Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1864-05-20
BRIG. GEN. R.P. RucKLANn.

affairs, as Commandant in the District of Mem
pbis, Tennessee, had delivered up to slavery,
two colOred children. This charge was put out
about the lst March. At the time we pronounc-
ed the statement untrue; because We had been
personally acquainted with RALPH p. BUcKLAND
since the fall of 1910, doing business. and con-
versing with him almost daily, and we have ev-
er known him TO be an open and determined
anti-Slavery man, from principal. We We're
willing TO assert that no power in the land could
compel him to return to bondage any man wo-
man or child that the law of the land or order
of the President" or of the "War Department"
had made free No! The story was gotten up
for the purpose of slandcring General BuoKLAND.
There are thousands of men in OhiO who have
known Gen, b. for ten TO twenty years, who
wanted no evidence from him in the case Pre-
vious character, conduct, manly decision, life
all they cared to know 10 pronounce it calum-
ny of the basest character; with such the name
Of Gen. BucKLAND is untarnished.
Since our last issue letter has been received
by ID. L. JUNE, of this place, from Gen. BUCK
LAND, which letter was handed to us last Tues
day evening, by Mr.. JUNE, together with the
following note:
FREMONT, May II, 1864.
Mr. KEELER:-I received the following letter
from Gen. BucKLAND, last evening. 1t came to
me under these circumstances. When the I'D
owl. left, (April 5th,) for Memphis, l request
ed DIR. Rice to express TO- the General my wish
in common with others, that he should consent
to allow his uame to come before the Congress-
ional Convention as a candidate for nomination.
His letter is in answer to my request. 1t SO
completely vindicates the General from the SLAM
derous charges made against him, that l take
the liberty of sending it you entire, for pubi-
cation. Respectfully yours,
ID. l.. JUNE.
"HEADQUARTERs DISTRICT or MENrHIs, TFNN.,
"MEMPHIs, May g. 1864.
I'D. L. JUNE, Eso.-My Old Friend:
''Dr. Rice told me you expressed desire
that should write to you, which intended to
have done before now, but have been ex-
tremely busy. l understand that my name has
been talked about some as candidate before
the Congressional n Nominating Convention. and,
as a consequence, persons opposed to my NOM
ination have used against me communication
published in the Cleveland Leader, signed "a.
d. o." accusing me ofsurrendering into slavery
three colored children. That communication
was malicious and contained many falsehoods.
My attention was called to it some time ago,
but did not suppose that my reputation at
home could suffer from the statements of an
anonymous newspaper correspondent. My
sentiments upon the subject Of slavery have
been freely expressed for many years and have
undergone change, eroept IN intensity against
the tustituttOn There has been no time during the
last t,centy gears that any earthly po,cer could com
pei or induce to aid in forcing titgitue sIare
back into sLgray. Lhare ReUer done such a thing
and neUcr ,ciH Since have been in command
of the District of Memphis, l have not in any
way, officially or otherwise, recognized the re-
lation of master and slave. The only restraint
upon the colored people here is exercised by
the Government of the United States. No
one has been compelled to remain with his or
her former master to my knowledge. The
colored children referred to had been ordered
by Gen. Hurlburt to be left with DR.. Wheaton,
as an act of humanity towards the children
In the absence of Gen. Hurlburt they were
forcibly taken away, in violation of General
Hurlburt's order, and against the wishes and
best interests of the children themselves They
we're not held or treated as slaves but were be-
ing educated and kindly treated in every re-
spect There was mutual attachment be-
tween the children and DIR. Wheaton's family.
An adopted daugher of DIR. Wheaton having
no children, took great pains in teaching the
children to read, sing, and in religious exercis-
es. The father had enlisted as soldier and
the mother was in the contraband camp, the
worst place in the wide world for children
Knowing these facts, l ordered the children to
be taken back to DR.. Wheaton's, not as slaves
for slavery does not exist here, but as an act
of humanity and duty towards the children
l would have done the same thing if the chill
dren had been white. The question of sIaus,y
had nothing to do ,oith 1t. Dr. Wheaton pledged
himself, and offered to give bonds to produce
the children whenever the authorities should
call for them. His residence is within my
picket lines and within range ofthe guns Of Fort
Pickering. One Of the children is the child of
a white man, and not of the husband of the
mother. These children are very intelligent,
and are contented and happy at DR.. Wheaton's
1t would have been great outrage upon these
children to have allowed them to be forced in
to that contraband camp. Ineyer did more
righteous act in my life, and if that is an objec-
ton tomy going to Congress, when understood,
then l have no desire to go. entered the ser
vice with the determination to do my duty un-
der all circumstances, regardless of personal
that principal as long as continue in the ser
vice. desire the good opinion of my friends
at home, but cannot sacrifice duty or princi
pie to obtain it. My friends must do as they
thing best under the circumstances, about pre-
senting my name to the convention.
"Yours, truly,
X. p BUCKLAND."
We trust now that the Cleveland Leader, the
Oberlin Ne,cs, the Boston LjberGtor, and other
papers that have contained these ISLANDERS against
Gen. BucKLAND, will be ready to do him JUS
tice, and publish the statement here made in
the JoURNAL We wish also, this other fact to
be understood, that General BUcKLAND has not
written and sent the letter above quoted with
view to, or a thought of having it published
but conscious of having done right, was prepar-
ed to let the SANDER die OF its own poison.
Northern Ohio, the Ninth Congressional Dis
trich, and Sanduszy county particularly, have
stronger reasons than before to be proud of their
fellow citizen-General R. P. BUOKLAND.
Prom the Tiffn Tribune.
OUR NEXT CONGRESSMAN,
Editor of the TIjbune:-The Union men of
this (the 9th) Congressional District, will soon
be called upon to nominate candidate for Con-
gress. Fhe names OF several worthy and re-
spectable gentlemen have been mentioned in