Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1864-09-30
HEADQ'Rs, MILITARY DIVISION
OF THE MISSISSIPPI,

In the Field, Atlanta, Sept 70, 1854
james III. Calhoun, Mayor, L. Il. Ra,osoe
and L. g. Wells, representing City Cow''-
Gil Of Atlanta:
GENTLEMEN Il have your letter of the
18th in tho nature of petition to revoke
my orders removing tho inhabitants from
Atlanta. l have read it carefully and give
full credit to statements of the distress &C.
casioned by it, and yet shall not revoke my
orders, simply because my orders are not
designed to meet the humanities of the
case, but to prepare for future struggles in
which millions, yea hundreds OF millions of
good people outside of Atlanta have a deep
interest. We must have peace, not only
at Atlanta, but in all America. To secure
this we must stop the war that now desc
lates our once happy and favored country.
To stop the war we must defeat the rebel
armies that are arrayed against the laws
and constitution which all must respect
and obey.
To defeat those armies we must prepare
the way to reach them in their rccesses,
provided with the arms and instruments
which enable US to accomplish our pur-
poses. Now | know the vindictive nature
Qfour enemy, and that we may have many
years OF military operations from this quar-
;er, and therefore deem it wise and pru-
dent to prepare in time. The use of At
laDtaf for warlike purposes is inconsistent
with its character as 4 home Tor families.
There will he no manufactures, commerce
or agriculture here for the maintenance Of
families, and sooner or later want will COM
pei the inhabitants to 90. Why not 90
now, when all the arrangements are COM
pleted for the transfer, instead of waiting
till the plungiEg shot Of contending armies
will renew the scenes Of the past month
OF course l Go not apprehend any such
thing at this moment, but you do not sup
pose that the army will be here till the
war is over.
I cannot discuss this subject to you fair
", because | cannot impart to you what
propose 60 do, but assert that my militia
nv plans make it necessary for the inhabi-
tants to 90 away, and l can only renew
my offer Of services to make their exodus
in any direction as e:sy and comfortable
rs possible.
You cannot qualify war in harsher terms
than will. War is cruelty, and you can
not refine it; and those who brought war
into our country deserve all The curses and
maledrctions II people can pour ont.
know had no hand in making this war,
and ! know l will make more sacrifices to-
day than any of you to secure peace. But
You cannot have peace OH a division Of our
country. If the United States submits to
a division now it will not stop, but will 90
on till we reap the fate of Mexico, which
is eternal war.
The United States does. and must assert
its authority wherever it ever had pow er; if
it relaxes one bit to pressure it is gone, and
| know that such is the national policy
This policy assumes various shapes, but al
ways comes back to that of Union. Once
admit the Union, once more acknowledge
the authority of tho national government,
and instead OF devoting your houses and
streets, and roads to the dread uses OF war,
l and this army become at once your pro-
tectors and supporters, shielding You from
| danger, let it come from what quarter it
mayed know that few individuals cannot
resist torrent of error and passion, such
as swept the South into rebellion, but you
can part out, so that we may know those
who desire government and those who
+ insist on war and its dessolation
You might as well appeal against the
+ thunder storm as against those terrible
| hardShips of war. They are inevitable,
and the only way the people of Atlanta can
| hope once more to live in peace and quiet
at home is to stop the war, which can alone
be done by admitting that it began in error
and is perpetuated in pride. We don't
want your negroes, or your horses, or your
houses, or your lands, or anything you
have, but we do want and will have a just
obedience to the laws of the United States
| That we will have, and fit involves the de
struction of your Improvements we cannot
help it. You have heretofore read public
sentiment in your newspapers that live by
| falsehood and on excite ment, and the quick
/ er you seek for truth in other quarters the
hetter for Enu. ] repeat then. that by tht