Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1863-02-20
Letter From Democrat in the Army on ''The
Friends of Peace

Ii Do RS IsT BRIG. I'D DIV, I4TH a RNY
CoRPs, CAMP NEAR MURFREE<B1Ro. Tenn,
January 27, 1868.
Hon. II. lIeEeigh, OHIO Senate.
DEAR CoLoNEl--I wrote you sonetime
since, but have not heard from you l ia Ike
/ il for granted that my letter was lost in some
Of the captur,d mails; however l will now
write yeu upon DIFF rent subject.
Is it truth hat VIC hear in the army that
our Democrat frierds at home have SO far for
gotten the principles Of our fathers as to q
bandon their Goveramen t in this its hour of
| peril and need?
Surely We must be misiniormed, yet it
comes from such reliahl source that | am al
most compelled to believe it. ] am told
that soERe of them even wear butternut"
watch chains TO show their derision and con-
| tempt fer the Government. Can il be pessi
hle that Democrats, who have ever b)asted
that they were the peculiar friends of the Gov
ernm?nt in time OF war, have 50 changed that
they can so publicly express their sentiments
against the prosecution OF the war, as have
read in the Ohio Eagle, in Vallaudigham and
Oids' speeches, and receive applause from Dem
ocratic audience? Is Critchfel6s speech
correctly reported? If so, and they are sus-
tanned by the Democracy, don't let then, get in
polrer Of the soldiers, for Ire hnae no such De-
mOcfacy in the arHg.
You and |, both, well remember the time
when it was the grandest boast of Dtmo-
crat to assert that his party had fought all
the wars to that time, and he was in favor OF
the next one. Yet EGd m:n getting Judge
ships in Ohio because they chunged politics
or rather parties, to get among his kind. anti
war. find men elected to the Ohio Legis-
lature, who mades anti-war speeches, and, af
ter months of imprisonment, trim it and mel
low it down, and yet leave it so that every
soldier pronounces him an ass OF tory. Dem
ocrais in Ohio led by such men as Olds,
Trump, Vallandigham, Shaw, Roland & Co.,
shan't say to me | ammo Democrat. pre-
sent clean record. which none of them eau
do in voting, except Vallandi CHAM, and per-
| hapS he can remember the time, when be was
very lukewarm. As to the others, when they
were doing their best against the Democracy
| stood for them, and now predict will stand
there again. Democracy arrayed against its
Government in time of such rebellion as this
Some were so silly as yet to talk about COM
promise, others talking treason and writing it.
Surely the time is fast approaching when these
mems mouths will be stopped, if not by force
by the friends of our Government at home
Y GU may expect 10 occasionally hear from SOL
diers upon politics, as well as service in the
field. "Anti-war Democrats" what term.-
Never shall it be said of me in time of war or
rebellion, was found arrrayed against my
| Government. Do these men think because
the President Il don't say be has) makes
mistake, that therefore Democrats must 70
fagainst their Government I, as Wright
says, don't belong to that wing" The great
bugaboO is the niger and slavery. My doc
trine is, let them take care of themselves, and
we will try to talks care of the Government;
and, i'll doing so, should it become necessary
to crush the institution of slavery, say crush
it. Let US first see whether we have Govern
ment, aud then take care of minor matters
1t rebels assert they will not have our laws
or Constitution to governor them, take from
them both, and run their boats with their own
rudder. This l understand to be the substance
Of the Presidents proclamation. and hence
argue it is right and just, and is one of The
most effec i've means to break up rebellion that
can be used, AMI | DIN in fay o: of using all
means at Land.
Ask me to rid5 in boat with such officers
running it, as will at a Democratic say they
care but little who rules, JEFF. Davis or Lin
coIu; won't ride, and assure you there are
thousands of US in the same fix. I'll run the
risk of my Democracy in company with Gen.
Stead nan, Col. Blrk, Col. ConneII, Col Choat
Gen. Lytle, Gen. McCook, Wright, and Dave
Tod, and many others | could mention.
suppose, in fact, am told, Ranny and Roland
sready count me out Of the Democratic party.
Neither of them can say as much as / can
have never voted anything else than the reg
ularly-nominated Democratic ticket for any
Office, from Justice of the Perce up; when they
have been giving not only the cold shoulder
to the ticket, but using their iuf1uance against
it. have been advocating. publicly and pri-
= yateIv the cause. Let them say what they
please, time is coming when soldiers, who arc.
now feeling the effects oil their course, will at
tend to them. We viii be at home sometime
; | hope; and all such as put themselves in op-
position to the war, or lis vigorous prosecu-
tion, by.word or act, or even silence, will be
| attended 10, and receive their just reward
You at home do not appreciate the feeling
5 of the soldiers upon Ibis subject; but express
their sentiments, except it is not in strong
/. enough language. We look upon all such
men as take the course of Valandig ham
OIds. and that class, are worse than Davis OF
5 Breckinridge; while the former have too much
3 cowardice TO fight US, like men and soldiers
they protect themselves behind the coward
breastwork, "martyrdom and persecution
] Truly they are fl subjects 10 fill such trench
es.
s Tell our war Democrats TO stand firm, pres
cDt the bold front, and push forward the col
umn there is in reserve, that will soon coma
TO their relief, that will oyerwhelm rebellion
at home, as it is surely, but slowly. doing now
/ have written but little upon this subjec
l. for some time past, as / much dislil1ed, aud
$ felt qnit 10th to part hands with Democrats
with whom have stood for years; but think
5 the time has come when loyal men should tall
. out. and let rebels at home know they must
abandon their rotten bark or receive trait
;, or's doom. Leaders of parties can got work
!, bnt principles never. jacob Thompson, o
Mississippi; johnson, Of Georgia; Stevens, Da
" Wis, Breckenridge, and many others were once
i idolzed leaders of the Democracy; but who il
q Ohio. to-day, so low as to acknowledge then
It their political leaders now? but few. | have
= lost all faith in such miserable, trucking pol
r iticians al seek to build up their party on the
o ruins of their Governmant. They, in the Ian
It guage of another, would eight the funera
e Dile of their country, and laugh to sec the guar
II dian angle of our liberties take her everlasting
l. fight" Your old friend,
= j. w. STRINCHC COMB
!; Captain Company j, 18th O. V. |.