Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-06-25
Sflisteuaneous,
THE CONDUCT OF THE WAR.
44AG VVN NOVV1 VT 4AG w I3IS'
A Curious and Sarcastic Letter
WRITTEN BY
ETHERIDGE.
Clerk of the u. s. House of Repre-
sentatives.

WAsHINGToN, d. c., May 18, '63.
GENTLEMEN-I have Just received your
letter Of the 7th inst, inviting me, on be.
half of the Washington Union Club of
Memphis, to join in public celebration
of the anniversary of the surrender of that
city to the Federal arms. You also speak
kindly of my past efforts to induce the
people of West Tennessee to consent
cheerfully to "the restoration of national
authority throughout the South"
II believe that. by meeting you on the
occasion referred to. l could be of service
to a single honest, law abiding citizen or
truly repentant rebel, or that could con-
tribute to the least extent in ending the
war and restoring tho blessings of peace
under the Constitution. l would certainly
attend; but l have no such faith in myself
and therefore shall not 60.
In your letter you express the opinion
that. by "direct personal appeal" l
might encourage the loyal or reclaim
the disloyal." l confess my astonish-
ment at such statement; and can at.
tribute this opinion of yours to nothing
but failure on your part to comprehend
the mastery policy OF the greet and good
President and wise statesmen who aid
him in shaping and directing the civil
policy of the Government. When you
have fully studied and understood the
grand purpose of our most God fearing
and law abiding President; when you are
more familiar with the profound military
strategy which, as "Commanderin in Chief
of the army and navy ofthe United States,
he is now displaying; and when you fur
ther remember the astonishing success we
have had in reclaiming our "misguided
countrymen" and in conquering our" sway
ward sisters" shall be amazed if you
continue to believe it necessary to zen
courage the loyal" or "reclaim the dis
loyal" Why encourage the loyal? Is
it possible they need encouragement in
Memphis, when for nearly year, you
have been inside the Federal lines; whe n
every night tattoo is substituted for
"Hush, baby, don't you cry" and at
reveille "Hail Columbia" arouse the peo
pie to consciousness of the great secu.
rity which is afforded to the property ol
the loyal people in Memphis and "all the
country round that (political) Jorian?''
How can you or encourage the loyal"
when our matchless President, the late
Congress, his age counsellor. and his peer
less military subordinates have already
done and promised all which wisdom can
suggest, which our sacred Constitution
authorizes, and which the Christian elig-
ion tolerates or approves? There remains
nothing for us to do, unless it be to obey
our incompatible President in all his wise
measures to conquer glorious peace
True we have among us croakers and cop.
perheads-silly brainless men-who are SC
unwise and unpatriotic as to question the
wisdom of our..undefatigsble President. Il
yon have any such in Memphis you should
at once denounce them as in sympathy
with the rebels; you should send them te
their friends "down South" or to the Dry
Tortugas, which is understood by many
to be place whore every body is tortured
with thurst for rifle whiskey, and no
drop can be obtained. No good Unior
man will complain of the conduct of thu
wise men who direct our public affairs
They should be taught to remember ths
scandalum n'ognotum was formerly higi
crime--it is most heinous offense now
and nothing saves such copper coloret
wretches but the Christian charity of on
most pions President.
Atyaur proposed meeting you should
80 arrange matters as to secure list 0
all who fail to attend or omit to render
suitable apology, and you should adop
resolutions OF the most "loyal" kind
Allow me to suggest that the committel
on resolutions be selected from contractor
and offiee-holders. ] particularly sugges
one Cooper, who has recently been ap
pointed Assessor for the large, rich, ant