Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1862-08-19
Letter from the ST. Louis General Hospital.

GENERAL HOSPITAL, st Louis Mo.
Mn. GmesnY While here under med
ical treatment, time hangs heavy upon my
hands. / have sought the library and
The reading rcor, but it brings no change;
so / propose to converse with you for
few minutes, thinking YOU would like TO
hear from one that has followed Gen. Cur
lis through tho mify swamps Of Arkansas,
and have him give YOU his opinion il the
way we have been trying to pat down this
most unboly crusade against our govern
meat, which has been brought GA by tho
traitors If The South, and fanatics Of the
North.
il seems that the policy Of this govern
ment viii be changed, and the indulgent
and easy policy, with regard to protecting
property Of rebels in arms against this
country is at an end. | think that some
Of oar leaders are ignorant Of the fact that
these traitors derive grea, benefit from the
labor Of slaves, which is in our power to
deprive them Of. Don't think that am
an abolitioaist, not by any means, in these
disloYal states. You may 60 out in the
country, 90 to house, inquire for The
man Of The house, and in nine cases cut Of
ten, YOU win Be told he is il the army,
or some pitllul tale poorly concocted. But
everything about The house has the same
appearance Of industry as if he We're ct
home; his crop is in u Aourshing condi-
ton, and he has no fear OF his family suf-
feuno during his absence. Why is It I
Thai question is easily solved; he has
perh1ps dozen Of stalwart negroes to till
Ills farm and support his family while he is
ID the army. Sill we must protect his
property ii our leaders win pursue this'poI-
lev. What is 70 prevent these rebels from
going into the army! Why take these
slaves and put picks and spades iGto their
hands, and bring our young men from
posts and public works, and then sec what
the result would be. Their crops would
rot in the field for want Of haFyosters; their
families would come to want and they
would be obliged 10 return to their homes
10 save their families from starvation.
Treat them in this manner and they will
become sick Of this war, and the result
would be the submission Of the South
ana restoration Of peace to our unfortunate
country. But as long as our leaders arc
bent oil their present scrupulous policy, the
rebels with desperate energy will hold us
at bay, for every man Of them can fly to
arms, without damaging their estatess
willie their negroes will raise all the pro-
visions they want; while on the other handy
ony &c t il 70 ton Of or men can join
the army, for if an were to turn out as they
60 in tho South, there would be none left
70 raise provisions for those in the army
and our people would como to want and
desolation; but in the thoroughfares Of
this GREAT metropolis,I hear some omnibus
fore5odinns; something like the interyen-
ton Of England and France. II makes
my blood boil to think Of them debating
to this nation. When that time arrives
my wish IS that every man should be arm
Ell for the conflict, and do battle for ono
Of the greatest and best governments that
ever existed on earth, aud let our mothers,
sisters aud maidens turn to the weaving
loom and spinning wheel, our fathers and
YOUNGER brothers til the soil, and Let it not
he said and recorded il history that
George Washington's Government failed,
Yours Respect'y
Nv. G.. RAcKER8Y.