Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1865-12-19


the same feelings of enmity to Union men tha
you have in this controversy, our prospects fol
getting out of the cold would he gloomy in
deed.
Whether felt any feelings of kindness and sym
pathy for those who in the Soul thern army ant
who visited my house during the tour years strug
gle and whether gave substantial evidence of kind
ness and sympathy, is not for me to say. / am per
fectly willing that the sick spd hungry who visited
my house shall answer and say, that there is
not one, out of the hundreds who have called at my
door, that will complain that myself or family showeo
them evidences of sympathy or kindness. And
yet 10y family he known to have pretty strong
feelings of sympathy for the success of the South
and who did what they could for the soldiers at home
and in the field had to be insuted by some who wish.
ed to be called men and Christians, while was far
from home. Yes, sir. those and professed Chris
tians made suggestions which the meanest colo ed
man in the county would not be mean enough to car
ry OUT and it is we'll for ell concerned that they
disappointed in their evil purposes.
In justice must say that the latter remarks
are not made for Mr.. McCue. Though l may
have some reason to complain of his course to-
ward the Brethren Church. I believe he is too
much of gentleman to be guilty of any thing so
dastardly and mean.
You enquire, of me Major, if, while "deeply
deplere the loss of the many brave men who have
fallen in defence of the Government, and deeply
sympathize with the many who mourn the loss Of
loved ones,' whether felt no sympathy for the
many who fell in the Southern army Yes SIR,
and for the many broken, bleeding and stricken
hearts that are to be found in every direction.
have heart to sympathize with that father and
mo ther, who with grief depicted in their coun
tenances xclaim, "Joseph is not, and Simeon is
not, and ye will also take Benjamin away" And
while in the discharge of my ministerial duties
have met the poor disconsolate widow, and her
ragged helpless children, whose husband and
father was torn away from them, / have felt sick
at hear and directed them to the only true source
where comfort could be foupd. Now let me say
to you, Maj Or that have travelled Southwest and
have seen the effects Of war in Lexington in the
burning and destroying of property, have trav.
elled down the Valley to the Potomac and have
seen all the destruction you so graphically des-
scribe in your communication. l have seen the
'bereaved parents, the heartbroken widow, the
helpless orphan, and it would require heart Of
steel not to feel distressed at the sight But sir,
do not feel remorse. My conscience does not
tell me that it is my work, or the result of my
teachings. look upon all this destruction and
misery as the legitimate fruit of secession, which
was, as Mr.. Rhett says, in contemplation for the
last thirty years. What did the leading polii-
clans Of Virginia say, before Virginia was
dragged or sought to be dragged out of the
Union. Did they not teach that secession was
unconstitutional, impolitic and unwise7 Did not
the leading men Of our own county tell us that
secession meant war, destruction, and misery
yet notwithstanding all this teaching and all these
warnings, the majority Of the people were at
lengi led to believe that secession would be
panacea for all their grievances and complaints,
but in the end we find that instead of secession
being panacea it is found to be Pendora's box
out Of which came nothing but misery and ruin
Do not tell me, sir that but the United Bretb
rem and one or two other denominations who were
anti slavery in their views were the only persons
in he South who stood opposed to secession, and
who did not labor and pray for the success of the
Southern cause. If am not mistaken majori-
ty of the members elect to Congress, from Vir-
gi nia, have said that they could conscientiously
take the oath, that they have done nothing will
fully to aid the so called Confederacy and did
not nearly oil the papers in Virginia, urge the
people to elect only those who could take the
prescribed oath But none Of these heightened
gentlemen are members of the U. B. Church. If
they had been, you doubt would have made it
your special business to hold them up before the
world as traitors, and as worthy Of the fate of
Arnold. You can find no words OF condemnation
strong enough when speaking of myself and breth-
rem, who have always been in heart attach ed to
the Union, and who have clung to it as the pal
ladium of our hopes. You are giving ug, sir, O
record that we are proud of, record that will
do us honor, when the doctrine Of secession will
be abhorred by oil the true lovers of their coun-
try. We are not ashamed to say in the language
| OF Mr.. Lewis, the worthy competitor of Mr.. Stu.
art. "We have always been in favor of the United
States May the Union Of the States be perpet-
uated forever, is the ardent desire of my heart.
We may be cast down, but we shall not b, des.
troyed. The great efforts yon and others have
made to misrepresent me and the U. B. Church
may for time appear to succeed, but none O,
| these things shall move us from what we con.
scientiously believe to be right. When I find
that the ministers in their visits, the physician
as ne visits his patients and the ED er in the
Church when he visits his friends, and all the
enemies of our Zion as they mix with the commu.
nifty, are united in their efforts to misrepresent
the action Of one who has gone in and out anon
them for a number of years, am not surprised
that am met with coldness, and that some who
were my professed friends, should turn against
me. My communication is already too long, bu,
yet will say this, that my feelings towards my
brethren and friends of other denominations are
unchanged, and | shall endeavour to love oil and
pray for all whether they be friend or foe..
]. J. GLOSSBRENNER.
LANCASTER County, Pa.
Beast Butler.
| The following reSo1u finn 1vos oaro..J =: ~ "