Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-02-06

McLernan, and Stephen A Douglas, who got
his commission about the time he died. and
carried it with him to parts unknown, and
lastly, man by the name of Andy johnson
who suppose are some relation of the Presi-
dent of the United States of Ameriky But
a man amt responsible for the conduct of
his relashuns, and don't throw it up to no.
body. I suppose that our Presideutare doin
the best he can, and Mr.. Ethridge oughtent
to be rakin up his record.
Well the war cum on, aud show enuf Lo-
gan and Cushing and McLcrnand and Butler
and Company buzzed around awhile like bum
blebees till they were bought up, and then
they it on the other side. They got their re-
ward and they are welcome to it SO far as 1
am concerned.
How is it now Mr.. Happy? They con-
quered US by the sword, but they haven't con-
vinced us of nothin much that know of. All
is lost save honor, and that they cannot steal
from us nor tarnish.
If they had held out the hand of fellowship,
we would have made friends and buried the
hatchet. But the very mint they whipped
us they began to holler treason from one end
of the country to the other, just like they had
made bran new discovery. 1t seemed to
strike them all sudden like an Xpost tacto
law, and they wanted to go into a general
hangin business, and keep it up as long as they
could find rope and timber.
Now tn. idea OF several millions of Ameri-
kan freeman being guilty OF treason at once
The idea Of applying such a crime to eleven
great suvreen States, which met in solemn
convention aud in the light of day dissolved
a Union they had created, and which had
been disualon for twenty years The idea
of applyin treason to the Old Dominion, the
,I,Eh cf %
Jefferson and Madison and Marshall and Pat
rick Henry and all the Lees, and who gave
away all the territory in the northwest for
nuthin Is she to be scandalized by these
new light christians who are compounded
from all the skum of creation, and think that
Paul and Peter and Revelations hav been for
2OOO years maxim special arrangements for
receivin their sanctifed souls in Paradise-
Treason the dickens! Where's your diction-
ary? Where's Dan Webster? Where's the
history Of the American revolution?
No 1t amt treason nor season-but its dew
ilish internal hate. What do they keep Mr..
Davis in Jail for? I hear some some say that
it amt Mr.. Johnson's voluntary dOoing; but
the tremengi gious pressure of surrounding cir
cunstances. Durn the circumstances. Amt
Mr.. Davis great and good man? If Andy
johnson amt an infidel, wouldn't he swap
chances for heaven with him and give all his
earthly estate to boot. If Mr.. Davis honor
and integrity, and patriotism, and true cour>
aye were weighed in a balance against sumner
and Stevens, and all his enemies, would mt
he outweigh en- all? Won't his conduct in
Mexico, and in the late war, and his nobility
of character live long and grow bright in his
tory, while the memory of the howns that are
baying at him i'll his dungeon will sink into
oblivion? think so-thars what say, and
I'll bet on it, and Charles O'Conner and
all the women in the country will go my
halves.
But there amt no partiklar pint in all this
Mr. Happy. Its only my opinion, that's all
l may be a tarnal fool about every thing and
don't know nuthin. I'm trying my best, how
ever, to take things just as find EN-, and my
principal bisness for the last two months hav
been weanin niggers to make EN- feel free
put EN- all out to take care of t cmselves
but they keep comm back on me- and it keeps
me workin day and night to provide for en-
I've bin willin long time for EN- to be free
if they could take care of themselves, and
don't know what Thad Stevens is fussin
about, unless he's jist mad bekaus our BOYS
burnt his iron works. If that's all, we can
plead the ruins of several similar establish
ments in these regions, and git a judgement
agtn hlm.
But I'm about through, Mr.. Happy, with
what had to say, only this-if there ever
was an aff1ikted people that needed friends
its us. If we've gOI any friends any where,
I want EN- to show their hands and stand by
us in our trouble. feel like reachin out to
the five pints of the compass in search of SYM
pathy. and if there's an honest statesmen or
brave soldier north of the line, who loves
iS 4all lokh h,,,, l.: !
meet US on half way ground We amt afeerd
Of beast or varmInts-Of devils or demons-or
Stevens or Sumner-but we'er warm heart
ed and forgivin people, and love our friends.
Amt we, AND don't We?
Yours, everlastingly,
BILL ARP.
P. SIS Brownlow ded yit? I'm writin
his obituary, and thot I'd like the sad event
to come off as soon as possible. l wish you'd
send me list of your members who voted for
that resolution declarin Gen. Lee and Mr.