Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1864-02-09

DR.. Geo. w. Robertson, Of Phitteyille.
40 Assistant Surgeon Of the Army Of the
West. writes an interesting letter % the
Witness his topic for notice being poit-
zeal 10 some extent. lie atiirms that
Grants army will generally re-enlist, cor.
trary to report 10 sams quarters. Says
there are many Old citiz about Vicks-
burg that are union men, but generally
their daughters are real or open rebels,
While their wises are more discreet if they
are less honest.
Dr. Robertson Is an old Virginian and
by nature man of strong attachments Tor
Anticipated notienss such as Southern De
mociacy and institutions peculiar to the
South; his religion also has q southern bias
and SO his domestic notions of life conduct.
These led him toilnbibe deeply Of Copper
head sympathics; yet SO strong We're sill
his attachmdats for the old Constitution
and Union that he held on to them, he
scarcely knew how or Why, perhaps also
from early habt--for it was the habit OF
old Virginians until quite recent period
to extol the Constitution and Union, and
sveu by.tlnles To speak in terms of venera-
| lion for tie old Declaration. That his opn'
lens are changing from conditional anioa
sympsthi-s and will soon reach and speed
i Iy pass the point of the Union at all haz-
ards-negfo or no negro. slavery or no
slavery. and that he will yet indorse confis,
cation, proclamation and if need be, amt
hildtion, we have not shade OF doubt.
SO it is with strong human nature, even
with the nature that has deeply imbihed
| Virginia policies. that to yield any point IN
southern chivalry must surely lead TO to-
tai dissolution Of all that binds the false
theories of Calhoun. No man has yet
withstood the temptations of liberty after
having ones yielded point 10 his heart.
for the two systems OF slavery and Liberty
have no half way ground; a man Of com
mon sense, like DIR. Robertson, especially
with his mental discipline and ripe percvp-
tons, dares not imhihe any one Of the
truths of anti slavery, except at the expense
of yielding his entire code Of slavery no
tiuns. Ard so general is the case with
southern men as to amount to law, that
whenever one of them yields point to
abolition, all is bound to follows surren-
der of all that Belongs to slavery, an adop-
ton OF entirely new principles-such Of
/ the radical kind.
What Or. Robertson says Of negro sol
diers follows aud shows that, if not conf
dent Of their usefulness, he is al least pa
sise, and with any future good service OF
their part. will BE- endorsed by him as :
nation OF braves; he says, -.
.The quality aud utility of aegro sol
diers have long been questions o. dispute
have observed them daily, and have
made inquiries Of officers in command Of
them, and think the facts are, thu they
are more duh and difficult to make under
stand, aud not so courageous as a genera
thing, but they are more docie and easi,
contsolled I,ss rebeilous. and viii maks
first rate soldiers. The negroes here p
both sexes are many grades higher thar
those of Maryland. | am Informed thai
nearly all that remain here were field hands
most Of the house servants having left with
their owners. Persons here who rrtain
their servants pay them stipulated wages
just as persons do who have rented c..tton
plantations Of government. But al the
rate goods sell here. their wages will pol
more than procure their needful clothing
eight to ten dollars per month, and pei
centsge taken out Of that for Goyernlnerl
purposes"