Arkansas true Democrat., 1862-03-13


 coin of Shields to brigadier generalship have reproduced the following letter assevidence@of his treasonable antecedents. Hisshameless in- consistency ill accepting 8 post in Lincoln's army to aid in destroying the South, after ex- pressing such decided and patriotic sentiments, leaves him justly obnoxious to the most offensive suspicious:
 SAN FRANCIsco, CAL, Oct. To-
 Gentlemen-Accept my thanks for your polite note inclosing resolutions of the Jackson Breck- inridge Club, inviting me to' visit Jackson and address the people on the political topics of the day. l may as well say at once that l mean to take no active part in tie present political con- test in California. l am here to recruit my lrahh, and to do this at all must abstain from
 public excitement. Besides. 1 must frankly ,tate that am sick and tired of public life, and
 he present condition of the-democratic party IS
 It calculated to remove this feeling, but as to-
 Il silence on my part, in the midst of party dIsN traction, might subject me to charge ot lndl ference, l. beg leave to assure you, and the mem ITS ot the Club, that so far from being indlt
 rent, am at this very time deeply and serl> ,usly concerned about the condition of the coun- trY do not speak ofdanger to our institutions, because 1 would only be laughed to scorn by the Ii ght and frivolous, and vain and selfish, if dd but of general political emoralization, which IS rendering the struggle of parties in this country .lmost as shametully selfish as the wretched
 struggles of degenerated factions in Mexico. In this state of affairs, which l see no way ust now to improve and cannot help, but think critical, I have carefully and thoughtfully considered the course which duty en oins me to tale, and here it is in a few words:
 lst. 1 will never help to impose Northern Il. ! reasonably satisfied that he is acceptable to a majority of the Southern people.
 3d. Ii the political contest degenerates into a sectional struggle which the present derange- ment, as we'll as the prospective management of political parties, seem to point to, my part acaH je taken acitt he -Soath. My reasons: The South is acting in selfdefense. Ii is struggling solely and simply to preserve its own institu- tions, but not to disturb the institutions of the North: while the struggle in the North is not to improve Northern institutions, but to interfere with the institutions of the South. The insolent injustice and inequality of such a struggle will decide me, without hesitation, to act with the South. 3d. l would personally prefer Stephen A.. Douglas to any other man in the United States 1 for president if he were acceptable to majority of the Southern people, or, what IS very much the same thing, was the acceptable candidate ot the united democratic party; but to my great re oret he is not, and therefore l can not support him in this canvass, and in this l consult my views of duty and not my personal preference. This casts me lciW John (. Brecktnftdge, who, if he can do nothing more, rally enough to re- construct the democratic party. These are my views, frankly given; but as have no feeling on the subject, l urge them on no one, and would keep them to myself, but that my character ob- liges me to let my friends know how l staud. Yours, sincerely, JAMES SHIELDS.