Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1863-02-06

A CRITICIsM FOR W. o. IL"

A correspondent makes the following crit
cism on a recent army letter by 81. 0. L.
Of the 9th Regiment. The letter, like al
others from the Vermont Regiments, was ad
mitted to our columns without any indorse
ment whatever from US, as our correspondent
are held responsible for their statements, ant
liable to a court-maptlal for statements the,
cannot substantiate
such letters from the Army 90 doun hare
with us here, and we wish your correspon.
dent to be informed that the people of Yer.
mont cannot appreciate such sentiments we
think them much better adapted 10 the merid.
ian of South Carolina. Your correspondent
after giving the aggregate of the loss of life
on both sides in this dreadful war, asks the
following question: care not these men Of
as much worth as one-tenth Of their number
of intelligent conIabands ?" We answer
according to the Declaration of Indepen-
dence, a iOhite mans life is as precious as a
"dirty negro's r. Am understood? But
presume your correspondent reckons that
Bill Of Rights among the "glittering gener-
alities, especially if it be interpreted to in
\ clude Aries sunny sons" Now we do not
4 hink negro equal to ten white men, neither
d , we profess any excessive love for " Afric =
an my sons" but we love justice and the right,
ana for This reason we think they ought not
10 n, q dsfrauded Of v err afberty. Bat - j. O.
7 ~ 1iorms us that "few of them will put
tbems,A Ives to any Inconvenience to gain their
heedon\l, which their abolition friends so
mnch ad mire." This | regard as a libel on
human no ture, nor do believe that the state
ment was made by any knowledge the writer
nossesses a ON observation. What does this
writer mean by assuming that the destruction
of life would have been less if different pol
icv had been a ursued Has not the Govern
ment. mn to wi thin a short time, proceeded
upon the policy of attempting to destroy the
ELECT while it str owe to preserve the almost
universally admith d cause' And have not
those who were for o uttng down the rebellion
nv removing the caus. been as ready to pitch
an and fgbt the battles OF the country as the
opposite class But ). o. L. insists that
slavery is not even a minor cause of the re-
bellion. He tells us 1.-THE negro is only an
i,naqinary cause, made SO by infatuated, en-
ragged and selfish politicians" Now, we hate
an uuchsrtable. suspicious spnt--''forever
watching unto fraud, but we cannot but think
that any man who comes to such a concu-
sion, that has been conversant with the histo-
~ of our country for the last twenty-five
years, must either be shockingly ignorant or
stubbornly wicked, We should pity the
school boy who would take such weak and
Indeiensible position.
To wind up, 81. 0. H." informs us he is
neither "secessionist nor tory and intreats
that the strength of our nation should be d.
rected TO "the uprooting Of rebellion, and not
to minor causes" This is good logic We
think 'minor and imaginary causes should
be ignored and give place to major ones. We
say, therefore, to our brave soldiers Ego
ahead !" we are with you, --"pUch INTO the
rebellion, and let the "dlrty negroes entirely
alone.