The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-10-25
Letter Of the Hon. John Z. Potter TO the
President.
q. S. CONSULATE GENERAL, B. n, A. P,
MONTREAL, Sept. 20, 1866.
| 10 me Pyesi6eDt of the L2,5{eI States

! q. S. CONSULATE GENERAL, B. n, A. p
MONTREAL, Sept. 90 1866.
10 the Prestdent IF the Un5ted States
SIR: But little moro than two years
ago, our iliustrious and honored predeces
sor, the lamented Lincoln, conferred upon
me without solicitation the position of Con.
sol General for the British North American
Provinces, which have held up to the
present time. When | came here, the
fearful conflict of arms, from which our ma
ton has but recently emerged, was still in
progress and found very large party in
these Provinces led on by Rebel elnissaries
from the South, and encouraged by the DO
itical organs of the Canadian Government,
animated by bitter hostility to the Gov
eminent of the United States and loud in the
expression of their desire that the Union OF
the States should be severed and our nation
ii power forever destroyed. Their sympa-
thy with Rebels in arms against us was
warm and outspoken. They mad with them
in active coo operation the Provincial Judges
and the courts over which they presided,
with a very few honorable exceptions. The
press III the interest of the administration
was d&ly filled with the most bitter and
and violent denuucations of our Govern
ment and with the viIest personal abuse it's
then honored chief After his assassination,
and on your accession to the Presidency,
this slauderous abuse was transferred to
yourself and became especially violent and
nusparing after your enunciation of those
patriotic sentiments in relatin to the guilty
nstigators Of the bloodshed aud strife which
had deluged our fair land with the best
blood Of the nation, in which you declared
that the men who gave their influence
and means to destroy the Government
should not participate in the great work Of
reorganization that those who brought
this misery upon the State should not be
permitted to control its destines that if
this were allowed, then all the precious
blood of our brave soldiers and officers will
have been wantonly spilled, all the glori-
Gus victories won by our noble armies 90
for naught; and all the battie-fields which
nave been sowed with dead heroes du-
ring the Rebellion will have been made
menoranle IN VAIN. y" AS proof of the in
lenslty Of this feeling, | would respectful
ly refer you to the vile charge pubclily
made iii the Newspapers Of this city, over
the signatures Of two of the leading men OF
the Rebellion then resident here, against
yourself as having instigated the assa8sina
ton Of President Lincoln. AS soon, how.
ever as you had indicated a radical change
in your policy toward the Rebels almost
as great and astounding was apparent here
Iamong those to whom | have alluded
Those men who continued to Willy, slandel
and abuse MIR. Lincoln up to the time of his
assassination, including the Rebel emissa-
ries FROM the South, who came here to in
cite murderous raids upon the peaceful citi
zens of the United States are now your
varmest admirers, defenders and friends
Even the notorious DR.. Black burn who at
tempted to spread yellow fever and other
infectious diseases anoug the patriot sol
dieis Of our noble army, and who sought tc
compass the death Of President Lincoln by
tbeIsame heudish means has recently given
lin his adhesion TO your policy and an
uounced himself as your friend Your re-
cent violent denuuciations of the Congress
lof the United States A coordinate branch
lof the Government of which you are the
ilbicf Executive, rs traitors and enemies Of
tae Uuion-in speeches made during your
recent progress through the couutry-has
impaired new life and renewed vigor to all
Those adherents Of the Southern Rebels now
domiclled in these Provinces aud are most
Heartily applauded by every hater of repub
ifcan institutions resident upon British soil.
Under such circumstances, and believing
that your policy will inevitably lead to
disaster. in the restoration of guilty men
to even more than their former power in
Etbe administration of the Government, my
ipositon has become most notifying and
siutolerable to me. and as | cannot possibly
defend your course against the daily cen
surts Of the few good men here, who were
true to our Government through all its past
dangers and perils, / would esteem it az
great favor to be relieved from my presen
position at your earliest convenience. Re
spectfully, your obedient servant,
! JoHN I. POTTER.