The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1862-09-02
LETTER OF MASSACHUSETTS CHAP
LAIN TO HIS BISHOP.

De Lancey, of Western New York. 1t is dated at
Winchester, Va, and we give the following extracts
from it:
My DEAR BISHOP: How wonderful life is I
am writing this in the office and with the pen of
our old friend, p. w. When I tell you that he
has two sons in the rebel army, and his venerable
law partner five, all men grown; that both of them
laborcd successfully to secure Union representa-
tion for this county to the Virginia Convention of
1861 that the Union majority at that election (for
the Union ticket) was 10000, and that after the
rejection OF measures Of compromise and the pro-
camatlon OF coercve measures by the President,
and the call for troops from Virginia to act with
the North, against the South, l2O 900 majority
was given for the secession ordinancc-and that
| he and others then cast their lot with Virginia.
''sink or swim' and that obstinate resistance and
guerrilla warfare against outside occupants of the
soil arc determined on, in of the ultimate de-
feat of their grand armies, you will understand
how Nirg gnians state the case and the general at
titude of mind in Eirg ginia-so far as my observa-
ton has extended, and the historic steps by which,
as they say, it has been reached There are here
| and there men who have stood out, at every sacr-
fee, Gloss of property by confscation and personal
imprisonment protesters for Federal allegiance
and recusant as to any recognition of Confederate
| sovereignty. But they the rare exceptions in
Eastern and Southern Virginia. There is large
class of men of moderate MEANS who cannot afford
losses or shrink from them, who greatly prefer the
quiet and security of Federal rule, but quiet and
security being their object, they remain neutral or
compliant under the powets le facto of whichev
er side There is no civil government in action
from Harper's Ferry, here-even the last class
fails to furnish volunteers to take the Office Of
justice of the Peace.* Crime Of all sorts, there
fore, except it be by soldiers subject to court mar
tial, has holiday and horsestealing and robbery
| orn ho Ordar Of tho Aav and nirht
| The presence of troops from distant States (es
pecally those of one division) has exasperated at
any Iate-you may believe-and the intcmperatc
exultations here of soldiers victories in which
sons, husbands, and brothers of those who listen
have fallen tends but little to soothe to rcunc
| A chaplain, and one of our church, preaching in
the open air in the heart of the town on a recent
Sunday, after his service, announced to the assem-
bled troops the recent victories in detail, and then
called for "threc cheers and tiger and Yankee
| Doodle" He is not great man, you will per-
ceive ; he meant it all as very well and loyal, but
he knew not what he did, for the battles had been
between brothers, over whose biers, and in pres
ence of the mourners on one side, he asked wild
soldiers to "give tiger"
| AS [ shrank away into corner of church on
that day, stranger in my mothers house, and
thanked God for the uphoding of law, and offered
myself willing sacrifice on the altar of constltu
tional allegiance, "the victory was turned to me
into mourning" for better than Absalom
were slain in battle and had been sent sixteen
miles from the post headquarters the day before
to carry to the widow and orphans Of Virginian
the tidings of the fall in battle of husband and
father the assurance of unmolested quiet for the
prese Mt to the home thus made desolate, to offer
soldiers sympathy and to suggest the consultations
of region.t
The problem my dear Bishop, Of military con-
quest and occupation is simple and almost solved
but the second problem, that of healing, restora-
tion and reconstruction, would appal the stoutest
heart who we'll understands ts conditions and
terms, were it not for trust in His Almighty wis
dom, mercy, and power, to whom SO many faithful
hearts on both sides have turned and supplicated
throughout this entire struggle. That He brings
good out of evil, and light out of darkness, and
that his methods unsearchlble, is an Infinite
stay and comfort.
The condition of Virginia is sad now. Armies
are everywhere. Here is Northern army-stran-
gers towards the Rappahannock, Jackson's forces;
and, of course, where both meet, infinite desola-
ton. Husbands and sons are away with the
Southern army aged men, the infirm, the youth
in boyhood, and women, and what servants have
not fed, are all that remain. You may imagine
the feelings that prevail in the interior of families,
and you will not wonder that sadness rules the
hour now. But you remember our stay in Rich
mond in 1859, and the excitement OF John
Browns raid then. In the midst of her fatherless
children, the widow whose bereavement L have
mentioned said to me, she covered her face with
her hands, "Why, my dear sir, We have not seen
sunshine in Virginia since John Brown entered
it. People forget this. This war is not the be-
ginning. 1t has been home guard and night
watch, and patrol, and rumor of instruction,
ever since that day"
PSI have just taken the precaution to read
over what | have written above to venerable
Virgnian, now quietly attending to the duties OF
his calling here. He is one who may be truly
characterized as a man of large acquaintance and
wide observation; of a calm and dispassionate tenn
per, and who has never taken part in politics
He attests the correctness of my statement (the
figures he has supplied, and thanks me for the
spirit which he thinks my letter exhibits. He
asks NE to add what follows an old mans re-
cord. I write from his dictation, and desire to
open up thus to others the mind OF the class he
represents:)
''That notwithstanding the reverses of the
Southern armies, and the occupation of their ci
ties and apparent defeat, the spirit of resistance
throughout the entire South was never more OBJ
stinate or determined, or more ready to make sac
rifces and that coerced harmony, as it is a con-
tradiction in terms. so it will be found to be i'm
practicable in fact.
"That on The other hand, more loyal hearts rev
er beat than those who struggled in hope of MON