Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1865-02-15
CORRESPONDENCE of the Standard

Engesh Kenny 1ose. ~---5
Correspondence of the Standard]
CAMP NEAR BELrlELD, Va, Jan. 81, 1866.
A few lines which you can insert in the Staadard
If you think proper. l am a soldier from old Nash
county, N. G.; county that is celebrated for the
best apple brandy, the finest game chickens, and
the prettiest girls in the State, and one that has
sent some brave boys to the front ever pulled
trigger. have recently returned to my command,
ana while at home had the pleasure Of perusnt, in
the columns of your paper, the able and eloquent
speech delivered by Mr.. Robt P. Dick, in favor Of
Mr. Pools resolutions. His sound augmentation,
reasoning and sublime and polished sentences, are
to the point and will cause the brave, honest and
liberty loving sons of North. Carolina to still hope
that they have yet left few wise and honest states
men at the helm of the great wheel, and ready to
contend for the sovereignty Of the States, and civil
liberty of the people, over the usurping and des-
potc powers which the ambitious and insane rulers
who have the rens of government now in hand are
endeavoring to force on them. This speech | took
with me for the purpose of reading to some of my
soldier friends and at the close of some of its beau
tiful and touching sentences, could perceive that
it was with difficulty they could suppress tear,
and it visible from their emotions that grief and
joy were blended, grief for their distressed and
bleeding country and contemplation of the gloomy
future, and joy for the hope of speedy and honor
and live in ease and prosperity. This speech is a
rouser, and is calculated to halt the most inconsd
crate and bloodthirsty fire eater and cause him to
reflect With a calm and sober second thought; but
as fer the hot headed fire eaters and original seces
sionists at the beginning Of the war, who were CO.
ing to whip the Yankees before breakfast and wipe
up all the blood split with handkerchief they are
now living strictly up to the motto that selfpreser
walton is the first law of nature have Jumped out of
the way OF the deadly missiles, and are now sitting
back in some pleasant bomb proof as happy as lords,
drinking the good brandy which the government
impressed from the honest citizens at ten dollars
per gallon; with which they expected to pay their
exorbitant taxes But the strongest war men now
the big merchants of the South and it is accord
ing to the same law, they extended their credit at
the North, promised to pay for thousands of dollars
worth Of fine goods. brought them home, sold them
out to their honest neighbors, put the money in
their pockets, ald now would rather see every man
exter,lnated than this difficulty should be settled
IN a way that the North could again have recourse
on them. This is noble patriotism 1t is said that
man is incapable of selfgovernment. This war is
fair demonstration. We once lived in nation, the
happiest and most prosperous on the face of the
earth, with every blessing it seemed possible for
God to bestow, and one that stood rre-eminent in
point of proves, civilization and commerce; but
judging from the inimical feeling and hatred that
nuw exists between the rulers of this unfortunate
country, like ancient Rome, her days are num-
bered and doom inevitable, and without such
counsellors Mr.. Dick, both North and South, will
be ruined, and then, a::er the men have been mur.
dered, all resources exhausted, we may begin to
look in earnes. Tor foreign nations to take hold not
medDsors to settle this great fratricidal difficulty
but they will come in the VOLTS garb, with sword
in one hand and torch in the other and then will
both 60 up the spout together. Yes, go glim.
mering, and like thousands of our fellow soldiers,
our bones will be mingled with theirs, and molder
on the battlefield and earlch the soil for future
generations They are gone! poor fellows, we
sympathize with them, and hope that they ars in a
better land. But can the continuance Of this great
national struggle four longer with the termi.
nation of thousands of lives more by the devouring
sword and ball, with famine and other disasters
combined retrieve their lives and bring them back
| again to their families on this earth! No! our
wise men must meet and have fair understanding,
and "gve unto Caesar the things which are Cesar's"
1t has been very justly said that the people of the
South are credulous, and therefore easily humbus-
| ged. But Mr.. Editor, l can assure you, tiiat =
large majority of the soldiers have sesn the ele.
plant, are sufficiently amused ard are now begin.
ming to cut their WiSaa.a teeth ON this sweet bone
! of foreign recognition, with other palatabe and
copcilisting dainries. To be plain and explicit, the
soldiers want peace and to effect that object they
| wish Convention of our wises: men to consult for
the best interest OF our co:ntry, and send commits
sioners to treat with the United States; and then,
if the matter cannot be amcably settled, and the
United States are not willing to propose terms that
we could accede to, then the soldiers will be better
J. satisfied for there will be but alternative loft
and that of course would produce more ,lnsnmity OF
feeling, and all arrive at the same conclusion,
70 bushwhack in swsmps and live On acorns and
roots, e
60 bare headed most naked and without boots.
Ill
grit ~. ....-l III. .,.., a e.
We will fall face foremost and die in the pit. ~..
Very respectfully, --. STINGER- :
Who IS HE?-We presume everybody wants to
know who is Francis p Blair, the man who has
eeen visiting Richmond With propositions from
Washington in regard to peace He is Printer
and for number Of years was the authorized pub
tlshe. Of the debates and proceedings of the old u
s Congress Most people in this country have
heard Of the firm of Blair & Rives," Compression
reporters and printers. Francis p Blair was the
leading member Of the firm, and he it was who ono.
made the remark that the printers ia his offic,
had done more to make great men than an thing
else combined meaning that the printers hst
corrected and put in proper shape the speeches o
members Of Congress and it must be understos,
that the material out of which to make gres
men was sometimes very scant; t,r if the speech
es OF N any public men were printed just as they
are delivered or written, the speakers reputation
q "sn art man" would he blasted forever Mr.
Is Blair Is now An old man, his vigorous days havn
been pent contemporaneousy with jackson, Clay