Charles City intelligencer. [volume] (Charles City, Floyd County, Iowa) 1864-1866, 1865-05-18

diers, and the great majority of the
colored people believed the sad intelli-
gence. They fell it too. l never saw
a people
$50 dull, so dead in look, SO wo- -begone!"
The countenance Of the negro when
in repose is, in my opinion, melancholy;
but then the expression of their coun-
tenance was that of sadness, or deep
detection. Some of them asked me in
all seriousness if they would /" have to
go back again into slavery" / could
see that my emphatic No" produced
but slight change upon their counte-
nances. Some of their masters and
mistresses, residents of Natchez and
its suburbs, were ministers of cruelty.
Not few of them are still traitors,
though they have taken the oath " to
secure the protection of their valuable
property and worthless selves.
As | have but one public service on
the Sabbath, viz, at half past two
o'clock p. NJ, attend some church in
the city in the morning. The first
attended was the Presbyterian church.
The sermon was good one, but the
prayers were deficient. The Rev. gen.
tleman forgot to pray for the noble
President of the United States-to say
anything of the army and navy.
went again the following Sabbath and
again our rulers and defenders of the
nation were forgotten. Sol determined
to go OH the next Sabbath to church
where the prayer, for the President
of these United States, and all who
have authority over u.s." was written,
and thought would certainly be read
by the preacher if his heart was in
the right place.
The Sabbath came and went to the
Episcopal church. There were two
preachers-father and son--employed
in this church, but neither of them. it
seemed, could find the prayer for the
President Grieved, mortified and
may as well say it-angry, left that
church also and concluded to go to
the Methodist Episcopal church on next
Sabbath. The pastor of that church
had been too unwell to preach for few
Sabbaths, but had so far recovered as to
be able to preach again. Well,
went to the Methodist Episcopal church,
heard fair sermon but no prayer for
President or rulers.
The Baptist pulpit is filled by q
missionary from the North who is 10y
al all over so, too, is his colleague.
There is also a Congregational minis
ter here from the North, as true and
loyal as the starry banner. Also a
venerable old Methodist, employed by
the Christian Commission, who is as
true as steel. ........ ..... .
Now, you would very naturally sup
pose that one of these loyal ministers
would have been appointed Chaplain
on the solemn occasion mentioned
above-the funeral obsequies of the
President. At least, neither you nor
amy other Northern loyalist, would for
moment suppose that minister who
would not, and did not pray for the
President when living, would be iari-
ted, or appointed by loyalists either civ
il or military, to act as chief mourn
er or Chaplain at the funeral But it
was even so. One of those three
ministers first mentioned one of those
ministers who ignored the rulers of
the land, and passed by the President
in contemptuous silence in the Sanctu-
airy of God, was appointed Chaplain.
IL this was not an insult to those 10y
al clergymen speak of, it was GER
tainly very offensive. 1t looked like
an insult offered to the illustrious and
deceased President, and an indignity
to the thousands of his loyal and de-
voted friends gathered together on
that day to do him honor. / will not
say that all the good and the true felt
as | did, but many did, and not few
gave vent to their feelings in words
not easily misunderstood.
The day after the "funereal obse.
quies," am told, Brig. Gen. j. w
Davidson, commanding the District OF
Natchez, had an interview with the
clergy of the city. What the Gener
al said or did know not, but l an
credibly informed that on last Sabbath
the first after the funeral obsequies
every minister in the city prayed fol
the present President of these United
States. ] know this was the case il
the Episcopal church for heard the
prayer, and heartily responded to it.
attended this church in the morn
ing in compliance with arequest made
| by the General, that the officers Of his
command would attend service there
on that day. know not whether
Gen. Davidson is or is not member
of the Episcopal church, but Adjutan
General Thomas is, and when he Wis
its Natchez and remains over Sabbath
he and his staff always attend
i | have had two short interview.
with Gen. Thomas. He is neither
proud nor pompous. Ifound him affa
BILE and courteous, and eminently socia
and sociable. | was told by one 0
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