The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1863-03-19
ARMY CORRESPONDENCE.


HAO SsrS<t.~ 80 ~f'''.i - Y 10
,;sggr, HsLENA. Arkansas, Feb. 12th.
Ny Dear Friend and Brother: As an
old friend and brother, suppose you will
be glad to, hear Of our whereabouts, our
health, and what our feelings are in regard
to the war, &c. 7 As to our; stay here, all
is uncertainty. We are quite comfortably
ixed here, perhaps better than most Of the
regiments here, We, however, view Vicks-
burg as our destination, after all things
are made ready, unless indeed, that much
talked Of, and much wished for Blessing,
peace, should be declared. We hardly know
on what foundation to build our hopes
New and unusral proceedings are talked of
in the Northwest. Undoubtedly an effort
il to be made among . certsin class to
bring absut peace, but until it be such an
one 40 will be honorable and satisfactory to
the Union men of all sections. Peace Is de.
sirsble, and we as soldiers can appreciate
the efforts made by good and true men TO
attain that object, but it is well to enquire
into the merits of those propositions, now
being pushed forward, and see whether
they are likely to bring about lasting and
honorable peace. aG ~ sob
The political world expects that this war
shall furnish final settlement ofthe slavery
question. A certain class in the North and
Northwest, have determined to withhold
support from the Union army their SYM
path,es are against us the blessings Of the
institution Of slavery is extolled to the skies
and the North is charged with taking undue
advantages with the South, and indeed,
charged with open and repeated violation
Of Constitutional rights. That class and
party, have all along, and do now, discour-
age enlistments In every possible way
They refuse to pay taxes for war purposes,
and refuse to give aid to families Of soldiers
in the way Of county appropriations. They
cry down government paper, causing the
finances Of the country 20 be in an unset
tied condition. creating distrust and disaf.
fection among the soldiers. They use vile
and opprobriods epithets when speaking Of
our highest government officials, in detri-
ment to the service They have for the past
eighteen months, and do now, use the same
aguments against the administration, as
were and are used by the leading Southern
rebels. partly it my be, through old associ-
ations, yet clearly showing where their
sympathies are placed. This same party Of
the Northwest, have in common with the
South, ahatred towsrds the New England
States. Her public men and measures are,
in one conglomerate mass, denounced as in.
imical TO the Union, as is the Southern
doctrine of secession and open rebellion.
In fine, there are leading politicians in the
Northwest, who favor Northwestern con-
federacy, and although members Of the
Southern Confeleracy have declared that
they would not receive any non-slaveholding
State as part nor parcel of their confederacy
being willing only to form treaties with
them, as between friendly powers, yet they
would be willing to form such an alliance
with them as would secure them the bal
ance of power. The staple, products Of the
Neythwess, and the cotton, hemp, and tobac.
CO of the South, it is argued, will rule the
manufacturers of the East. A careful ex-
animation Of probable results, must con-
vince any one that the right of secession
cannot be admitted, in that case, not only
would we have separate Csnfederacies Of
the New England, the Southern States, and
the Northwest, but the country on the Pa
cific coast, would, feeling itself at distance
and abandoned, set up government Of its
own. t;s,z.ye
The South wishes il distinctly understood
that their Confederscy rests upon slavery Is
its corner stone, and certainly they win leg
islats to uphold, sustain and further the in
terests Of the slave holder, even to the re-
opening ofthe African slave trade. Local
and general laws to that end must be pass.
ed. The relation between master and slave
must be regulated so that the slavs-holder
can receive the greatest possible 5enefit from
that kind af labor. The farm products and
merchandise arising from slave labor must
be supported and protected by government
authority. Free negroes must be kept out.
.Trssties with other powers must be made
for the rendition of fagiti.es. Voters and
Office holders must have property quali6ca-
cations These, and laws which must be
enforced in slave States, In the matter OF
Education, Agriculture, Manufactures, Com
-mercs. Internal Improvements. &C., We in
yite the Northwest to contrast with the free
States. Much that is Of interest to the true
American is here here presented. Subjects
for thought, in political, moral, and reli-
gious point Of view. The South Is sndeav-
oring to build up Republic unlike any
othe, Of our day. Slavery is to be fed and
nourished. While the great powers Of
Europe have declared it morally and polite
ally wrong, it is endeavored here to be prov
On . blessing to humanity, advantageous to
community ct large and also to the slave.--
The very existence, then, Of the great Amer.
ican Union Is threatened. After being par
celed out to aspiring politicians. and cut
up into oonfederaeies. about as powerful
perhaps, - Mexico, or the always distract-
ed States in South America, where will be
tho .,rl,,c, :. xh a cs,v,roocad - nd doxvr trod