Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1866-10-06

John b. Clarke, N. H. W. J. Corning, Va
S. F. Husscy, Maine. Thos. Simpson, MINI.
A. b. Gardner, VT G. L. Robinson, Fla.
| j. s. Fowler, Tenn. N. Edmunds, Dakotah.
A Soldiers Widow Answers One of
Andrew Johnson's Silly Questions.
Than Andrew Johnson's habitual and
pompous parade of his alleged sacrifices and
sufierings by reason of the war, it would be
difficult to conceive more arrant and con-
tcmptible c1op-trap. His appeals, in this
respect, indeed, almost remind one of the
trembling mendicant, who, cap in hand. and
out at the elbows, begs his way from door
to door. But the sober truth of history is
just this that these tales of woe, peddled by
the Presidential pilgrim from place to place
are purely .fctitious-the coinage of his own
distempered Imagination. Their falsitv ;s
most effectively exposed in the subioned
letter, addressed to the Presiden. himself bv
the widow of one of the brave men who fell
victim to the shareholders rebellion If
the contrast, extorted by the Presidents silly
interrogatories, insures most fatally to his
own pretensionss he has only himself to
! blame:
To Mr. Andrep johnson, President Of the
United States Of America:
DEAR SIR In the speech delivered by
you at Cleveland, Ohio, on your way to Chi
cago, and which, 1 suppose, was reported
correctly, you ask: "Who made greater
sacrifices in the hour than II Who suffered
more than ?" sc. Now, take for granted
that to these questions you expect from some
quarter reply, or you would not have pro-
pounded them. So far as my knowledge
extends, up to this time, no one has under.
taken the task. Therefore, myself although
but very humble woman, scarcely known
beyond the street l live in, will venture to
furnish an answer. And when have done
so, will submit to the just judgment of the
world whether, on the score of "sufferings"
and Sacrifices" Gf there be nothing else).
your claims to popular sympathy and sup
port bear any comparison to mine.
Before the rebellion, sir, l had husband,
kind, loving, industrious, economical, who,
for myself and our four little ones, made
comfortable provision. Our home was the
abode of peace and plenty. What has be-
come of hima He ,oas starred to death at
AnderSonrille, and that by the "chivalric"
men whom your policy would fain restore,
without repentance, to the head of our Gov
ernment. Since then have been trying my
best to earn bread for my little ones by ply
| ing the needle. At times, when that kind of
employment has failed me, have even been
obliged to stand, from early morn till night,
over the 'cashtud! had two brothers, steady
men, kind and generous. Had the rebellion
left them as it found them, pinchng poverty
l should have never known. Alas alas
One of them perished from exposure and
want on Belle island, and the other had his
right arm taken off by rebe! shell at Antic-
tam. He cannot assist me. The privatons
and hardships l have had to endure have so
shattered my own health and strength, that
| feel, at times, unable even to endure the
fatigue of plying the needle. So that, ex-
cept my trust in a merciful God, have sac
riticed for my country my ALL-husband,
brothers, house, home, living-and | am cast,
beggar on the cold charity of the world
And all this owe to the Southern slave
holders, and to their iniquitous attempt to
murder my beloved country, as they did muir
der my husband and my brothers.
Now, Mr.. johnson, since you invite COM
parison, what have you suffered? Exhibit
your scars, and wounds, and bruises! Did
you lose leg or an arm, or were y0u even so
much as scratched or bruised Where is the
blood you shed Would it stain white
cambria pocket handkerchief How much
property did you lose2 Why, if report speaks
true, during most of the time of the war you
were living on the "fat of the land" in
Nashville, out of harms way, protected as
you were, by Union bayonets. Out of Uncle
Sans overfowing commissary stores you
drew plenty to eat and to drink-the best of
meats, and, what was of still more conse-
quence to you, the choicest Of liquors. Add
to this your handsome salary rs military
governor. Then the great Union party,
whom you have since so foully betrayed,
made you Vice President, with salary of
$4,000 per annum. Then, to crown it all,
John Wilkes Booth made you President, and
there you are yet, to the tune of $4,000
year, with "tirins." The rebellion found
you, learn, comparatively poor man. Now
you are rich, with sound body, not to
speak of your mind, whose soundness is not
so certain.
You, Andrew johnson, talk of your sacri-
fees and your sufferings, and challenge a
comparison. Fie, fe upon you! Why, sir,
on that score, ought to be Americas Queen,
and you ought to be sweating over the wash
tub! And now, sir, are your questions as
to who suffered more than you, who sacri.
feed more than you, by reason of the war,
answered. did, sir, and know hundreds
of poor women, tossed from the heights of
aifiuence into the vale OF penury and want,
who have suffered and sacrificed ten thou
sand times more than yOu, and are making
no ostentatious parade of it, either.
Yours, respectfully,
MARY JANE CATnERwAITE,
A Soldiers Widow, and the mother Of
four fatherless children.
Philadelphia, Sept. 7, 1866.