The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-09-08
tic shoes, which night providers, and hous
breakers usually wear.

q drag net over many years OF my most
private correspondence What did you
get after all your baseness and all your la
Dor? The result will hardly pay you for
the universal dctestation which will always
cling to your conduct. Let us see. One
of my friends writes me that he fears our
| liberties will be destroyed in the hands of
those who are now in power. He predicts
that Mr. Lincoln, aided by such willing
instr .ments as you, will attempt to raise
despotisln on the ruins of the Republic
His fears and his predictions thus express
ed in June, 1861, have been fully verified
He says a peaceable separation would have
been better than this. 1t is not for you
to complain of such sentiment. have
heard you publicly express your great ad-
miration for Mr. Chase. He Ee,d the same
doctrine expressed by Mr.. Ristine, and at
later date than Mr.. Ristine's letter. |
refer you to the speech of General Blair
on that point But the indianapolis Jour
nal said the same thing only in stronger
terms. SO did the Cincinnati Commercial
the New York Tribune, and many other
leading Republican organs What i'm
portance, then can you attach to such an
expression of opinion?
But you found an old letter from my
good old Uncle in Virginia. Poor scandal
monger that you are, cannot even permit
you much enjoyment in that. was in
Harrisonburg in June, 1850, Mr.. Lincoln
was not elected. There was no talk of
secession in Virginia. On the contrary
the feeling on behalf of the Union was
overwhelming. But there was deep ir-
ritation yet in the popular mind in regard
to the John Brown raid which had recent
ly occurred. | was serenaded at my un-
clc's house, and made short speech. AL
luding to the murderous invasion of her
soil by John Brown, | stated that such
deeds were condemned in the State where
lived, and that if needs be hundred
thousand men from Indiana would march
to protect the citizens of Virginia against
any future abolition raid. In February,
1861, when war became imminent, | sup
posed it locked to Mr. Hardcsty as if it
would be an abolition war, and he simply
reminded me Of what had said on his
door steps to the citizens Of IlarrisOnburg.
Do YOU think the publication of this bit of
stolen information will materially effect
the Presidential election? Little minds
catch at little things
But you found letter from Senator
Wall, of New Jersey, enclosing one to
him from gentleman by the name Of Carr
on the subject of guns. This seems to be
the desperate point. | know nothing of
Nr. Carr | never answered his letter.
| am not much of Il trader, and such mat
ters az this rarely find time to attend to-
! But Oh this point | do not mean to be
misunderstood. fully endorse the con-
stitut onal right fthe people to bear arms
for their self defense. The value of this
right is greatly enhanced when one politi-
eel party is armed by the administration,
at the common expense, to overawe the
other. You, of course, will not deny that
the Republican party has been armed with
/ Government arms for nearly two years. 1t
is true that this organization is known as
the Home Guard" but guns are distrib-
ted by government officials to their politi-
cal adhcrents whodo not pretend to belong
to any military organization whatever.
And when companies have been formed
according to law, and asked for arms, they
have been refused because they were Dem
ocrats Why is all this ? From the con
duct of many of these so-callcd "Home
Guards" and the conduct Of such officers
as you-thc Democratic party has been led
to the firm belief that these warlike prep
arations have more reference to carrying
elections and subduing the freedom OF
speech and of union i'll the North, than
they have to the suppression of armed re-
bellion in the South. They have paraded
in front of my own house, in my absence
and with United States muskets in their
hands, in large numbers, insulted and ter
rifed my wife and children. These were
{ simply members of the Republican party
, and the guns which they carried had been
, given to them by Governor Morton by
your advice, proeume, and consent
{ What has occurred to me has occurred to
| thousands of others DO you suppose that
you can arm our nsighbors to outrage and
, insult us without any disastrous results
Do you think we will lick the hand that
5 strikes us? Do you imagine that the
1 Democratic party will submit to be tram
a pied and spit upon? We have borne
c much, very much, and perhaps you think
4 we will bear all, and everything. If you
r do, allow me, for the sake of the peace and
Y welfare of the State, to assure you of youl
o error. We will obey the laws of the land
We have always done so, but we have
: made up our minds that others shall d,
: the same. That is a fair proposition, and
Y those who are unwilling to embrace it cal
J. take the consequences. Democrats hav,
all the rights which Republicans have, anC
Y among those which they share in common
4 is the right to bear arms for their dcfens,
}, and protection.
c Now, Gcncrel, but few words NOR,
n and will leave you to the unintcrruptc,
i enjoyment of the glory which you hav,
d achieved in this miserable affair. Their,
/ is one. letter of mine in your possessiel
n jwhicn ! am wiling YOU should publish
/ You will remempo. an interview about
n ycarayo between us at Terrc Iia%;te llous'
r in the presence of Judge Key. Yon hac
Y opened your ears to tale bearers and Sian
IS derers, and you came down from Indian
a -. n IL