The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-08-27
Gen, Neal Dow,

If Gen. Dow has ardent friends, he has also
bitter enemies. The rebels Intensely hate him,
and their Northern allies as WELL And why?
froia the chain, and at the North from the bot
tie. There lies the secret of the hatred. 1t
is not his peculiar sentiments-the opinions
he utteis in calm weather, but his acts when
the storm RACES, that render him an object of
dislike. 1t is understood that he means what
he says, and that nothing but the opportunity
Is lacking to enforce his views.
Gen. Dow was only restrained from enter
ing the army at the breaking out of the re-
bellion by the fact that his honored and re-
vered father was drawing near the gates of
death. Soon, however, the venerable patri-
arch died, in the joyful hope of glorious res
direction. The son, thus released from fial
obligations, applied for a commission, and was
soon on the march to crush the Shareholders
rebellion. No such miserably delusve cry as
"The Union as it was, and the Constitution as
it is" has escaped his lips: but "Liberty and
Union, no,o and forecer, one and insepdrdble,"
has been his constant watchword.
True to his convictions, in every position he
has been permitted to hold, he has endeavored
to strike at once for freedom from the chain
and freedom from the bottle In this honest
endeavor he has encountered assault in front
and a fire in the rear. He would not damn
his soul by returning a fugitive slave who
came within his lines, whether claimed by a
protested Union man, or an avowed rebel.
Nor would he violate his conscience, nor in
cur the guilt of him that giveth his neighbor
drink, that putteth the bottle to him and ma
keith him drunken" though that, unfortunate
iy, is common practice in the army. For
this the enemy in front attacks his person, and
the no less virulent enemy in the rear, his
character But kind Providence has thus
far protected the one, and impartial history
will settle the other TO his enduring honor and
their lasting disgrace.
Nor is this all. Singularly attentive to
the duties of his position, in all their varied
forms, and brave aud heroic on the battle field,
his active mind has found time to conduct a
correspondence with his English gbrethren
which has found its way to the British press,
to the manifest benefit OF the Union, and the
serious damage of the rebellion. To this
source also may be traced the intense hate of
the enemy North and South.
In letter received in this city from prom
inent English gentleman, occurs the follow
ing significant allusion MIR. Lincoln, if he
"values English sentiment and opinion, could
mot do better than allow Gen. Dow to come
"over here for three months. Mr.. Adams
"IMinister at the Court of st. James told me
"when / called on him with the first address
"for the President, that Gen. BOWS letters
'had been read by him with more pleasure
"and satisfaction than any other letters from
america during the war. And have heard
abundant testimony from leading public men
shat his letters have been extensively useful
''to the federal cause" As chance specimen
of these letters we extract the following from
British paper:
You may wonder at the sensitivencss of our people
to everything said and done ia England in rela-
ton TO our affairs; but, in truth,the public opn-
of all the world besides. am very much obliged
TO friend - for his kind words and thoughts
of me. but-shall say it'll am annoyed When he
or any leader of opinion, speaking of our affairs,
says: eff they tthe rebes) had been let alone, the
cNccrati0n OF Europe against them would have been
universal. Strengthening them is to beget SYM
pathy with them" How could we let them aoney
In open rebellion TO dear country. they seized
by violence arsenas. navy yards, and minis
with all their vast wealth in materials ships and
gold, and VIC did "ief them alone" They seized by
frand and treachery of their commanders twenty
hundred Of our officers and soldiers stationed in Tex.
as 10 protect the people from wild Indians and ap.
proprated to themselves nil their artillery, arms and
munitions--and yet we .'lct them alone.n They be-
leaguercd one of our counrys fortresscs aud seized
several others--and yet 'let them alone" They
built around Fort Sumter many batteries directly
under its guns. as they could not have done if we
had not continued to ''let them alone" We sent an
unarncd ship with provisions 10 a small garrison in
very strong tort. the ship bearing our national
flag. Under the very guns of that fort the steamer
was hred on and driven away, she would not have
been except we had ''let thom alone" This strong
fortress allowed itself to be surrounded by ma.
NY strong military works without the slightest re-
sisiance, all the while ''efing the rebels alone"
by aud by when all was ready, terrific lombard
meat from every quarter was opened upon the little
garrison of less than eighty men, and nations
flag. with studied insult and ndignify, was trampled
in the dust. Now ask our friend, and every other
man who has spark ef patriotism and loyalty in his
heart, what ought we TO have doney If Scotland
were TO revolt and beat down the red cross of ST.
george from Edinburgh Castle Il ON the walls of
Old Stirring what would friend think it wise and
best for the Government to do, I ask for a plain
answer. Would he advise Government to "let the
rebels aloncyr
or the numberless falsehoods in almost eve
ry variety of possible form which have been
in circulation concerning him, from the hour
Gen. Dow entered the service to the present
moment, it is only necessary to say that they