Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-10-28
Letter from Washington.


lThe foII q Ia..a- ,r.s the day of
lection to a friend, and print it by reque
No. 460 l4rH ST., WASHINGTON. D. c., !
October 18th, 1868.
MY DEAR D0CToR 81 was pleased to receive
long and interesting letter from you yeste-
day; gratified to learn that your health is
improving and that you are enjoying yourself
in the society of your old friends aad neigh
bors. No doubt you can, after so long aid
such hard service in the field, adopt the split
and sentiment of Charles Swain when he say
''We seek too high, for things close by
: And lose what Nature formed u.s.
For few things here, are half so dear
As HOME and FRIENDS around us >
To-day is your election day. No doubt pu
are having an exciting time of it. You SIX
me what think of Judge Woodward kpw
him very we'll, personally, and have a.igh
opinion of him. 1 regret, however, he is,ot
known to be surely and certainly in favo of
putting down the rebellion by force of ans
His election will be (if he is elected) regrd-
ed as the verdict of Pennsy lvania, in fave of
s.peace on any terms.'' l look upon Valan-
digham as a bad man, and regard his exm-
pie as eminently dangerous to al who follow
his leadership. He is the headof political
school called 'sCopperheads land am sorry
to believe he has many disc'ies in Pennsl- |
vania. Any one can see tbe the claim, inis- |
ted upon by him, of 'sfre Speech" when IL /
vested of all figure of peech and reduced
down to plain matter fact, is simply the
right to encourage aneheer the rebels and TO
= ha
thing to encouragear armIes-he never Ut
tered a word in far of the war, but did do
much to help our iemies. l notice, too. that
those who stick him and his way of think
ing are Breckinrge Democrats. Their old
leader. Breckirdge, is Major Gen. in the
rebel army ought against him at Shiloh.
never did Ii him-and think him bad
egg. But ms OF his old friends and admi-
rers. while II did not follow hinAnfo the
rebel armv. I'm to like him still. These are
comprehend whose chief is Vallandigham. '
Tn nv opirl all such will be dam mned-there t
is no salyfn for them. They claim to be c
Democraand thereby bring curse upon a S
good oldme. and disgrace into the family. i
| am favor of Emancipation. But the
host emipation, and first in point of time. ,
should that of the northern mind from :
soptbs notions. The south has been fight
ing n three years to destroy the Constitu- :,
,;on ne United States. They say thew dis ;,
Mise and deny its authority. Northern :,
,ao at the same time, concern themselves =
forr the south may not have all their con-
st,onal rights preserved to them after the >;
vs. over They took up arms TO destroy =,
Government because ssit did not sufficient >,
fotect them' and made new one to suit ;.
nselves,-and yet, We have the spectacle :,
a population in our midst who ssearch the
ptures," not to find lessons of goodness
loving kindness, but to prove that slavery OF
Divine institution, and having proved it, ne
whole congregation says, Amen. would 10
e all such semancipated." The idea of N
killing to the south after all that has occur cb
of vindicating slavery and trying to hold L;
the rotten old concern when the rebels th