The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-10-01
A RECONSTRUCTED REBEL.
General Williams G. wickhRm on the
Issues of the Day.

HANOVER COUNTY, Va, September %.


Issues of the Day.
HANOVER COUNTY, Va, September 2S.
To ne Editor Of che Richmond WRig:-
Sm:-In the Dispatch of to-day appears the follow.
ing edItoual-
Fan Ex.REBEL OFFIcER's OPINION OF THE
LOYALTY OF THE PEOPLE -Phe following letter
from distinp uished officer OF the Rebel army was
read by .he Hon. John M Boits at che Union meet
ing at Paterson, Now Jersey, on Wednesday even
ing last, and Is highly commended b, the New ork
Tribune. The publ OF this section will be very apt
TO fix its authorship upon an officer not below the
rank of Genera, who has for years been a warm
friend of Mr. Bctts. lie Is bad as Bolts himself"
. AHbOuRh my name Is not nentloheu learn tuHt
II IS supposed that am alluded to And "a, so tar
as know, 1 am the only officer" IN this sec ion,
mot below the RANK OF General who has Tor years
been warm friend of Mr. BoJts," am forced so
TO conclude ana to regard this part of the sYs-
tematic effort set on foot and diligently Kept up, Tor
the past twelve months, 10y those who have al ways
been my DO ltlcal opponents covertly to lnure me
In the good OPINION OF those amOngst whom live,
and to tue advancement OF whose Interests nearly
the whole OF the pas en- years OF my lie has been
exclusively devoted
/ am not the author of the letter read by Mr.
Bolts In friendship which has existed for twenty
five years between MIR. Bolts and myself we have
sometimes differed upon political matters Ihere
are points upon which we now differ. He advocates
'scopstitutiona inhibition from eligibility to office
all participants in the Rebellion" l wish all
such TO be made equal wi others under the Consl'
tuiion and law, but then want fair field and an
appeal to the people, not again to trust with the
manage ment OF tier public affairs those men whose
incapactY for such management eliminated IN seces.
sion and its attendant and consequent tram OF
horrors.
as Il 0 gr, atest III that cou betall us.
When tne war was brought on was not going to
deseIt my own people, wrong or right a0an-
doned three severa public positions either one OF
winch would have Exempted me from military ser
vice, and went INTO the fed, where rose without
solicitation upaided by eXtranoOus influence, and
IN spite OF my Gnown political OPINIONS, from cap
taircy to the rank or a general officer. was
elected to the Goned rate CONGRESS ana tnuS aga
became exempt from military service. but l. wouIo
not leave 10 the care of another the noble brigade
which looked TO me as Its leader in the cam
paien Of 1864 and thus again l was volunteer
for hardship and danger whist many of those
who now malign me were shelterlng their car
cases behind petty offices, under Congressional
exemptions, or in bomb.p proofs, and yet, notwlth-
standing tins, am denounced, covertly denounced,
by those who wish, for their own ends, to destroy
my influence with our people, because, forsooth,
have remained steadfast IN the political principles
have always entertained, and because have dared
to say that disunIOnIsm, which fist manifested its
power The disruption of the democratic party at
Charles on, and the organlza ION OF the Breckln-
ridge party, and cu minated in the overthrow OF the
unbounded prosperity OF Virginia and the Souih,
was, IN great par. the Ork OF secession leaders,
and that the people should not again trust its instI
gators with the MANAGEMENT of their public affairs.
i want no constltut onal inhlbltlons, but want
the people to show those men who s'eered the snip
out OF safe barbor upon nous breakers, that they
will hold them accountable for 1t; and If we are
permitted quietly 10 manage our own affairs,
firmly believe that their good sene will cause them
to do So For my self, accept fully and completely
the results of the war. am III favor OF
perfect and entire reconci'iatiOn. social and
p0Iltlcal, L regard tne Wnole Uuteu states
as my own country; 1 will LOOK with
as much pride as in former days upon
its growing grandeur, and above alt l snail devote
my whole energy to the resusc tation of the shat.
tered fortunes of Virginia as one OF te best means
of increasing that grandeur. shall labor most
earnestly to restore to al the States every eg.tI.
mate, constitutional right OF the States-In which
restoration massachusetts, has the same future in
terest with VlrgLla nor snail all lowiau the clamor
of these would be Democratic leaders, to whose
Oucrles | have long been accustomed, TO deter me
from following such line of policy in my opinion
is best calculated 10 attain these ends.
Your Obedlent servant,
WILLIAMS G. WICKHAM.