to Mr.. Lincoln memorial from
christians Of all denominations in that city, in
favor of emancipation. The delegation had
an interview with the president on the 18th at
Washington, full report of which has been
published. The president had not then deter
mined to issue his proclamation, and suggest
ed the objections to such a measure which
occurred to his own mind, for the sake of hay-
ing them answered To some of them the
delegation replied
We observed (taking up the presidents
ideas in order) that good men indeed differed
in their opinions on this subject-nevertheless
the truth was somewhere, and it was matter
of solemn moment for him to ascertain it;
p.
alike to ourselves and to him as to come a
thousand miles to bring merely our opinion to
be set over against the opinion of other par
ties that the memorial contained facts, prin-
ciples, and argument, which appealed to the
intelligence of the president, and to his faith
in divine providence. That he could not deny
that the Bible denounced oppression as one of
the highest Of crimes, and threatened divine
judgments against nations that practiced it;
that our country had been exceedingly guilty
in this respect, both at the north and south;
that our just punishment has come by slave
holders rebellion; that the virus Of secession
Is found wherever the virus of slavery eX-
tends, and no further; so that there is the am
pleSt reason for expecting to avert divine
judgments by putting away the sin, and for
hoping to remedy the national troubles by
striking at their cause.
We observed further that we freely admit
ted the probability, and even the certainty,
that God would reveal the path of duty to the
President as well as to others, provided he
sought to learn it in the appointed way; but,
as according to his own remark, Providence
wrought by means and not miraculously, it
might be that God would use the suggestions
and arguments of other minds to secure that
result. We felt the deepest personal interest
in the matter as of national concern, and
would fain aid the thoughts of our President
by communicating the convictions of the
christian community from which we came,
with the ground upon which they were based
That it was true he could not now enforce
the constitution at the SOUTH but we could
see in that fact no reason whatever for pro-
claiming emancipation, but rather the con-
trary. The two appealed to different classes
the latter would aid, and, in truth, was neces-
sary to re-establish the former; and the two
could be made to operate together, as fast as
our armies fought their way southwark; while
we had yet to hear that he proposed to ADAM
don the constitution because of the present
difficulty Of enforcing it.
THE PRESIDENTS RESPONSE
The president reioined from time to time in
about these terms: 81 admit that slavery is
the root Of the rebellion, or at least its sine
qua non. The ambition Of politicians NAV
have lnstigated them to act, but they would
nave been impotent without slavery as their
instrument | will also concede that eman-
cipation would help us in Europe, and con-
vince them that we are melted by something
more than ambition. ] grant further that II