Washington telegraph., 1864-03-16

L
J, somewhat nne expectedly. from beneath the CART
of mild and gentle suavity with which General
ISteele clothed himself at Little Rock. David
sou and Gautt may come back again. stsele
will suit them soon. He has Just done thing
(which has the ring of Butler in it. The soon
ciliatory policy" has made all the dupes it can,
and the cloak falls off, revealing Steele to be
as mean and heartless wretch as any in the
field.
| Few citizens of Arkansas do not know VIM.
II. Woodruff, and know him to honor him. He
is the veteran of the press in this State, and
has exercised large influence in his day.
/ de established the first newspaper in the
State at Arkansas Post in 1919, and was after
that connected with the press until about the
year 1850. Since then he has remained quietly
in private life at Little Rock, taking part
In public affairs up to the time of its occupa-
| tion by the Federas. He is the father of the
gallant Major VIM. E. Woodruff. jr, whose
fame at Oak Hills will never be forgotten by
| Arkansians. OF course all his sym pathies and
feelings are with the cause in which his gall
| liant son is engaged.
The Federsls found him an old and feeble
man, with the frost of seventy winters on his
head, living with family of four unmarried
daughters and minor son
He would feign have remained in peace and
quietly pur sued the even tenor of his way dur
ing the occupation of the city by the Federnls.
He was allowed to do so until the devilish and
hypocritical ''concilatery policy" had done its
work, and collected all its miserable dupes ir-
revocably under the feet of the invader When
it was thrown aside he fell the first of the VIC
tins lie was,deprived of all means of SUBJ
sistence. teing unable to make anv purchases
until he should take the oath He was an old
man. His helpless daughters were around
him-what could he do. With bitter grief he
submitted. hoping for peace and quiet and
pardon of his countrymen. 1t was that or
starvation.
| And after that, Gen Steele BA>IsHED HIM
PROM THE CITY, Inflicted upon him. with
terms of opprobrium the very injury to escape
from which he had bowed his pride and humi-
! ! lated himself before the invader.
And for what? He, the father of his gallant
son. only wrote a letter to friend in the
South, explaining his conduct, and begging
I his friends net to Judge him hardly, nor mis-
construe his conduct-that be had been forced
to do rs he had, There is something tonching
nnA pathetic in his appeal. He tells them. Il
took it on yesterday, Us my only alternative 10
| keep from stdrring.''
| Right. venerable man. You did right. II
is only the heartless disgrace to humanity who
was not touched by this sad appeal, that we
despise.
Ii Gen Steele publishes his order Is it pos
lisible that there is no generosity in Northern
hearts, that he thus exposes himself 10 the & on
tempt of all the humane. Do they all admire
Butler then much that he enves Butler,
! reputation? We thought Gen. Steele gentle.
man once. We were staggered with Dodd's
fcase, ut excused him on the grounds of an
Eill,iu1ged imitation of Washington. We re.
tract Cur opinion. He is as cold, tyrannical
aand malicious. any of the hateful tribe.
But here is his order:
L HEADQUARTERS SEVENTH ARMY CoRpsO
/ AND DEPARTMENT OF ARKANSAS.
| Little Rock, Ark, March "a, 1864.
General Orders No. 10.
william f. Woodruff a citizen of Little
Rock, while under the protection of the Gov
ernment of the United States, havi written II
| letter to 20 South, of which the following ar.
extract. will be put outside of these lines with
\ his family before the tn inst, in order that
II they may secure protection from those with
whom they so deeply sympathize.
The properly belonging to said Woolruff #
will be seized and held for military uses. and
subject to the order of the U. :. Government
| The Provost Marshal General is charged
with the execution of this order.
Extracts frsm letter of VIM. f Woo lruff to
| Dr. Isaac Folsom, Surgeon u. S. A.. Washing
ton Ark, dated at Little Rock, Ark, Fehru-
airy 10th, 1864.
We had quite scene in our family on Mon
| day night, and for the next day or two mo-
! thing more or less than a rund,cov m"rtipge-
but not one of our ,.auqhters The parties
were Lit and Miss - who has
been boarding in family since week be-
fore our city fell into the hands of the ..Yanks "
| OF course Mrs. W. and myself, well our
| daughters felt a good deal ot Indignation. aud
| although they have cooled down considerably,
| still they are not quite reconcied.
| The principal objection raised against him
| (the Lieut.. by the iady's friends is his being
an U. s. officer. 1t is certainly n very strong
one with me, and | trust will be with my
daughters: indeed 1 have fear on thai
score.
The screws" have received several turns
that were not very agreeable to US. who are
welded to the South, by interest we'll n
sympathy. The last one. however. is "a
''stumper" to most of us, none can make ne
cessary purchases at the store without pruduc-
ing evidence of having taken the .'oath of al
| legiance' to Old Abes Government =. have
held off for about a week" | had hoped to
avoid taking tt, by making my purchases
through other less fastdious parties: but |
fear shall he Obliged to take it. or be cut off
from getting rents for NV property, which,
with a few boarders, is the only resource |
have to support my family / shall probably
take it tomorrow. II do 1t will be n matter
of necessity, not of choice-and shall be quite
as strong Rebel after taxing it as | ever
have been.
p. S.-Fehruary 18th: WELL 'fhe deed am
done, and am now loyal citizen OF the
United States-if the taking of the oath of al
legiance can make me one | took it on yes.