The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-09-19
FROM ARKANSAS.
Revival of the Rebel Spirtt-Preside mt
Johnson's Policy Encourages
and makes them Hold.


The following is an extract from letter
from Major General JAMES G.. BLUNT, late Of
the army Of the frontier, dated Fort Smith.
Arkansas, August 80, to citizen Of Chicago.
1t shows how the policy of President
JOHNSON is encouraging and emboldening the
whipped rebels:
1.-The political status of this portion Of
God s footstoof is deplorabie as regards the
interests and even protection of Union men.
What we hear of the condition of things in
the different portions Of the South
lately in rebellion, is also true as regards
Western Arkansas, which, you know, we al.
ways regarded as senailoyal. The rebels
have all returned, and are having everything
their own way. None but those who have
good rebel record, and have done gallant ser
vice for the lost canse,' are elected to office,
and they are all loud in their praise of our
modern Moses, Andrew the First. These
rebels now claim that all those who oppose
the President and my policy are traitors,
aud they are now going in with Andy to put
down traitors and treason. This county (Ses
bastian} went Radical by small majority in
the recent election, but this is the only bright
spot in Northwestern Arkansas, and even
here they will soon be rooted out, unless the
Presidential party is Overwhelmingly defeat
ed In the Northern States at the coming cleo
ton. The rebels are now pursuing . mild
policy toward Union men, compared with the
treatment they will receive after the fall cleo
tons, if the result is favorable to the Presi>
dent. The Union men know and feel that
their only hope and salvation is in the loyal
people of the North sustaining Congress.
They are waiting for the result of the coming
elections with intense anxiety, knowing that
their fate is sealed if the verdict should be
against them.
arhe 'unreconstructed' are now Withholding
their wrath as much as possible, for policy,
until after the election in the North. If these
copperhead and traitor allies WIN, as they
confidently expect they will, the work ofpro-
scription and persecution will commence.
They already boast what they will do to put
down TRAITORS (Radicals,) and they claim
and think with good reason for doing So
that the President viii back them in all their
damnable work. / am no slarmist, and usu
ally look at matters very coolly, but from
what has come under my personal observation
since came into this State-and this may
be considered as the most moderate portion
of rebedom-my conviction daily becomes
stronger that we are on the eve of a political
crisis. the most important in the history of
the Government. The importance Of the
coming elections cannot be over-estimated.
Upon It hangs the veal or woe Of the nation,
and upon the result hangs the decision Of the
issue as to whether we are the victors or the
vanquished, and whether or not the fruits of
four years of terrible war shall nov be thrown
away and inure to the benefit of our enc
mics.
81 regret to see that so many Of the officers
Of our late army are following the faithless
Moses They probably have their reasons
for doing so; but if Andrew johnson expects
that procuring few late officers Of high
rank in the military service to labor in his
interest and for my policy will carry for
him the snppsrt of the soldiers, he is, in my
opinion. reckoning without his host The
sboys in blue understand the issues involved,
and have not yet forgotten the struggle
through which they have recently passed; nor
will they barter away the fruits of their victo-
y. Upon them and the loyal masses OF the
North hangs the fate of the Republic, and in
them is centered the hope and trust Of the
loyal men of the South for aid and succor.
tsYours, truly, = J. G. b.