, 1863-03-06
A SOLDIERS LETTER.
What he Thinks OF Peace Aeso1u~
flQnB.

JACKSON, Tenn, Feb. 20, 1868.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
saw, Il few days ago, In your issue OF the |
9Th inet., the famous "Peace Resolutions" Of t
the Illinois Legislature. Now, sir, # the sub
1ect were not so grave, the efforts Of these +!
distinguished gentlemen might provoke
that Pluto's dark domains contain no more
damnlng treason than is found in these same I
resolutions, we are driven even from enter |
taining the charitable conclusion that they ]
acted through Ignorance.
would hare those men, who, with zeal
worthy Of better cause, are laboring to un-
settle the sure foundations Of society, aud |
thereby consumn,ate the gigantic treason Of
JEFF. Davis d Co., come down South and hear |
intelligent Southern men and women, who do
not fear to express their sentiments Of dlsloy'
atty, say with hope and joy beaming in their
eountcnances, where before all was gloom and
despondency,) upon what terms they expect
q peace--hear them tell us that the Yam
KEGS are whipped, and will soon
be ready to acknowledge Msir independence,
and that it will be done By the next Congress.
Yes, gentlemen, you who for months past have
"
man history, 'would have you go further,and
visit with me the bloody fields Of Antietam,
Fredericksburg, Murfrcesboro, Vicksburg, and
the scenes Of numerous other sanguinary
struggles, and behold the arms you have ncrv-
ed to send the leaden messengers of death or
plunge the fatal Steel to the Aearks-and the
! hands 5ou have upheld reeking red with tho
| blood Of the fathers, sons and brothers of your
constituents; then turn your ears to the fair
plains Of onr loved Illinois, and hear the un-
broken wall that goes up from one end Of tie
State to the other, and then, if you dare,
| lay your hands upon your hearts and
| say in the presence Of God tli,t you arc not
| acccssory to the stnpcndous criinu Of murder.
Add not insult to injury by praising With
your Elimy lips the brave sons Of noble 11li-
nois while you deliberately stab them with
dagger infinitely more fatal than that Of the
! assassin.
You who won}d g1orel in the dust by offer
ing 10 hold Convention with those .Tho
plainly tel you to your faces that you can
never bo their equals
BIZ your efforts many Of our friends at home
have been led to believe that the soldiers are
in favor Of peace upon any terms. We spurn
tbs charge ns a f,ul aspersion upon our 10y
atty and couragc-for VIC believe that he who
would entertain the degrading thought is de-
void Of that high sense Of honor that has in
a!l ages characterized the true patriot and
soldier.
Would yon have the waters Of the Prairic
State turned to blood9 her homes desolate
her fields laid waste; her workshops silent
her churches and temples deserted; the
Of 5e5 and anGa n
towns and villages echoing to the
Of peaceful harycsts Of golden grain
would you see upon her own soil her sons
: gathered to the red harvest Of death and de-
solution: II yon would not sec this and
! f1n ihnE in fHn nan rf tt hEtd
dear upon Garth, cease at once and forever
your efforts to unscttle and destroy the conf
dencc of the people in those at the head of If
fairs; for that once thoroughly accomplished
! and VIC arc upon stormy sea without com
: pass OF rndder tell yon now that .yon ar
; worse than blind if you will not see the hor
,, rors you are inviting, and worse than death /
you will not hear tile warning voice of You
dead Douglas crying from his grave that thcr
, are only two sides to this question; that ev
: cry man mnst he patriot. or traitor; 7 tel
vii viii in in ali i>''<i It's Widest fury % fea Sa
the whirlwind, in the spontaneou
outbusst Of the uncomfortable indignatio!
that will sweep over our land. Remeu,be,
> pending cvil and put It far from you. discou'
Il sgc ut once by ali peaceable and lawful mean
/, al efforts, from whatever source, being mad
t. to weaken or palsy tho arRl Of the Exeeutiv'
b and thereby destroy The power of the Goysrt
n ment in crushing out this gigantic rebellio
). against the best government ever devised
man. Remember that in the efforts of t1tos
a at the North, who through false pretences al
il opposing the Administration, is founded th
d Conicderacy. Let them not deceive you Wit
t, empty harangues or high sounding words III
e on the freedom Of speech and the liberty
:, :, the press. Remember that while re arc ent
7 tied to these privileges, NC are also rcspons
C bic for their abuse
N Remember that Jefferson suspended Il
ID writ Of habeas corpus III the case Of Aaro
p Barr, in time vi peace, and that jackson G.
NJ crcised the samc power at New Orleans.
y. ~ We wish you to know and to understar
c that the soldiers IN tue field arc, to ma
against this rebellion; that they know whe
N its strength lies and are acquainted with i
C. most vulnerable points; and can see thron!
es the malignant and hellish designs Of traito
-. at helne who sit in high places, and arc pr
hc ! tectcd with Il magnanimity and forbearan
~ unparalleled in the annals Of mankind, by t
very Government they seek to destroy, III
)c who arc ten fold more dcsp5cablc than tho
=, we are fighting. Are the rights Of traito
81 defined III the Constitution, and if 90 wh
" are they? If VIC werc Mt war with Englan
TO- does anybody deny the right Of tho Preside E
- British Government who might he fou
&C, eYcn in part OF tho country where actt
IS, var does not exist? II SO, haEe the fricu
Of rebels and traitors any rights above t
friends ola foreign enemy; and # the one
liable to arrest is there any good reason #
rtY tie other should not be-
,ev Behold in the same resolutions how til
would chain the great Northwest to the car
o3 their great Southern Jnggernaut: and th
By II you still be men, spurh him % vile a
er- Wretcbed thing, whose treason is father to
in thought: Hoping that truth and right
ms in tile ability and capacity Of the Au1erie
g: people to govern themselves, am unalte
cas- bly, In favor Of the Union. the Constitut]
al | and the enforcement OF the laws.
es- Yours, DC, JoHS C.. PARCEL.
l ~ III J.,