The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-09-26
a Soldiers widow Answers PrcslIen
Johnson.

JOnnSOns
The Philadelphia Press of Friday
morning publishes the following letter,
addressed
To Mr.. Amdrctc JohuSon, President OF
the United States OF -AmeJ'icd:
DEAR SIR: In the speech delivered
by you at Cleveland, Ohio. on your
way to Chicago, and which, | suppose,
was reported correctly, you ask "Who
made greater sacrifices in the war than
|? Who suffered more than II" tEc,
Now, take for granted Ihnt To these
questions you expect. from some quar-
ter, n reply, or you would not have
prOpOundcd them. So far as my
knowledge extends, up to this time.
no one has taken the task. Therefore,
l myself, although but very humble
woman, scarcely known beyond tn"
street live in, will venture to furnish
an answer. Aud when have done so,
| will submit to the Just judgmen, OF
the world whether, on the score of" suf-
feringS," and "SncritiCeS," III there be
nothing else) your claims to popular
sympathy and support bear any COM
parisOn to mine.
Before the rebellion, sir, had II hus
bgp. kind, loving, industrious, eConO-
micnl, who, for myself and our four
little ones, made comfortable provision.
Our home WIS the abode of peace and
plenty. What has become of him? He
WAS starved to death at AuderSonVillp,
aud that by the ''chivHlric" men whom
YOUR "pOliCv" would Euin restore. with
out repentance, TO the head of our Gov
eminent. Since then have been try
ing my best to earn bread for my little
ones by plying the needle. AT times,
when that kind of employment has
failed me, / have been Obliged to stand,
from early morn till night, over the
wash tub. had TWO brothers, steady
men, kind and generous. Had the re-
bellion left them as it found them,
pinching poverty should have never
known. Alas alas one of them per-
ished from exposure and want on Belle
Island, and the other had his right arm
taken of by rebel shell Mt Antietnm.
| He cannot assist me- The privntions
and hnrdships have to endure have so
shattered my own health and strength
that feel, Mt times, unable even 10 en-
dure the fatigue of plying the needle.
So that, except my trust in II merciful
God, have sacrificed for my country
my all-husband, brothers, house,
home, living-and am cast, bcggur,
on the cold charity of the world. And
all this / owe 10 the Sou hern Slnve
holders, and to their iniquit0us attempt
| to murder my beloved country, as they
did murder my husband and my
| brothers.
Now, Mr.. Johnson, since you invite
II comparison, what have you suffered?
Exhibit your sears, and wounds and
| bruises Did you lose ii leg or IN arm,
or were you ever SO much as scratched
or bruised? Where is the blood VOu
shed? Would it stain white cum6riC
pocket handkerchief? How much
property did you lose? Why, ii report
| speaks true, during most of the time oil
the war you were living on the ''fnt OF
| l. =
| way, protected, as you were, by Union
bayonets. Out of Uncle SANS over
flowing cOmmissary stores You drew
plenty to eat and to dTimk-Ihe best OF
meats, and what was OF still more CON
sequence to you, the choicest of liquors
Add to this your handsome salary ms
Military Governor. Then the great
| Union party, whom yon have since SO
foully betrayed, made you Vice Presi-
dent, with n salary of IS 900 per annum.
| Then, TO crown it all, John Wilkes
Booth made you President, and there
you arc yet, 10 the tune of $25, 900 a
year, with "fEimS." The rebellion
found you, ! learn. comparatively IA
poor man. Now you are rich, with n
sound body, not to speak of your mind,
whose soundness is not SO certain.
You, Andrew johnson, talk of your
sacrifices, and your suffcrings, and
challenge comparison. File, iie upon
you Why, sir, upon that score |
Dug hit to DO Americas Queen, and yOm
ought to be sweating over the wash tub
And now, sir, are your questions as TO
who suffered more than you, who sac
riticed more than you by renson of the
war, answered? lid, sir, and know
hundreds of poor women, tossed from
the height Ofinflnence into the vale OF
penury and want, who have suffered
ten thousand times more than yOu, and
are making no OstentntiOus parade of it.,
either. Yours, respectfully,
MARY JANE CINTHERWAITE
a Soldiers widow, and the mother OF
four fntherless children.
PHILADELPHIA, Sept. Z, 1866.