Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-09-28
WHOLE NO. 25O4
A Loyal gAcls to his Rebe.
EsphaW. ar

n Loyal BAclo 10 MS HoDes
NsphsW. EaF
The following letter, picked up at
Fort Delaware, has been handed rs for
publication. Il explains itself.l oE
SosoRA, July 20, 1864. n &
ToULuNyl Co. CALIFORNIA.
HT NaPEzw:-Your letter from Fort
Delaware, dated the 18th ult., il just re-
osised. BY Ii learn the most unwel-
come tidings that nephew Of mine has
served in the service Of the Southern rsb-
els since the month Of Nay, 1861. am
aware that al the sss of u years you
went to the sunny South" a. you term
il, and there no doubt have imbibed the
predjudioes Of that traitor land, against
your kindred, not only, but sgainst your
country and your. flag; you wrote to me
in the coolest manner possible Of the
time "after your exchange" leaving me
thus TO infer that you intend to return to
the service Of rebels and outlaws, IdI
You tell me that you are suffering for
the neeessaries Of LIFE I tell yon frank
ly, sir, do not bslisrsik I am sensible
THAI the rebels whom you have served
have tortured to death their prisoners of
war, BY process Of allow starvation and
exposure, and evinced o degree OF inhu-
manity and cruelty, ct which the bloody
savage would blush for shame; but, sir,
your word for it Is not sufieisnt to salts
fy me that the Federal Government or
its ministers permit their prisoners of
war 70 suffer for the neesssariss Of life.
You have been serving the worst cause
in which man ever engaged, since God
created the human race; and though you
were my son, instead Of my nephew,
would bless God for the bullet which
shoald pierce your heart, and thus para
lyse your arm. There is duty, sir that
every loyal man owes to his country in
this struggls-owss TO his God-owes to
the millions yet unborn. that overrides
and towers above all che ties of blood
and kindred in the mere present. The
future Of free Government on earth is
one Of the mighty stakes To perpetuate
the glory and prosperity of America is
another. Lat the sccursed cause Of re-
bellion triumph, and the great and glo-
rious Republic that has shown among
earth's nations with the exceeding bril-
liancy of that countless host OF stars that
mark the milky way" a. the brightest
constellation in the sky-vill have fallen
to uprise no more, and liberty be sent
away. bowling in suffering and alright
from the face of the earth. LgrH
If you are determined to serve on in
such cause, never expect recognition
from me, for If hell made . jubilee at
the arrival Of Judas, who betrayed his sa-
vior, or Benedict Arnold, who betrayed
his country, . much greater one will
await the arrival of the slain rebels Of the
South. Judas himself viii take Sec
ond plate, and even old Lucifer will be
half persuaded to yield his crown and
scepter.
hope this letter may do you good
wrote it with that aim. Grandfather,
you say "Wrote you kind and most
welcome letter." know not what my
poor old father may have done. He is
81 years old, but he is as loyal as Presi-
ident Lincoln, though as kind hearted as
q child But for me, justice is my motto,
and that freezes in my veins every drop
kovu IL fal
or want to hear of you or from you again.
alive, until you cease to be a-traitor to
your kindred and your country. .--..
see that your letter has stamped up
on the envelope Prisoners letter exam
ined, ;" and if it's contents induced its ez
aminers to believe that you had an uD-
els who sympathiaed with rebels. hope
they will examine this also, and leaEn
and intimate to me their error, which
leave wholly at their disposal ...
With deep modification subscribe
myself, yoar uncle. ----. s.-, .-
JOHN N. STONE.
To Irving C. Stone. s--.,
P. g.. Your ''sense of duty" thst
prompted the letter, must say, has
been long time in getting aroused
some IT years. 1t is the first letter, in
fact you have ever written me since ron
ran away in that clandestine manner,
which left your then aged grandfather,
by whom you had always been petted
more than his own children, in the deep
est solicitnde and concern about you, f'r
a long period Of time. Your manhood
is truly an earnest of the ungrateful boy
J.N.S.
The boy TO his kindred-ths man 10
his country.