The Placer herald., 1863-03-28
From the indianapolis Sentnel]
Indiana officers Denounce the Traitors
at Home

| Cucil Is liIo uedulug Oh speClal ulSpatCn
to the Cincinnati Commercial from Murfrees-
boro, stating that "a meeting of the officers
OF about all the regiments in the army was
held on the 22d inst" at which ''strong reso-
lutions were adopted unanimously, denounc-
ing the dsloyal course of the Butternuts of
the Indiana Legislature; also, compIimenting
Governor Morton for his energy and patriot
ism" The dispatch also states that "the
resolutions were drawn by Colonel Hunter, Of
the Eightylsecond Indiana, ia Democrat
who, with Colonel Gooding, Twenty second
Indiana, and other prominent Democrats,
mode violent speeches, denouncing treason in
the Indiana Legislature, &c. Here is one
paragraph we give verbatlm:
"Coonel Gooding denounced the Indiana
Butternuts as id rascals.'"
The Journal of yesterday reproduces this
stuff in substance, but with an intintude Of
detail, the itor drawing upon bis imagina
ton for the indgnaton-th the very violent in,
dignat tion-which be says the soldiers Of the
army feel towards the Democracy Of Indiana
and Of the North. 1t is very careful, how
ever, not to alude to the author Of the reso
lutions, whom the Commercial corresponl
dent pronounces Democrat. Colonel Nor
ton G. Hunter, who drafted The resolutions,
is no Democrat He is known in Indiana
as an intense Republican and Aboltionist
and most bitter and determined oppo
nent of the Democracy, Nothing can be
expected of Colonel Hunter but denuncia
tons of the Democratic party, and reso.u-
tions coming from his pen are only reflex
of Republican sentiment and an Indication of
the wishes of that party.
Who is Colonel Gooding, whom the J our
nal says "is Democrat, and never was any,
thing else?" When at home some time
ago, he publicly stated that he intended to re-
turn to run for Sheriff on the Republican side
That's the sum of bis Democracy. He is
Just as much a Democrat as the journal
editor, and no more After he got the ap
pontment of Major he wrote dirty articles
against the Democracy in consideration of
which he WAS appointed Colonel. So we
are informed by one Of the most respectable
citizens Of Jennings county. few words as
to his soldierly qualities, Captain Leonard
Ennis, who was formerly connected with
the Twenty tysecond, publicly stated that this
Colonel Gooding, sat the battle of Perryvile,
hid behind stump and implored the rebels
not to shoot; stating to them that they were
killing their friends. A Georgia Major came
up to him and pricked him with the point
Of his sword, and told him to get up from
his cowardly attitude" Such is the man
whom the journal says denounced the De
mocracv of Indiana vehemently. What
else could be expected from such source?
What Justice is there in the complaints
against the Democracy purporting to come
from the Indiana regiments in Rosecrans
army? For near two years the Republican
Administration has had full control Of the
Government and the party in power has
been furnished with all the money it demand
ed for the vigorous prosecution of the war,
to use the language of one of the resolutions
referred to, with money and supplies in all
their efforts to sustain the Union and prose
cute the war" But all efforts thus far to
put down the rebellion have proven signal
failures. The people know it and feel it in
the immense public debt which has been
fastened upon the country; in the burden
some taxes imposed to sustain the war debt,
and the tens we may say hundreds of thouI
sands of valuable lives which have been sac
rifced, needless!y and crminally. Is there
any wisdom in further vigorously prosecuting
a war under such auspices, and with the re-
suits which have thus far attended it? The
people say no! and such is the sentiment of
the soldiers of the army, who do the drudg'
cry and the fighting.
Tens of thousands Of private letters have
been received from the soldiers, East and
West, written to their friends at home in
the confidence of friendship, which best ex-
press the change in the attitude of the army
They tell common story. 1t is an utter
disgust of the war and the object for which
it is now waged. And this is rapidly
growing sentiment. To use the language of
the Journal: "The army has been outraged
into letting its opinions be known" but such
men as Hunter and Gooding do no. reflect
or speak its sentiments. The men of the
army and their friends at home have inter
ests in common. And it is idle to suppose
that the soldiers. when they return, will not
vote with their friends and kindred. Thou
sands of soldiers who went into the war Rel
pubicans were in the State at the last elec-
ton, voted the Democratic ticket for the
first time. Their experience had undeceved
them. They had been misled hy the Repub
lican leaders.
In this regard we speak what we know.
Daily we are publishing letters from intel-
gent Republicans in the army, whose senti-
ments have undergone change as TO the
conduct and character of the war, And
when the soldiers return and find that the
men, more than one-half Of the people of In
diana and of the whole North, who have
been stgmatized by the Republicans as
TRAITORS" for partisan effect, have ever been
their best friends, and true to the Union
and the Constitution, the ballot box will
speak in louder tones against the party in
power than it did in October last. At no
time in the history of our country was there
so great a revolution going on in the public
mind and it will increase in power until
there is not a yestioe Of Repubcanism left