Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1866-09-28
A Soldiers Widows Letter to the
President.

~ SOtuiOi tvtuOW y ICtlCT " TIC
President.
The Phila delphia Press of Fri day
publishes a letter from soldier 5
widow of that city to President John
son, in answer to that portion oil his
Cleveland speech in which he asked
his audience" Who made greater
sacri fl C in the war than [ -
"Who suffered more than [ ?" &c. and
submits to the just judgement of the
world whether on the score of suffer
ingS and sacrifices his claims to pop
uIar sympathy and support bear any
comparison to hers. She says:
Before the rebellion, sir, [ had a
husband, kin d. 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 him? He It as starred to
deaM at Unreasonable and that by
the "chiyalric" men whom your "pol-
icy" would fain restore, without repent
ance, to the head of our government.
Since then have been trying 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 aoash-tub.
| had two brothers, steady men, kind
and generous. Had the rebellion
left them as it found them, pinching
poverty should never have known.
Alas alas one Of them persisted
from exposure and want, on Belle
Island, and the other had his right
arm taken off by rebel shell at An
tietam. He cannot assist me. The
privations and hardships | have had
to endure have so shattered my own
health and strength that [ feel at
times unable even to endure the ia
tigue Of plying the needle. So that,
except my trust in a mercitul God, |
have sacrificed for my country my ALL
husband, brothers, house, home, liv-
mg-and l am cast, a beggar, on the
cold charity of the world. And all
this owe to the Southern slave-hold-
ers, and to their iniquitous attempt to
murder my beloved country, as they
did murder my husband and my
brothers.
Now, Mr.. Johnson, since YOU invite
a comparison, what have you suffered
Exhibit your sears and wounds and
bruises Did yoa lose a leg or an arm
or were yo@ even SO much as scratch
ed OF bruised? Where is the blood
go" shed? would it stain a white
cambria pocket-handkerclhef2 How
much property did goa lose? Wby,i
report speaks true, during most of the
time OF the war YOU were living OF
the fat Of the land, in Nashville. out
OF harm way, protected as you were
by Union bayonet8. Out OF Uncle
sam 5 overlooking commissarv stores
You drew plenty TO eat and to driaI
the best of meats, and what was o.
still more consequence to YOU, the
cholcest Of liquors. Add to this you
handsome salary as Military Govern
or. Then the great Union party
whom you have since so fouily betray
ed, made You Vice President. with {
salary OF $4,000 per annum. Then,tC
crown it all, J. Wilkes Booth made
you President, and there you are set
To the tune Of $4,000 a wear, witt
| ,HrlnS. Ghc rebellion found Won.
learn, comparatively a poor man
/ Now You are rich, with d sound body
not to speak of your mind: whose
soundness is not so certain
You, Andrew Johnson, talk of you1
sacrifices and yom sut1erings, anC
challenge a comparison Fie! he
/ upon you, Why, sir, on that score,
ought to be Americas Queen, and 20,
ought to be sweating over the wash
tub And now, sir, are your ques
tons as to who suffered more than
/ you, who sacrificed more than You
10y reason Of the war. answered? ]
did, sir, and | know hundreds of poor
women, tossed from the heights o
affiuence into the vale Of penury anC
want, who have suffered and sacrificed
ten thousand times more than you
/ and are making no oStentatious pa
rade OF it either.
Yours respectfully,
MARY j. CATHERwAITE,
4 soldiers widow, and the mother o
four fatherless children.
/ 4 son of II Chandler. of Chester