The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-06-02
the coAuver OF THE WAR.
Curious and Sarcastic Letter Of Emerson
p Ether;dge


+ Ether;dge.
WASHINGTON, D. O., May IS, 1858.
GENr mrNI have just received your letter of the 7h
isst,, in,,trs me, in behalf OF the Washington Union
Club Of sen hs to join In pusIic celebration OF the
anniversary the surrender Of that city the federal
You also speak kindly OF my past efforts to induce
the people Of West Tennessee cheerfuly to
thc OF the national authority throughout tho
southpy
If believed that by meeting you on the occasion re-
ferred coud be OF service TO single honest, law
abiding cilizea truly repentant robe that could
contrbatc the least extent in ending tho and
restoring the blessings Of peace under the constitution,
would certainly attend; but have no such faith in my
self and therefore shall not go.
In your letter yoa express tho c :...-a sns, o.
"dect personal appeal" might encourage the loyal or
reclaim the dsloya." Iconfess my asonshmen at such
statement aud can attribute this opinion OF yours to
nothing but failure your part TO comprehend the
mastery policy OF great and good President and the
wise statesmen who ad-hm in shaping and directing the
civil policy Of the government When you have fully
studied and understood the grand purposes Of most
God fearing and law abiding President; when you are
familiar with the profound military strategy which,
as Commander in Chief Of the Army and Navy Of the
United States he Displaying and when you fur
Their remember the astonishing success have had In
reclaning misguided oouutrymeh" and In conquer.
lug hayward sisters I shall be amazed II you
tinue to believe necessary to "encournge the loyal"
or "reclaim the disloya" why encourage the loyals
Is possible they need encouragement in Mem his when,
for nearly year, have been inside the federal nes
whom every night tattoo IL substituted for "Hsh my
baby, don't you cry" and at reveille "Ha Columbia"
the people consciousness OF the great security
yvhc a. aft, al N in
Memphis and a the country round that (politics JOr
dam" How you or encourage the loyal" when
matchess President the late Congress- his go
seors and his peerless military subordnates have already
done and promised all which wisdom suggest which
our sacred constitution authorizes and which the Chris
tan religion toerates orapprovess There remains no.
thing for do, unless be obey our ncom parable
President In all his wise measures to conquer
glorious peace. True, we have among US
croakers and copperheads- brainoss mcn-who
are SO unwise and unpatriotic to question
the wisdom OF ndsfatigabe President II you have
any such in Memphis you should at denounce them
as in sympathy with tho rebels; you should send them
to their friends "down South" TO the Dry Tortugas
which Is understood BY many to BIO place where every
body Is tortured with thirst for rifle whskey and
drop can be obtained. No good Union will
~ the conduct Of tho wise mon who direct our public
affairs. They should be taught to remember that sand-
lsm ma0natSm was formerly high crims-it is most
helnous offence now-and nothing saves such copper
coored wrechesbut the Christian charity Of our moot
pous President. ~
At your proposed meeting you should 30 arrange nat-
tiers to list Of all who fail attend or omit to
reader suitable apology, and you should adopt resou
tions OF tho most "ioya kind. Allow mo to suggest
that the committee resolutions DO selected from con.
tractors and oceholdsrs. particularly suggest one
Cooper who has recently bean appointed the
large rich and populous district OF West Tennessee. He
originally from NsW York True, he was never 10
West Tennessee until sent from this city on his official
srrand but be doubt knows BY intuition the true value
Of the goods and chatte, lands and enements, &C. 30
Of people he never knew and country In which he
lived. But he is oyal-so much 30 that doubt
not he Is better fitted for the Office than any tho
native born sons brothers fathers Of the thousands Of
soldiers who. before the 22d Of last September West
Tennessee had furnished to the federal army Let the
committee initiate the loyal Leagues" Of Baltimore. and
resolve that you not only approve all the present wise and
patriotic administration has DONE but that you viii
tain and uphold In everything may hereafter DO Lot
the committee mako elaborate report, accompanied
with resolutions denouncing all who find fault with our
most excellent President. For nsance--The last Con.
gross Gin July 1897 passed alaw 10 conAsce the proper
y Of certain robes That Congress- though very wise
body, did not possess much aggregated wisdom
great and good President proof OF this need but
refer to tho fact that the Congress aforesaid provided
that under this law trial should precedo conviction and
Forfeiture and that guilt should be proven presumed
Worse still: II offered amnesty TO repcntans
rcbels; II morcifully gave them sixty days In
which to accept Il; and provided, further,
that our most noble President might suspend
for period the operation Of this as our armies ad
vancod southwark, 10 afford all an opportunity TO
accept pardon worse still: this law actually applied to
no one but the rebels And II is astonishing that applied
10 them everywhere North well South-n Spring.
field. Illinois, As well a Springfield, Tennessee But
worse STILL It did not affect the rights property Of
Union men, women and children or lunatics in any SEQ
tion Of the country. That Congress- strange as 1t may
seem, did not perceive that the way the rebellion
and restore acctionae rotations between the sections
to place the Union men, women children and tho in
sane upon perfect footing Of equality with the viiest
traitors 10 the land Tint Congress believed that the
crime Of refusing obedience to tho usurpatono Davis
Co in Mississippi. Arkansas North Carolina and else
where amid the terrors Of military despotism did not
merit the same punishment than that they had
denounced against titled and official traitors That Con-
gress spa cd the and children II also she.ded
from harm the Union men who still adhered 10 The
naional symbol o! protection. What weakness
But Congress has adjourned. What 10 DO
dones Thank Heaven, our sagacous President found
equal TO the occasion. You will perceive that the st
Of January last under this called Connscaton law tho
slaves Of every rebel In tho United states who had not
accepted the amnesty therein provided jVre free.
But how to end this rebellion II the Union men,
women and children In the called Confederate States
left In undsturbed possession OF all their legal and
constitutional rights? this policy adopted tho re
bells might become angry with these OF lcde-
raj mercy" and In that event The spared monuments
aforesaid might cling closely 10 the federal flag
This division among the people might still more
unhappy state ~ Affairs in Dixie friends there might
have 10 bear additional ndignites As before remarked
mcrcifu and considerable President found equal
10 the crisis In long conversation with some inspired
apostles from the sanity city OF Chicago place where
Onderdonking and othor worldly amusements arc I'M
known-the President canddy confessed that he was en-
dcavorng The did not state the means ascertain the
will Of tho Lord upon this difficult question: that so
he learned the divine pleasure he verify
would do the will Of the Master who sent
him. The revelation came doubtless sby due course
OF mail" Judging from "that which Is written IL
amounted TO this that in portion OF Virginia Iou
siana, In Delaware In Maryland In Tennessee and Mis-
souri, IL was lawful for traitors whe had accepted tho
arun.stv NV the ION o,in.