Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-04-30
Letter from Brig Gen, Gornan.
- PosT HEAD QUARTERs.
HELENA, Ark, March 81, '63.

HELENA, Ark. March 81, '63.
NJ, H. OARPENTER, ESQ, Milwaukee, Wis.
SRI have read with so much salts.
faction your letter upon the subject of the
duty of the democratic party in the pres
ent crisis of our national affairs, that !
venture to express the hope that all may
see the subject as you have so powerfully
expressed it. In my judgment your man
ner of disposiDg of the points of objec-
ton is SO clear and so eminenlly adapted
to the crisis that no successful reply can
be made.
The south set the house on fire you
and | were lodging in its apartments, and
must stand bv with inexcusabIe indiffer.
ence and see the edifce utterly destroyed,
Or manfully try 70 extinguish the flames.
How utterly destructive is the policy OF
calling jury TO try and convict the incen-
mary before the house is saved. Before
half the witnesses can be examined, the
edifce will be in ashes.
We must not allow anybody to make
peace, until all the States resume their
original "status'' under the old flag and
old constitution. And whether the status
of the local institutions of the south is to
be preserved or not, depends greatly on
the duration of the war. All military de-
crees Of the president must be understood
as means to accomplish the end-a res
toration of the Union as it was. The OBJ.
ject OF the government in prosecuting the
war has been officially declared By con.
gress. The proclamations of the president
declaring the blockade Of our ports, and
etnancipating the slaves in the insurrec-
tionary states are only means to the end
If we keep out supplies and munitions of
war by the external blockade; and if We
can effectually keep an internal blockade
on these states by keeping the enemy
from planting, sowing and reaping sup
plies at home, the war must soon end. II
the emancipation proclamation withdraws
twenty-f five or fifty thousand laborers
from their fields and internal production,
or from their Notifications and rifle pits.
it is active and etfectual means to the de.
sired end.
In my Judgment we ought to capture as
contraband OF war, every effective negro
in the insurgent states that we can reach,
and hold them as means of weakening
the enemy and closing the war. In fact
proclamation can best be settled after an
honorable peace.
All ideas OF peace with the state in &C.
tive rebellion are delusive at present. The
laroented Douglas with prophetic juGg-
ment gave Us the true idea of this war
when he said $ the surest road to peace is
the most stupendous preparations for
war;" [ would urge our democratic
friends from one end of the north to the
other, to adopt this as their motto, and it
will prove bread cast upon the waters
to be found latter many days" Let us
prove our patriotism by our works; any
other course is weakness and madness as
| view it.
We all want peace, but when it comes
the whole Union must come with it. We
are near the hour of our final success, ]
firmly believe. With the capture Or oc
cupation OF Vicksburg by our forces, peace
must and will speedily come.
am with great respect,
W. A. GERMAN,
Brig. Gen. Q. S. Vols.