Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-05-21
Letter from Franklin, Tenn.


treason, uttered in defiance Of law, and in
violation Of their oaths Of Office, by the
rantine demasogues Of the South, the Hon.
B. F. Wade, in answer to the threat Of
Judah P. Benjamin, that Louisiana would
secede said: "Your State was wilderness
when zoe bought Il, and If you take it out
Of the Union b. G. ice wM make IL a
uil}erness again"
This language was condemned at the
| time as rash and unwarran.ed. 1t was not
very refined, nor did it then sppear, in the
face of the bold assumptions Of the South,
and the great sympathy manifested for her
in the North very pertinent; but oh how
prophetic it has proven.
Let the poor, vain, deceived Jew, who
represented Louisiana. in the days Of her
prosperity, look at her now, as the navy of
the Government enters her harbors, and
traversing her rivers with hostile intent, and
the army Of the Republic marches over her
territory, through her cities and villages,
leaving desolation and destruction in their
wake, and say if secession has not made
louisiana worse than desert.
The same may be said Of almost every
State that has been taken out of the Union
by the folly or smbition of it's statesmen
Virginia, "the Mother of Presid ents," :"
for long time held in the household by the
recollection of her proud position in the
old Government, was finally seduced by the
false arguments Of her bastard statesmen
Mason, Wise and Tyler-and in an evil
hour Joined her destiny to the wayward
South Carolina torn asunder, and one half
dedicated to freedom, the hill.tops of the
other half covered with Notifications, its
beautiful valleys and its fair fields have be.
come the camping ground of contending
armies, and so torn up with embankments
and rifle pits that there is scarcely room
enough left to bury the slain of her people
Missouri, daughter of despotism, born in
paroxysm Of treason, surrounded by the
example Of her liberty born sisters, and
growing great through the influence of their
commerce, was fast forgetting the assoca.
tioDs of her early years and learning the
way to freedom and greatness; but in the
hour OF her danger her honored and trust
ed sons proved recreant, and in blood betray.
ed her to the enemy, and for two long years
she has been the camping ground of the
guerrilla and the hiding place Of the assas.
SIM
Tennessee, oppressed, stricken Tonnes.
see, her unprotected loyalty could not save
her, or prevent the arch traitors in her
midst, with the aid Of the invaders bay
onets, from dragging her into the embrace
of the despots; and how terribly has she
suffered for the sins of her betrayers? Her
villages are deserted, her cities are inhabt
ed BY strangers, her plantations are literal.
ly destroyed and uncultivated, her palaces
have become the habitation of want, aud
her cottages the dwelling places Of mourn.
ing and desolation. The rich aud tho poor,
the guilty and the innocent, are, alike, suf
fering under the crushing destroying, desc.
lating influence Of inexorable war.
Arkansas, Mississippi, Alabama, Georgia,
Florida and North and South Carolina,
have all, to greater or less extent, been
made desolate by the invasion of our
armies. Oh, who can calculate the loss,
who can estimate the sorrow, or determine
the extent Of suffering caused by this un
just, this unholy, this causeless rebellion ?
And the end is not yet. The heart scken.
at tho view, and yet, to the guilty at least,
how just is the punishment
The Almighty hath said, GAN they that
take the sword shall perish with the sword" "
The leaders Of this rebellion, in the midst
OF our prosperity, when the shadow of our
greatness was overspreading the earth, and
the influence Of our example was fast
remodeling the Governments Of both con-
iincnts, without cause other than their de-
feat at the ballot. box, without excuse save
in that unholy ambition that would "soon-
er rule in He'll than serve in Heaven, "
they drew the sword against their protect
ing Government, and in the desolation and
destruction that are fast overtaking them,
they are only realizing the fulfllment of the
sure words of prophecy. Whilst there is one
unsheathed sword, and bold traitor arm to
uphold it, the work Of retribution will 20 on,
and when the last armed foe submits or ex-
pires, and the conqueres OF the rebellion
shall return in triumph to their homes, the
settling time will come with the cowardly,
sneaking traitors who instigated the rebel
lion by their council, and encouraged and
sustained 1t by their sympathy, and they
will find public sentiment and the ballot,
though less bloody than the bullet, as of.
fcient in the hands of the war worn for the
destruction Of traitors.
For over two months the 9Sth has been
encamped at or near this place, and how
much longer it will remain here is unknown,
at least to us. We have made our mark
here, with the axe and the spade, that tho
work Of years could not efface and If the
enemy should attempt to visit us he will
find our lines somewhat difficult to cross.
The regiment is in the enjoyment Of excel.