The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1863-03-06

rists may whitewash as they will. Our
army has seen the black elephant as he is,
and we are forever cured of Uncle Toms
Cabin. To fight in such crusade is a
freak worthy alone of idiots and madmen.
Thirdly. We slight toxestore the Union,
slavery to stand or fail as the interests of
the Union may demand So we were told,
and SO We believed six months ago -
Grant that such is indeed the fact. We
shall best succeed by conquering ourselves
--in sotherswords, by thrlwing. down the
sword and ire-brand, trusting to the lis
teniDg ear, the instructive tongue and the
faithful breast. No Union can be valid
or lasting until cemented by the union of
hearts and to say that we can rivet
Southern hearts to us by hacking them to
pieces, is absurd in terms as well as in
fact. A nation great as ours, in wealth,
population, arts, arms and commerce, can
afford to be equally so in magunaimity.-
And Christian nation might we'll set an
example to the world by dealing with her
unrlly children upon Christian princi-
pies. Rom. XII, l7-2l.
Finally, we fight simply to humble and
ctrcunscribe the South, whose growing
wealth, power and territory, excite the
jealous fears of the New England States.
This opinion, though held by very many
in the West and South, l can not enter
tain for moment. If in this I am delu-
ded, and such be the real origin of our
troubles, then the Union army is sure of
defeat; for crime can not prosper, and
war from such motives is crime of the
most damning type. Better share anna
bly, the glory we can not prevent, than to
play the part and share the doom Of Ha.
man.
[ will not speak of the demoralizing ef-
fects OF war, nor even enlarge upon its
| physical horrors, as further cause for be-
ing sick of the present struggle. Mercy
to the anxious hearts at home, already
convulsed at the bare suspicion of the hell
behind the scenes, forbids us to unfold the
secrets of our prison house--evon If hu-
man language could unveil the worst, as,
thank God, it cannot Leaving such
CLEANS Of Pandemonium for the hollow
eyes that are compelled to bear them dali
ly, or to close on them only in the last
chill sleep, confne this letter purely to
the Intellectual phase of the war questions,
where. we find enough, and more than
enough, to justify the almost mutinous
anxiety for peace that fills, as | have said,
the heart Of the great Southwestern army.
You msy say we are home-sick; [ trust in
God those of us who have homes, love
them too dearly ever to forget what we
have sacrificed, or to forgive the Admins
tration that could so needlessly, yea,
wickedly, tear US from their hallowed cir
Gle. For me, however, the taunt is pow
erless, death having left no earthly home
to sigh for. You may call us cowards.-
Our blood has washed out the foul asper-
sion upon every field where we have been
brought to the test. Indiana, especially,
has no Indulgence or Partially to crave at
the hands of history, Her record in this
war is one blaze of heroic deeds, only
dimmed by the want of cause equal in
splendor to the conduct of her sons. The
Eighty-Third Regiment, in its brief but
arduous career, has won, absolutely, the
finest reputation in the service, SO acknowl-
edged by older regiments, and by Gener-
ais in nowise predisposed to fatter US
Personally, 1 am not very brave, but my
place now is at the Quartermaster's desk,
where, except by sympathy, I have no con-
Germ about the dangers of the van. Yet
! am man with friends in the ranks and
heart in my bosom; a man to whom the
mothers, wives, sisters, and children of
those friends look for news from the fray,
and whom they justly hold responsible
for at least the mortal welfare of many
who came with me to the field. Oh, God!
that I should ever have aided, even by
q breath. to rush into the shambles SO
much good material for SO poor a cause.
If this explatory offering for I shall
make the confession to them all--can les
sen, even partially, the guilt Of the past,
| shall die content, even though hung for
saying what we all do know, If spared
to reach home, however, / shall devote
myself, with wiser and humber zeal, to
the gospel of peace, leaving war to brute
beasts, aud striving, in deep contrition, to
Ego and sin no more" @e
,6itl As ever, ysur true friend,
stln,r4 G j . H. .CLEy ELAND.