Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1862-10-21
August, 1862.

AuB ublJ 4COA,
Ny DEAR HUsBAED.-When 1 received
your letter, blushed scarlet red-blushed
from my heart out-at the weak-aye, cow
ardly spirit it betrayed. You say you have
been sorely troubled lately on the account
Of drafting men for the war, in New York
that you had your exemption papers"
all made out, &C., and that it will be i'm
possible to procure substitute" Now,
for shame? Is there not drop Of your
grandfatheT's blood in your veins, who
fought at Bunker Hill when the blood Of
freeman flowed shoelatchet deep? Does
not the love you bear me and the children
make your love of home and country more
You-si1 feet high, strong, vigorous and
without a single ailment in limb or mem
Der, and withal a good shot, and native
you ask for exemption7
For shame Great Heaven, "is thy serv-
ant dog, that he should do this thing ?"
1 should live but to blush when the name
of "patriots" was spoken, and the heart of
our little son would never throb with
pride, his eyes sparkle with holy FIRE, nor
his lips say, My father was there too
when, in after years, you or 1 shall recount
the scenes Of the war Of 1862. And
then, at the Judgment when you shall
stand with that great host of brave men,
who have given their lives for freedoms
sske-au you can do will be to point to
your substitute" or show your exemption
papers. But sOiH they be accepted theTsS
Not only are you recreant to country
and Constitution but to the "higher law"
on which all good and wise constitutions
are constructed, when you say you do not
believe aGod has anything to do with the
political troubles of any country, but, with
Napoleon, that he is on the side of the
heaviest artillery Is it possible that a
man, born and bred in this land of educa-
ton and gospel, can utter such an inidel
sentiment as that2 What hss been the
trouble of any nation of people, if not pO-
litical? If such catastrophe as is ours
the direst that can befal the mass of hu-
manity, and which is felt the world around
means nothing, surely he takes little
heed Of the affairs Of men. Can you think
that He who "marks the sparrow fall, "
will even permit men-living men-with
love of liberty on one side and love Of
slavery on the other-every one of whom
is loved by some heart, to meet, fight, bleed,
fall and die by thousands-tens, hundreds
of thousands-withoutm meaning something
by it7 Politics, indeed What did it
mean in the Revolution-what does il
mean now7 Run the word out: does il
not mean government, laws, equity, jus
tice, rectitude, home, affection? And if
God is not in these, where in all the world
is He? I" He that is not for me is against
me-" so if there is a great moral question
involved in this struggle, either the one
side or the other must be right-and if we
are right, why not fight to uphold our
Government and all its blessed institu-
tious? And if they are right, surely the
odds are against them-they need help
Choose you on which side you will serve.
Here men are rushing to the standard
Of liberty by hundreds; ministers, law
yers, mechanics, farmers, all. Poor -,
who has left his lucrative Office in Wash
ington, is dying to 60, but cannot be ac-
cepted, on account of his poor health. And
just think Of my brave brother --, how
he went at the very first tap of the drum
willingly, gladly giving up all-how he
has been disabled by sickness and ball I;
yet his great, warm heart presses upon
his stomach and keeps it full all the time
warns his feet, and the ground whereon
he sleeps. And God will keep him
Do not trouble yourself about pecuniary
matters if you wish to go, for am getting
well every day, and in case Of extremity
there will be some way provided. 1 can
teach or paint, and will be better of than
one-half the wives whose husbands 60.
How l should miss you, or live without
you, you can imagine as well as I. Sure
ly no wife appreciates the strong, willing
arm, the gentle, loving words, the ten
thousand acts Of love and kindness more
than do; but close around my heart,
where / carry my darlings, is my love of
country and of freedom and if you come
not back, oh, let me know my Saviour
strengthening me-that you fell with the
Banner Of the Cross around your head, and
over your heart the Stars and Stripes.
May God help us both.