The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-09-06
THE MOUNTAIN DEMOCRAT.
Letter from a FEDERAL Soldier.

rysville Express, to make the following
extract from letter written by soldier
m the Federal army, dated " lieadquar.
tiers Army of Virginia, Spcrryville, Va,
July goth, 1862" to his brother in this
city. 1t is written 10y one who entered
the battlefield with much enthusiasm,
has been wounded by the enemy, and has
gone through much suffering The wri-
ter is a printer, formerly a resident Of
California, and gentleman for whom we
can vOuch. lie says:
"This is truly flatricida and unholy |
war, and much fear that, if different
conduct is not soon inaugurated, the good
ND Union has seen lis last days. The
rnigger' seems to bc the sole object, aud
the restoration Of the Union but second
nry, If indeed that, consideration. Had
Congress remained silent on the abolition
question, aud had the right OF the master
to his slave been respected from the be-
ginning, the ides OF May last would have
hluulned among peace il not plenty. But,
no: the contraband must be cared for, and |
TO care for him he must, by proclamation,
be declared free 50 soon as he can flee
e--,., = m as~,4spz,.o<F ~ --7 ->r-- ma
he il declared Tree wherever our army
goes; is fed On the rations which ought
10 % to our half.fami>hed soldiers, and
finally shipped for the ultimatum of his
hopes, Ohio or Pennsylvania, where they
Vo~ ,l,xOag ia dark and filthy mAsses,
competing with Tree white labor to such
All extent as to call down the hearty anath-
emSs Of the abo,ipg poor. TniS niger
freeing is not what the Democracy OF the
North left their homes and families for,
aud atm free to confess that !, for one,
will see the AbulitioniSss, and the onion,
il it cannot he saved without the abolition
of slavery. essentially id before | will
participate in an open abolition fight. IL
the powers that he wish speedy settle.
ment Of the rupture, which | much doubt,
il wonld he wise in them to hide an ace or
two in their sleeves. and not play full
game till all is Stakcd by the South. But
enough Of the Niger
"AS for myself, have tlrown away my
gun and have resumed the stick ar rule.
Our General carries with him 4 portable
'Shanty, aud my humble self has il in tow.
1t would do You good to see me these hot
days, 'bilin' away beneath a canvass roof
On the roal.>idc. 1t is small affair. but
snitS me better than gun and knapsack
1t is used for printing general orders, cir.
culars, letter heads. etc II | can manage
to retain it, will perhaps five my time
out" as printer, hut if not, yon will hear
Of me again an the field If history, that
IL, il it is all right Oh the 'nisgcr qucs.
ton"
I.p:AL TrNnEH Nurr> ASH TAXES The
Supreme Court holds that the Act Of Con.
grrsS declaring certain notes legal ten
der, has no reference IL State, county or
city taxes. But here is the language of
the Court:
1.-The question then, presented FIR d..
termination. Is this: Are the notes Of the
United States thus receivable for stat"
and coInty taxes under the Act ct Com
crcSS: On the argument the qlc>'inu
whether it Is within the constitutional
poWr- of Congress tn max" these nut,S
legal tender in paytntnt # dchtS was ably
and elahn'a;r'y ary'l"i hy cpHu>.l. hut
from the con tructi"u We give I" the At
If Congress this question - pot before rs.
The question j. one If great mH.iiui"
and Importance, upon y irii the a. Il len,
minds "f tia. ,,,.tt,tiv .iii'". ; aud until It
j. lcIitinltrlV and dIr'ty b"irr" Us we
have TIA h.>rn>iiiui. tar Ihdc"'l wo"i,i II
he prolcr-to expires 80 even to intimate
any "p,nirn upnu il. Tine At docs not,
in our judgment, have any reference to
taxes lrvi'd under the laws of the State.
1t only speaks e tax, due II the Cnitcd
States, and Distinguishes b,twccn them
and drhtS. It, language is, for all ttr'r.
internal duties. excuses. dtbis and demands
Of every KIND due to the United States.
the notes shall be receivable. When ii
refers 10 obligations other than those to
the United States, it only uses the term
debts; the notes it declares shall lie
legal tender in payment Of all debts, pub,
Tic and private Taxes are not debts
~ithin the rueaning of this provision"
Is IT TKrA>nHr -IInc of the greatest ar
gumchts Cor at ca>t they call it soD of the
followers Of III. lrcscnt Administrations
that 'hc who II against the Admin,>tra-
tion is traitn;- They go 50 far As t.
say that I've who GSc~ not coincide with
Ehe President ami his Administration
should not receive the l.eucii;S aud rights
guaranteed u them ~ tbAt Constitution.
which has SO kong been ttIe rule by which
She Government has been. or should have
been governed When we ask that the
Administration of the agiArS Il the Gov.
n l.
with the ErcrESonS OF that instrument,
&c are terRe@ abuSerS Of our privileges.
When We say that We are for the Con
SttuIon as il is, and the l MON a it vzs,
We .Gee t0ld chat this is not what is re-
qGired by the country, and that We only
say this 20 hike our IRRESPONSIBLE IrSclivi
ties Is the Louisville .yourn0L paper
shat has persistcndy opposed secession
and rebellion a 6SloyAl sheets is il
tinctured with secession? Has it not al
ways opposed the Democratic party: Is
It not conceived to be one Of the strongest
Union papers in the cOEntrys and w00ld
n sanction any poEcy tstt wCeld in the
least favor the rebels9 Well 1his able
Etaunch Union paper has laid down its
platform, and pray what is it? 1T is sim
ply what all e,n~i and true Democrats
have fought for from first to last Here
1t is, and we would respectfully ask some
of those who are so violently opposed TO
anything and everything that appears in
the columns Of the AdrertiSer to read it
the little platform of the Louisville
Journal, that paper which gives forth
only gospel, good and true. If We are
~
OF their "gods" be also traitor:
"We are fer the Constitution us it Is,
and the Union as ii vas. We ask for
nothing more; we submit TO nothing less.
We speak purely as American patriots
Let abolitioniStS and sccesSioRists alike I,
take heed"
The above is the Journals own Ian
- Al