Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1864-09-28
mept has resisted this fundamental; principle

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mept has resisted this fundamental principle
of free institutions with theebayonet, and
labors daily by force and fraud to: fasteu its
hateful tyranny upon, the unfortunate free
men of these States. You say We falsifsd
the vote of Louisiana The truth is, Loui.
siana not only separated herself from your
Government by nearly sunanimous vote of
her people, but has vindicated the act upon
every battlefield from Gettysburg to. the
Sabine, and has exhibited q heroic deyotiOn
to her decision which challenges the.admi-
ration and respect Of every man> capable Of
feeling sympathy for the oppressed or admit.
ration for heroic valor. You say we turned
loose pirates toplunder your unarmed ships.
The truth is, when you robbed us Of our
part of the navy, we built and .boughta few
vessels, hoisted the flag of our country, and
swept the seas In defance'o Of yoursnsyy a.
round the whole circumference; of the globe.
You say we have expelled Union families
by thousands. The truth is, not single
family has been expelled from the Confed-
crate States, that I am aware of, but on the
contrary, the moderation Of our Government
towards traitors has been fruitful theme Of
|denunciation by its enemies, and well mean.
ing friends of our cause. You say my Gov
ernment by acts of Congress has con6scated
stall debts due Northern men for goods sold
and delivered" The TRUTHS, our Congress
gave due and ample time to yourmerchants
and traders to depart from our shores with
their ships, goods and effects, and,onlyse-
questrated the property of our enemies in
retaliation.for their acts declaring us traitors
and confscating our property wherevertheir
power extended either in their country. or
our own. Such ara your accusations, and
such, are the facts known of all men to be
true. . ..-. - ...;- - :,
F You order into exile the whole population
of city, drive men, women and children:
from their homes at the point of the bayonet
under the plea that it is to the interest of
your Government, and on the claim that
this is an. act Of "kindpess to these people
of Atlanta" Butler, only banished from
New Orleans, the registered enemies of.his
Government, and acknowledge that he did
it as punishment. You issue a sweeping
edict covering all the inhabitants of city
and add insult to the injury heaped upon
the defenceless by assuming that you have
done. them kindness. This you follow by
the assertion that you will 'tmake as much
sacrifice for the peace and honor Of the
South as the best born Southron." And
because characterize what you call kind
ness as being real cruelty, you presume to
sit in judgment between me and my God,
and you decide that my earnest prayer to the
Almighty Father to save our women and
children from what you call Kindness is q
''sacrilegious, hypocritical appeal"
You come into our country with your ar
my avowedly for the purpose of subjugating
free white men, women and children and
not only intend to rule over them, but you
make negroes your allies and desire to place
over us an inferior race, which we have
raised from barbarism to its present position,
which is the highest ever attained by that
race in any country in all time. must,
therefore, decline to accept your statements
in reference to- your kindness towards the
people of Atlanta, and your willingness to
sacrifice everything for the peace and honor
of the South, and refuse to be governed by
your decision in regard to matters between
myself, my country, and my God. :,
You say, "let .us fight it out like men,"
To this my.reply is, for myself, and, ]. be-
lieve, for all true men, aye and women and
children, in my country, We will fight You
to the death. Better die thousand deaths
than to >submitto live under you or your
Government, and your negro allies.
Having answered the points forced upon
me by your letter of the 9th September, l
close this correspondence with you, and not
withstanding your comments upon my ap-
peal to God in the cause of humanity, /
again invoke His Almighty aid in defence
of justice and right.
Respectfully, your obedient servant,
(signed) j. B. HOOD, General
[Oficial copy.]
F. H. WIGFALL, A. D. c..