The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1866-09-15
The commandments.

The Conservative /" party of Maryland
thought it best in order to catch the votes OF a
few Of the Maryland soldiers, to nominate man
who had been identified with the Union army as
their candidate for Comptroller. But while he
must have been in the army, he must also have
entertained views sufficiently conservative, to
gain the support of the Democracy of the State,
without whose support conservatism could MT
elect Constable in the State. They found
their man, in the person Of Col. William J.
Leonard, whilom commander of the Purnell Lee
gion. He suited them, and well he might. de
dealt tenderly with rebels; he took particular
care to hurt none of them, and in fact to protect
his precious person from their sight altogether.
This would do for his military record, and his
political proclivites were equally faultlesS. He
opposed emancipation, and declared he would
"never draw his sword" if Lincoln signed the
act emancipating the negroes in the District of
Columbia, and since he ''retired" from the army
his views have been so emine'tly conservative
as to rather tend the other acay. In fact, he was
something like the man who was so straight that
he bent over backwards. He would just suit the
copperheads, and the copperheads nominated him.
In reference to portion of the military histo-
ry of this gallant Colonel, we have been handed
tho following letter, written by citizen of this
county, formerly a Staff officer of the Purnell
Legion. 1t shows up Leonard pretty we'll
BALTIMORE County, August 2sth, 1866.
Dear Il
suppose the Rebs of all grades will say we
will have an opportunity of voting for fair rep
resentative Maryland soldier by their presenting
Leonard, of Salisbury. was going TO call him
renegade Union man, but that would not be
true He neUer qcas loyal. He commenced his
military career with disloyal expression. He
came into the headquarters of his Regiment one
evening, soon after his being appointed to the
command, with the full uniform of Colonel Of
the U. S. A., sword, sash, belt and all, upon
| his disloyal carcass. He took up an afternoon
edition of The american, and after reading it a
few minutes, threw it down and sprung to his
feet, unbuckled his sword, threw it from him,
and, in apparent great rage, exclaimed " II
abraham Lincoln signs that act enaancipatang the
neqroes of the District of Columbia, AM NO LONGER
SOLDIER and a0iI neOer draO my sword IN de-
fence of such A DAMNED ABOLITION GOVERNMENT i
True to his word, he ne0er did draw has sword
to fight for has country, and used what influence
he had openly and covertly, to prevent the Reg
iment he commanded from doing any service,
Wlere Ll6TG WAS SuppOSOu W OC "hJ
Thanks to fortunate combination of clrcum-
stances, COL Samuel Graham who is by no
means personal friend of mine got the COM
mand, and rescued from disgrace as noble reg
iment as the world ever saw.
Possibly, you may think my statement his
not fighting J incorrect, as he was prisoner in
Libby If your friend and mine, Adjutant -,
was alive, could prove by what cowardly means
he had his Regiment removed from Rappahan-
mock Station while a fight was going onin sight !:
how when he reached Catett's Station, he gave
the command to It. Col. Simpson, and, as he
supposed, moved further on out of danger, feign-
ing sickness and looking for shelter, though it
was midsummer and four houses at the place,
the largest of which the family still occupied.
could also prove that he is not worthy of being
trusted with five dollars by record of his mill
tary history
Yet this man offers himself as bait for the
votes of loyal men for an Office Of trust. Let US
do what we can to defeat him. Very respectful
| ly, your obedient servant,
P. San interesting story could be told Of
his sitting, watching his drummer boys burning
the factory and village of Waterloo, through
pure wantonness. For particulars inquire of
- Yours &c.