The mountain Democrat., 1863-02-14

Illinois, addressed letter to his old school
fellow, Gen. Sam. Houston, which We give
below:
BELLEvILLE, ILL.,, Dec. 8, 1862.
DEAR FRIEND: | address you an open
letter and hope it will have sufficient merit
for the press to circulate it, so you may
see it.
see by the papers that you were forced
to abandon your home and take refuge in
the interior Of your State. On your travel,
the people called on you to address them,
and when you arose in the assembly to
speak, tears Of sorrow for your country
fell profusely from your eyes
No good man-no patriot-can look
around at the misery and calamity the ma
ton is at this time suffering, without his
heart being moved to tears at the down
fall of this mighty empire and the conse-
quent misery of the people.
The above short notice of your address
forced vividly upon my mind the youth
ful days we spent together in the summer
of 1910, in the college in Knox county,
Tennessee, where We were students to-
gether in the same institution of learning
whereof the Rev. Isaac Anderson was
the President. have not seen you since
that time; but your public life is we'll
known to me and the nation, and it is
highly appreciated by me.
We were poor, obscure lads at college,
and we could not dream of the singular
destiny that has attended US in our event.
full lives. We both entered into the war
Of 1912 as privates, and you were soon
promoted, but | got no higher than Or
derly Sergeant of a company of United
States Rangers; hence, am called "Thc
Old Ranger. "
We were both elected Governor of our
respective States, and were elected to
COngressfor many sessions, but not at the
same time.
You were the hero of the independence
Of Texas, and the country owes you the
honor and glory Of having been the father
and founder Of nation. The battle of
San Jacinto crowned your efforts, and you
were the first and foremost in that clio.
rious struggle for national existence
You exerted all your influence for annex
alton, and it was accomplished. We held,
believe, the first public meeting had in
America for the annexation of Texas, in
Bellevillc, Illinois, and our labors were
approved by the nation.
When were laboring with thousands OF
others for the interest and growth of the
country, and the nation had reached the
enormous Rumbcr of thrty.two millions
of inhabitants. and the influence of the
Union was felt in every nation on the
globe, then it was that this fralernal war
commenccd-and the country is desoIated,
and, fear, ruined forever. The history
Of mankind presents no such war as the
present In the United States. presume
one-fourth of million Of people has al
ready been destroyed in this war of less
than one years duration.
A religious fanaticism to emancipate
the slaves of the South is the cause of the
war, and the radicals in the North will
never cease the war until every slave in
America be emancipated, if they have the
power.
The country is ruined if four millions
Of slaves are emancipated in. the South
A war of the two races will inevitably
arise; that would, if possible, be worse
than the present one.
1uO pOWeI Is Will Tue people 10 correct
the abuses of the present administration
and to restore peace and happiness to the
country.
The late elections show what the people
will do when they speak at the next elec.
ton for the Presidency. The Constitu
ton and the Government were formed by
the Democratic party, and that party is
the only power on earth that can restore
the country to its original peace and hap.
pinesS.
This hateful and abominablc war must
cease and q friendly adjustment of the
difficulties must be effected by the same
feelings Of love and friendship that formed
the Constitution of 1887.
- / would prefer reconstruction of the
Uhion and that vie should become again
q friendly and united people, including
the North and the South but any amica
bic adjustment of the war is better than
the desOlation Of the country. think
the people have decided that the war must
cease and peace be restored.
Your friend,
,eA JOHN REYNOLDS.
GOV. SAN. HousToN.