The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-06-24

WoODSFIELD. MONROE COUNTY OHIO JUNE a. 1863

recruits! Have not our American Dretn-
rem of African descent crowded by thou
sands into our ranks, inspiring our SOL
diers with wild enthusiasm, and render
ing night vocal with the songs of enfran-
chised Dinahs and muling and puking
Sambos? And have not our arms been
victorious everywhere since the dawn of
the negro millennium of 1863?
know that men like Gen. NJ. Brayman,
who commands in your vicinity Cat Boil
var, Tenn,) are guilty of absurdities of
speech, which afford the enemies of our
sagacious President excuses for complaint
and criticism. For instance, on the 14th
of last March that officer, then in COM
mand at Bolivar, wrote as follows in re-
gard to the Proclamation of Freedom,
with which our illustrious and far-seeing
President greeted the advent of the new
year: s'The loyal man is equally helpless
with the disloyal-in fact, moreso; for
the rebel takes his slaves South, or hires
them in the army in which he himself
serves, while the slaves of loyal men fee
to our camps beyond reclamation. Under
this process the rebel HOLDS his slaves by
carrying them into State in which they
they are declared free, while the law
abiding citizen loses his by retaining them
in State where it is lasoful to hold them.
As it is now, the l,yalty and good conduct
of these men avaii them nothing"
In speaking of the elevating effects of
this system upon our armies and the ne
groes, Gen. Brayman shocks our sensi-
bilities by the use of such language as
this: sTheir expense to the Government
is enormous. Itrequires soldiers to guard
them. They sicken aud die in crowded
and filthy corrals. They become debased
and demoralized. They dsbase and de-
noralize the Army"
Now among the resolutions you will
adopt at the Memphis meeting there should
by all means, be one censuring General
Brayman for the use of language so in
sulting to "our fellow citizens of African
descent and 80 justly calculated to in
cense the slave owners in Tennessee who
have so stubbornly refused to join the
rebels.
Why, sirs, this license of speech must
be suppressed. What right have men
who do not support the present wise and
efficient administration to criticise its pol
icy or the consequences of it? Within the
last few days I have heard persons in this
city-in this capital which bears the sa-
cred name of Washington, and which for
the present is the home of our illustrious
chief magistrate seemingly invidi
Gus distinctions between the fate Of Jesse
D. Bright, of Indiana, and that of John
NJ. Bolts, of Virginia. How my blood
''boiled with pious indignation when, a
few days ago, heard certain individual
of the straightest sect of Copperheads
discoursing thus: "Jesse D. Bright, of
Indiana, was expelled from the Senate of
the United States last year, charged with
treasopable practices. He then owned a
farm and negroes in Kentucky-still owns
them. He accepted the amnesty provided
in the so-called confscation law which
passed Congress last July. He is now
proposing to accompany his family on Il
pleasure trip to Europe, leaving his large
properties in Indiana and his slaves in
Kentucky under the protection of the law.
J ohm NJ Bolts is just out of Libby"
or some other Conf. prison, where he
was incarcerated for his devotion to the
Union and his undying hostility to the
so-called Southern Confederacy. Ten
days ago his slaves were enticed within
the lines of our armies in Virginia. Mr.
Bolts demanded that they be surrendered
or returned, and received for answer, di-
rect from Washington. that he had nc
right to them-that our wise and law
abiding President had set them free!'
/ confess that when I heard this long
and complaining rigmarole 1 was indig.
nant at this persons stupidity. He could
not see the wisdom Of this wise policy o1
our most noble executive. He was almost
as incorrigible as James I. Petigru, Of
South Carolina, who, when he read the
grand proclamation of the most illustrious
successor of Washington, took the oath Of
allegiance to the Confederate government
and offered his private fortune to the reb-
els to aid them in making war upon the
armies Of the sublimest man of modern
times; of Nelson, of Tennessee, who, with
his sons in rebel captivity, published ar
appeal to the people of that State to take
up arms against our freedom loving Pres
ident; of Houston, Henry, and others
who Immediately went over to the rebe
cause. away Wuhalis sucn Meu. SoOI
Union man loves his country per Sc. HI
cares nothing for liber y or property, fame
or fortune, considerations or contracts
Office or opinion. The true test is simply
this: Who is the greatest, wisest ant
best of mankind? Who is the first natu
raj military genius of the world? Wht
should be elected President as long as b,
will accept the office? If to all these in
quiries the respondent answers with |
firm, unfaltering voice, abraham Lincol.
Esq, he may be set down as good Unio,
man, fit to join "Loyal League" rcceiv
ed contract, accept commission or Office
and TO VOTE. But if, like Crittenden o
Kentucky, be is ever talking about th'
Constitution and such worn out themes
he ought not to be trusted for moment
A Union man must have an abundance
of faih-faith in the saving grace of.ou
exalted President---faith that he will ye
prove the political Moses to lead our ar
mics across the Rappahannock--faith tha
under his leadership, could he be induce,
to take the field, the mighty hosts of re
beldom would fee from Marye's hill an,
1 drown themselvas liz q stpossessad' swine