Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-05-15
THE JOURNAL.

EHE JOURNAL.
Hit the Old Gentleman Again!
In reproducing from an exchange, the fol.
lowing letter from a soldier to his father, we
have no desire to encourage filial disobedience
or disrespect; but we do think that, in this
case, the old gentleman gets just what he de
served, and, if inclined to " strike back" we
hope the boy will hit him again.
On BOARD GUNBoAT LOUISVILLE,
Mouth of Yazoo River, Feb. IA.
DEAR FATHER: Passing over page or
so relating to family matters, he says.l
Now about Abolitionists. You say you
"did not know had got to be an Abolition
list since joined the naval service Now,
if by the term Abolitionist, you mean the
mere agitation of the Beecher Woody Horse
and Uncle Tom Cabin disciples, you are mis-
taken in your man. But if, by the term
Abolitionists, you mean the men who, in the
face of the unholy crusade of the Lucifer
trained traitors Of jeff Davis, are willing to
support the Presidents emancipation proela-
nation, and to fight for it or any other meas
ure tending to crush this rebellion-if, l say,
these are the men you and your Seymour
Democracy call Abolitionists-I am an Abo-
litionsts to the death.
If to carry out the war measures of our
Government, if to fight for the rights of free
institutions and of free government, is Adolf.
tionism, then am indeed, an Abolitionist-
not an agitating Abolitionist, but fighting
one; not an Abolitionst astradle of the fence
like Bill Seward nor yet Democratic semi
traitor like Mcclellan, who after winning as
complete victory as has been won during
the war, allowed the enemy to escape across
the Potomac without the slightest effort to
capture him. Gen. Lee himself admits this
could have been done, while you, ON the other
hand, in the face of all evidence to the con-
trary, tell me Mcclellan had all he could dc
to hold his own. That is false, and you
know it is false. How is it you do not put
in q good word for Colonel Miles, who sur
rendered Harpel's Ferry without a shadow
of defense; or for Porter, who has been
cashiered tor crimes which merited the gal.
lows?
You did not suppose had become an Abo
ltionist, did you? Neither did suppose you
had become Secessionist But if you have
not, must tell you that your letters read
very much as do the letters of men that are
known to the world as Secessionists. How
is it that you cannot write me anything Of
Union victories How Is it the names Of
Rosecrans, Sigel or Admiral Porter never
pass your lips? You say Lincoln has one
million and half of men in the field! That
is untrue, and if you were half as much inter
ested in the Union cause as you appear to be
in that of JEFF. Davis, you would not make
such statement. One million of men EN-.
braces all of the Union forces. You say we
are no nearer crushing shis rebellion than we
yvp nj n Ia
That is a notorious falsehood, and the man
who will make such statement is not true
to the country in her hour of need. Now
take the map Of the United States, and LOOK
it over and see if we are nearer the end thar
we were. at the commencement, or not. Wher
this war commenced, Kentucky, Maryland
Missouri, North Carolina, Arkansas, Texas
Arizona and Louisiana were thoroughly Sc
cesh, in every sense of the word. The South
ern ports were open, and treason stalked a
MONDAY, even in the streets OF New York
That was the way the map looked at thai
time.
And now look at it again. Missouri, Ar
kansas, Kentucky, Maryland. Western Vir
gnis, Florida, the half of North Carolina
Port Royal, South Carolina, Fort Pulaski, a
the mouth of the Savannah River, Key West
Fort Pickens, Pensacola, New Orleans, Forts
Jackson and Philips, Baton Rogue, and Fort
Donelson and Henry, on the Cumberland ant
Tennessee, Nashville, the capital of the STATE
of Tennessee, Memphis, its only seaport, ant
Murfreesboro, the scene Of the late battle
where McClellan's colleague, Bragg, wa:
totally defeated, are in our possession a.
also are every point of Importance on th'
Mississippi and its tributaries with the excep
ton of Vicksburg and Port Hudson-to say
nolhlng of Norfolk, Portsmouth Navy Yard
Sewells Point, Craney Island, Newport News
Suffolk, Yorktown ard Gloucester Point, ano
the two entire counties east of the chesapeake
Bay-all which have been subdued. And a!
to Vicksburg and Port Hudson, their doou
is as certain as that two and two make four
Again, you ask what Lincoln has done tt
put down the Rebellion. Twill tell you in a!
few words as possible, what he has done
He has called to arms an army CT a million o
men, and armed, and equipped, clothed AMI
disciplined them. He has brought order on
of confusion; has kicked the traitor Generals
from the army, and placed fighting men il
their places. He has freed from their shackle!
four millions of people who have as good {
right to their liberty as you have, and VIII
are doing far more to crush the Rebellion in
to the earth than ten millions of men like you
as you now talk
Respectfully yours. J. LADD.
Master-at-Arms Of gunboat Louisville.
RAILROADS IN IowA.-The Burlington ant
Missouri River railroad is complete from Bur
lingtou to Ottumwa, distance of 70 miles.
The Mississippi and Missouri River railroad
will be completed in the course of a month O
six weeks, from Davenport to Grinnell, dis
lance of 125 miles. This road connects will
the Eastern railroads by the bridge across tn
Mississippi at Davenport, and the recent de
cision Of the Supreme Court of the United
States, allowing the bridge to stand, has raiset
this road much in the estimation of CAPT
talists. ~.
The Dubuque and Sioux City railroad, for
merly the Dubuque and Pacific railroad, i
completed from Dubuque to Cedar Falls, :
distance of one hundred miles.
The Keokuk, Des Moines and Minnesot;
railroad is completed from Keokuk to Eddy
vile, distance of ninety-two miles.
The Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska railroat
is completed from Clinton to Cedar Rapids,
distance of eighty-two miles. IL a. "a
The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River rail
road, continuation of the last mentioned
railroad, is completed to Marshalltown, a dis
lance of one hundred and fifty two miles.
The Dubuque, Marion and Western railroad
is completed from Farley, in Dubuque county
to within eight miles of Marion, in Linz
county, distance Of IS miles. aa 81
1t is graded to Marion, where it connect
with the Dubuque and Sioux City railroads
The Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant and Muscatin
railroad is completed from Keokuk to Fl
Madison, distance of twenty-five miles.
AsrRoNoM1cAL.-The Buffalo Express thu