The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1862-08-19
A Soldiers Opinion.

A Soldiers Opinion.
@- Under the above head, the GIRL
ian, few weeks ago, published an ex-
tract from letter from Lieut.. Col. LEE,
of the 9Th Regiment, which denounced
secession and abolition in pretty strong
terms. The Civilian was very careful
to select only such parts of the letter as
suited its purposes. Here is Col. LEES
opinion Of the MAHoNY Democracy, given
in the same letter. AS the DUBUQUE
Herola copied the former extract, will it
have the goodness TO copy this =? The
letter was private one to Mr.. LEAv1rT,
and in it occurs the following:
My beliefs that the old Douglas Demo
cratic organization is sound one and modi-
he'd to suit the times or present emergencies is
just what we need, and all we need. But for
Gods's sake do not let it fall under the control
of that MAHoSY CLIQUE of Dubuque, if You
would save it from hell
Since we wrote the above, Mrs. LEE
has sent us some extracts from letters
written by her husband, which we pub
Iish elsewhere. She thinks the publica-
ton Of the isolated extract given by the
C'0'f'0n was intended 10 misrepresent
the Colonel's views, and as it has placed
him in very obnoxious position, she
gives these extracts to show what his
real views are. An examination Of these
extracts will show that there is nothing
wrong with the Colonel but his old pref
udices against the term aboitonist."
lie is for the energetic prosecution of the
war, and is against protecting the prop
erty Of the rebels. He is for meddlinp
with slavery just SO far as is accessory to
carry on the war and to depllve the enc
my OF power to make resistance, and he
is against the men and the policy that
declare we must not strike down slavery
whenever it stands in the way of sue
cessful prosecution Of the war Push
our army into the extreme South" he
say, with instructions to seize and APP.
ply to its use every thing available, and
to cripple the resources of the enemy,
whenever or wherever it can be done,
and IN six months after such policy is
put in operation .Slavery at tie South
~W be numbered among tie things that
acre 6m are not." Now, while We can.
not understand the logic which induces
the Colonel to denounce Aboltionism,
after writing that, we have only to say
that while such are his sentiments, we
have no word of controversy with him.
He is good enough Abolitionist for us,
he is good enough Abolitionist for any
man, when he advocates policy that he
thinks will sweep slavery from the South
in six months.
We believe, as we said last week, that
Col. LEES heart is right in this matter,
and that his judgment is right, but that
his preJudices sometimes run away with
his tongue and pen. Now the Colonel
plants himsel. alongside of every Repub
lican in tho nation when he says: "DoI
whatever is necessary to cripple the re-
sources, and seize and apply every thing
available for subduing the rebels" There
don't scarcely seem to be difference be
tween him and them rs TO what is neces-
sary, or sehat is available, for he declares
plainly that he regards the destruction of
slav cry as necessary, and the slaves as
available, when he says that within six
months from the adoption of his favored
policy lhat institution would be among
the lhings that Were and are not Let
him but stand by such war policy, and
he may have full license to denounce
Abolitionism as lie plesses.
Col. LEE enters no protest to the uni
yersal sentiment Of the army, that this
war should be made an earnest one, and
every available means used TO destroy
the power Of the rebels. That is also the
universal demand of the loyalists at home
There may be questions as 10 what means
are available. The judgment Of many is
thata general act. Of emancipation is one
OF the most potent, Oilers, and evident