The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1863-03-07

from the Indiana legislature. Gen. Rose
Grams L.s written the following letter:
H'dqr's Dept of the Cumberland,
Murfreesboro, Tenn, Feb. 10. '63.
Gentlemen In the name of the army
of the Cumberland, / thank you for the
resolutions of congraiulation, approval
and coincidence you have sent ne on nc.
count of the battle of Stone River.
At the call of constitutional liberty
the brave and true men of the West laid
aside peaceful pursuits, left their homes,
and sought to qualify themselves to fight
for Government that had cost the blood
aud treasure of two great wars and eighty
wears of time to establish.
For twenty weary months the army hes
stood guard to keep the Confederate wolf
from your doors. They know what hun.
ger, cold, weary marches, and painful
watchings it. has cost to preserve our
homes from invasion, and our friends and
neighbors from CONSUMPTION it is there
fore doubly pleasure to hear these free
and cheering words now from home.
The INSCRIPTIONS despots in our front
call us /" Lincoln hirelings, and we hear
that this cslumny has lately been repeat
ed at home, by some of the men whose
property and lives have been kept safe by
our toll and blood. from the ruthless
hands Of Kirby Smith, Bragg and Nor
gan. Presuming upon our absence.
these men talk as if We were not Citizens,
and speak mockinely of our patriotism.
They stab in the back the most generous,
true-hearted men of the country, while
standing guard in front of their doors,
and they prolong the war BY encouraging
the rebel to hope for divided cuunsels at
our homes.
/ speak the conviction of the officers
and men of this army, when / say that
We fight to secure equal rights 70 all, un-
der the Constitution and the lAws-we
fight in defence of our homes and onr
hearts, sure to be invaded, if the rebel
despots. who began the war, can get the
power. lui we long for pcacs-we pray
for leace; and we fight for peace-not
for dishonorable peace-not for hol-
low truce. We have once been deceived
by the cry of "No coercion" and of
State Rights" and have seen how the
rebel leaders practice in Hast Tennessee.
Missouri, Western Virginia and Ken
lucky. We have mot the nasses Of the
South, and are witnesses Of tho talsehood,
calumny and per6dy BY vhioh they have
been led to wage war against ~. We
have flags of truce violated, hospitals,
ambulsnces and boats bearing Gags, fired
upon, and eur sick and wounded stripped
of their blankets, and robbed OF their
food and medicines !; we have been ap-
preached in battle by rebels wearing our
uniforms and carrying our colors.
After Witnessing their wholesale Sian
der Of us, their perfdy and trcachery
toward the masses of their own people,
and the unfair and dishonorable means to
which they resort to gain an advantage,
we have been forced to the immovable
but sad conviction, that the leaders OF
the rebellion are perfdious, treacherous,
interruptions and cruel their leaders
never will nor can be peaceable, or true
friends and neighbors. And that, as MI.
Davis has said, they only want the pow
er, not the will, to invade and .subjugatt
us.
Weshould rejoice to see the power O
these leaders fall by the hand of their owr
people, whom they oppress--that peopl,
for whose rights We fight, in commo,
with our own; but unless it do thus fall
We must destroy it or it will destroy GU
nation, and our children will pass unde
the yoke of military desrotsm raised
! on tie sable foundation Of negro slavery
and the more degrading scrvitude Of til,
poor whites" such q now oveishadow.
the South. l say "your children will
pass under the yoke, : for that coul Id onl,
happen after the brave and tue men o,
the country-hsr citizen soldiers-shal
have persisted: or, deserted BY the
wretcbes whose homes they have hither.
% protected. heat-broken and dsspairing,
shall qait the field and give to slavery
and to its domination ali those who love
money more than honor, and peace more
than freedom.
The issue is plain one. IF We who
battle for national existence are not to be
sustained BY our friends at home, the
sooner We know it the better. We do
not wish to be deceived as to our position,
nor fall victims to the treachsry, coward
ice or selishness of those whom W have
loved and trusted.
W. s. RosEcnAxs, Maj. Gen.
10 the Honorable the Legislative Assem-
bly, Of the State of Indiana.