, 1864-07-22
Reply to Loon-ey's Letter in the orego-
nian of the 18th inst

man OF the 10th inst.
EDS STATEsMAN:-My attention has been
called to an article in the Daily Oregonian of
the above date, headed, ga Rebel soldier votes
in w. T., which contains many falsehoods
that am compelled to ask space in your paper
to reply. There have been many children
named by their parents without consulting the
Evangelists for suitable name from con-
sciousness that their infantile physiognomy
suggested appropriate names | have known
several instances of this character, one of
prominent Merchant of Cincinnati, who bears
the cognomen of Eagle Brown, and if any of
your readers have ever seen him they will not
deny that he has been appropriately named
The individual who signs his name to the arti-
Gle alluded to in the Oregonian has no doubt
been named by his fond parents after another
bird, though species directly opposite to that
of the noble eagle, and although l am not con-
scious of ever having had an inspection of his
phi" Twill guarantee that his face would, to
an intelligent observer instantly suggest reeol-
lections of the ignoble bird whose name he
bears. He sets out in his article by saving
that he had written letter to the STATESMAN,
but "that paper being in the interest of the
Copperheads of this county declined to publish
it" happen to know something of the facts
connected with this statement and the people
of the county know full well from the perusal of
your paper, whether not it is in the interest
of the Copperheads. l will give Iooney the
benefit Of his intention and viii admit that he
intended the pet epithet of every Negro thief in
the country to apply to the Democrats of this
county, and then | challenge him to show a
single line published in the Statesman" during
the past canvass in favor of any of the Demo-
cratic candidates or opposed to any of the Union
candidates. l have read the salutatory remarks
of the present editors of the Statesman and
they therein expressly declare the Statesman to
be an Independent sheet, and any person can
see by an article published several weeks ago
and before either party had made their nomina-
tions, that you reiterate the same statements
and it is well known that the platform and
names of the candidates of both parties received
equal prominence in your paper and upon equal
terms.
So much for the ''coppery" proclvities of the
Statesman. If Looney styles the Conservatism
of the Statesman "COpperheadism >" |, in COM
mon with my Democratic friends of this county
wish it were twO-thirds more coppery than it
now is. He charges in his communication that
Anderson Cox, one of the Judges of Upper
Touchet precinct, challenged the vote of man
on the ground that he had been in the Confed-
crate service, and then very dexterously states
that the man admitted that he had served under
Claib jackson. Mr.. Cox then decided "that
before he could vote he must take the oath of
allegiance, which he refused to do" Ander-
son Cox violated his official oath when he IN
dertook to tell an elector that he must take an
oath which the Statutes does not REQUIRE him
to take, admire the pluck of the gentleman
that refused to take the oath at his bidding u
That political gamester requiring a man to take
an oath of allegiance would be about the same
as JEFF Davis asking man to swear to support
the Cons stitutien of the United States One has
just about as mtch respect for that sacred in
strament as the other, each have violated it
with impunlty during the last two or three
years.
The election law of this Territory prescribes
the oath that an Elector is required, on chal-
| lenge, to subscribe to. That oath is as rood an
oath OF allegiance as it is possible for the inge-
nuity Of man to devise. 1t is admitted by the
Looney that Mr.. Cox undertook to set aside the
requirements of the Territorial Law" under
which he as a sworn Judge was then acting. and
''put 1t simply on the grounds of Loyalty to the
Government"
And now for the facts of the case The per-
son challenged by Anderson Cox resided in
Missouri in the spring of 1861 Clab jackson
was then the acknowledged Governor of that
State, and such, commander-in-Chief of the
State Militia. On about the lst of April
1861 (before hostilites had commenced between
the North and South) he issued his proclama-
tion organizing the State Militia and caliag
upon them to hold themselves in readiness to
act as "Home Guards" During the same sum-
mer Constitutional Convention was called
which assembled to decide what position
Missouri would occupy in the contest then about
to be inaugurated. Gov. Gamble and other
prominent members of the Republican party
were members of that Convention and of which
Sterling Price President During the whole
session of that Convention and while the State
Militia was under his control not one word was
said against the loyalty of Gov. Jackson He
afterwards demonstrated his treasonacle de-
signs, and then it was that many of his former
adherents deserted him. Among those who left
him at the time was the gentleman whom A.
Cox challenged at the polls last election day
He told the Judges that he had taken the oath
of allegiance and was willing if necessary, to
take it again; and have no doubt of the fact
that he is fully "loyal" as A. Cox, and if he
is not more loyal do not think the Democratic
candidates received his support. The facts of
the transaction enumerated above were we'll
known in this community, and you did right in
refusing to publish false statement which
would injufe the character of an honest loyal.
and law-abidihg citizen. y,
Another false statement which 'I'see the Ore
g0nianNs Booney desires to have promulgated,
is, that last year Mr.. Coles majority was Iiover
three hundred" and ''Frank P Dugan. another
Copperhead, was elected this year bv less than
fifty votes.'' Mr.. Coles majority, as anv per
son can see by consulting the returns was but
2o6 in this county. My majority over Mr.. WIZ
son, who made the canvass of good portion of
the county with me this summer, was 73 votes.
Anderson Cox; who once figured in Oregon as