The tri-weekly citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-19

ffam private iaiist stirss.sa ~ bin Ny ~ ail
sas uu.h esteemed friend qys Is 70, caalsisfs,,
smy. ne 5'.'hsf ists. ~ ftsftt o. rss. M,
fYila~.ag sripsis. Ws sKrse hliy siih me wflief
ih bls comments md sfiil HsI
- shsdg- N gloom seems - have ,sftsd apan
Che besIls n oar people 9v,aH b. tba isfsst and
feifsst n Hfsgss amy tnd ihs a..afs n fnns
streets expedition, Cfpsh hafs and etvlaas .unprln.
cipled afssds gsasfsls bsvs avted them lge.
oi the pfsssnt state ~ feeling b. huf me- thunder.
bolts u their wrath Al thc devoted head N ppof
Bngs 10 whose stupidity utA wsnt NJ po.defiy
qualities, thsy 'sy, af recent disasters are wholly
attributable and deeply regret that portion NJ
The Press are pursuing ibc same unjust and amman.
lyNourss. General Bngg has done all that mortal
man could do, under tho circumstances and mg,s
than could have been done BY the combined wisdom
Of bis ealnmnlatora. Had hs plans been promptly
carried oat At Chicamauga, Hosecfans would never
have occupied Chattanooga with bis whipped aud
dcmoraIifed srmy and even IN the recent cngagr.
mcut, had oar ieG maintained its ground with the
same obstnacy and fought with The same cool and
desperate courage that characterized the valor ot
the troops on The right, we would not to-day be
mourning over defeat so disastrous and htnliliat.
ing. commanding General is not omnpotant
hnd however great at influence his words Of cheer
aud encouragement NAV exert over the mass Of bis
sodiery, unless he s tally understood by his subor
dinates, aud his plans are faithfully executed defeat
aud disaster must cnsue. Had our forces not given
WAY on the iltt, there is strong probability that
tue enemy would have been driven back in confu
sion and di,may, AZ he was by fIaldee ON the ftsbt
aud complete victory have crowned our arms, in
that event, Gen, Bragg would have been hailed as
great warrior, loved. houored and admrcdy but be.
oaNse his troops failed in Hei, duty, aud thereby
fo't he day poor BsaSg ID held up to oLoquy and
reproach.
Gen. Bragg has performed his dhty to his country
faithfully and nOdiy, and whatever croikers may
say OF him, history at least will do Justice to his
deeds aud vslor, and posteiity weave around his |
brow the green garland of uudying fame.
know of no General in our army whose patriot |
ism has been subjected to sevcrtr tcsts, and like
gold tried 10 the furnace it has passed the fiery or
deal, and come out purified and refined. pity the
miserable soul that attempt to detact from the
merits Of man who has stood 10y the best interests
OF his country in her darkest hours, and fearlessy
exposed his own lie to vindicate her honor, when
he we'll knew that, apart from his own army, his
motives we're impugned his courage questioned
his ability ignored, and his patriotism assaled. I |
honor Gen. Bragg for that proud nobility Of soul.
which has enabled him to stand manfully by his
oppressed country in the midst OF such a tempest
of opposition.
GEN. joseph E. Johnston is another MARTYR TO
malicious hatred but in bis case the sympathies
of the army and the country are enlisted He hus
the misfortune to be despised by the PRECEDENT aud
although he is known to be unegUdied as an able,
skiiLfui and sagacious General yet he s elbowed
aside in the great military pressure, to make way
for men vastly his interiors and who can never rem
der hundredth part Of the service to the c0un-
try, because, forsooth, the Executive Of the nation
personally dislkes him. think the treatment Gen.
Johnston has received at the bands of the President
deserves the severest censure. This is no time to
indulge personal aninaOsity or political faUoritiSm
and | honestly believe if our government should
eventually reel to its fall the cause can be traced
back, with unerrng certainty, to Jefferson Davis
He has kept such men as Johnston and Gustavus W.
smith in the background, from feelings Of personal
latred and sent his Japorites to the field, and in
uch positions that they had neither the skill nor
apacity to sustain. Al
There never was period in the history of our
ounty, so anspcious for renouncng the principles
nd prejndices of the Demagogue and assuming
he position of the exalted Statesman. Old party
ines were Obliterated, and Wing and Democrat bore
be name of Jefferson Davis to the polls without
issenting voice; but no sooner was be installed VI
lto Office, than his Democracy unveiled ITSELF and la
as left its impress upon the principal acts of his
.ign. III
God save this noblest part of the land Of WASH 10
IGroN from party prejudice, and crown our arms :"
ith success"
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