The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1865-04-20
FOole Defines His Position Pas
mud Present --..-aa
To the EDITOR Of the New York Times.

To the EDITOR Of the New York Times.
I am duly grateful. I assure Won, for 'hf
\ courtesy exercised by you in repuhlixhine
my vindicatory card in the Herald, accord
ing 20 request. This is no time for cnntro
versv, and am certainly not in The humo1
for controversial discussion with any human
being or upon any subject whatever. NJ,
heart is intensely agoniz-d over the suffer
inrs Of nv counnvmen. both North anc
South, and the general destruction in recen
battles, Of seine of nv nearest kindred ant
dearest friends But as reputation and per
+ sonak honor are about all that is now lrft tr
me, viii you be good enough t" allow mt
to publish few lines in your widely circn
lated journal, in response to one or two re
4 marks in yonr editorial Of tbs morning, ir
lleve. nnintentonsl Justice. You speaI
8nf me az having fed from the Richmons
Government On the contrary, cam
openly upon full notice. and avowedly 20
the purpose Of endeavorng to facilitate peac,
arrangements alone. gig ...r ....
You describe me as having been esnsllec
from the Confederate Congress. I voIun,s
r'iy sbd'cated my seat in that body. a, Teas
two months before the adoption of Tho res
pollution of expulsion, because. as .ta.ei a
ne time. looked npon the legislative bod
with which ! found myself connected. a.
corrupt, in'becile, and servile, aud becnnse
M associates, after fastening upon tn,
South an irresponsible military despo,ism
ob<'ina'ely refused to take any steps lon the
restoration Of peace: when plainly saw
and forewarned them tha, great military ca
lamit'es were impending. which. unless
sverted by timely concessions to the Fs.s,r.
! al Government. must inevitably result in
me wide spread rnin which is now being
experienced. The vote of expu ision. proo.
|eriy considered, ia only anroof that in mind
in attachments. in habits of life. and in
character, there vas not the smallest resem
oIance or aifinity between toys.lf and he
majority OF those who psr,,ci pated in this
!'mPafent and das,a,diy &C, Of malevolence
You charge me with eccentricity. have to
say upon this point only this: Nv sccen-
triritv MS polit'cian--if, indeed, n,n ecen.
|tric-ncn<iSts in my having in 1850 SIN.
tanned the compromise measures of that nc.
Rod. in opposition to extremists. alike of
the North and of the South, in HAVING
steadily adhered to the great principle Of
embodied in those meas.
urss' from that period to the prrsen, mo-
mens; IN having resolutely opposed all at
fempts TO renew sectional agitation; in hav.
ing resisted The adoption cf the Kansas
Nebraska bill; the Lecompton Constitution;
the attempts to reopen the African slave
trade: the Introduction of a non.intervcnt;onI
plank in the Democratic Presidential Plat :.
form OF 1850: the proposition to break up]
the Federal Union because Of Mr.. Lincoln 81
election In the mode recognized by the Con
st'tutlon; in opposing the secession move
ment until civil war was already raging and
the Southern States had been already inva
ded; in opposing all attempts by the Con.
iederate authorities to punish Union men
tor the conscientious entertainment Of Union
sentiments; in opposing confscation, con.
scription and the suspension of the writ of
haosas corpus: in exposing and aiding in
the defeat Of Mr.. Davis effort to establish
despotism in the South; IN originating from
time to time, and pressing earnestly the
sending Of propositions of peace to Wash.
'ngton; IN interposing fearlessly to prevent
Union prisoners of war from being starved
TO death by an inhuman Comnissary Gen.
era'; ana, finally, in abandoning all connec.
hen with the Confederate cause when / saw
that longer ASSOCIATION Herewith would |
subject my character, both as public and !
private man, to lasting dishonor. If this is
What is meant BY eccentriciiy, / must say
glory in being regarded as eccentric, as
eel that my whole course has been in bar.
nony with principle, and that have done
,o,hing at any time OF which either gen.
ieman or patriot ought TO be ashawsd.
! have the honor to be, respectfully. your
'sssdisnt servant,
n. 8 tDorr.
The news Of the assassination OF prasi.
ent Lincoln caused sensation in Canada