The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-30

OF the defeated army, my determination
to keep alive the sad reminesceuces of
the past. You would perhaps grant
that l had a right, although I hope that
you would doubt the propriety, OF my
circulating such a document, even
among my W sympathizing neigh
bOrs. But l am sure you would deny the
right to fiaunt my unpatfiotic language
in the face of any one who, like your,
self, had held an important military pos
ition under the opposing Government
Sure l am that. with your keenly sensi
tive nature, you would not allow such q
paper to- remain long. In your presence,
The feelings excited by 1t would, OF
TO be still suffering from personal mis-
fortunes caused by the war. In your
opinion, l should be wanting in that
common courtesy which is due from
man to man, that l feel assured your in
dignation would arise against that
which, II 1t had not been so thrust In
your presence, would be passed by as
imp0tent or foolish. But you would
scorn to receive the document, and al
though your letter informing me Of the
fact might not contain expressions
which ''no gentleman would send to
another" the ideas In II would be near
ly, II not exactly identical with those
contained In my first communication to
you. l have thus answered your COM
munication. Nobody regrets more than
L do, such exhibitions of feeling be-
tween the North and the South. Sim
ners alike, both North and South, in
our support Of the gigantic enormity
of human slavery, the dire cause OF
all U woes, we have all suffered, and
should be modest and ~forbearing one
towards another. You OF the South first
appealed to the dread arbitrament of
war. We Of the North accepted it un-
willingly, but as Gods decree, and man
fully have both sides fought. Treasure
of untold amounts, and blood most pre-
cious, have been sacrificed on both sides,
and 1t i'll becomes q member of the pro-
fession whose brightest ornament Is its
humanity, to set the example of stirring
ill-feeling between two sections of our
common country. Some less impulsive
thanI would perhaps have counselled
silence on my part but as l now calmly
review all that 1 have written. l see
nothing / can really retract and / feel
/ should have been wanting in self
respect, II / had not frankly ex expressed
you my exact views of your doings in
the premises.
1 remain, yours, &c.
HENRY /. BowDITCH.
RICHMOND, VA, Dec. IS, 1885.
SIR-Your letter of the 14th ultimo
has ut length been received. 7 will not
be forced into the position of having
sent q challenge to a non.combatant ;
my letter cannot justly be SO construed.
The Richmond Medical Journal was
sent to you, as 1t was to prominent ply
sicians elsewhere. All letters, SO far re-
ceived, have been.most gratifying, and
many Of these letters have bsssp { q by
PpffoSmsfnent positions in civil and
military life-physicians certainly not
your interiors, in either patriotism
or cultivation. Until thus enlightened
l had not supposed it possible that any
n could be insulted by a statement OF
the simple fact that I had occupied the
position of Medical Director aud Inspec-
tor in the late confederate army, and
that, in virtue of such position I had &C.
quired the Information published. I
will not attempt to answer your homily
on the moral and poltical obligations Of
and individuals / may be in
but, in such a correspondence, 1
cannot appreciate the relevancy of such
subjects. 1t is, / submit, unjust to the
memory OF Cervantes to assume that he
could possibly select for a hero one who,
after wantonly insulting a gentleman,
can find only amusement in the request
that he will hold himself personally res
ponsible for his conduct.
lam, etc.,
r.. s. GAILLARD.
DR.. H. I. BowDrTcH, Boston, Mass.