The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1867-08-22

to protect. By the war We got rid O
these Infamous traitors, and presume
you were one Of those on whose should
ers the time honored straps were disgrac
ed by perjury; treachery and treason.
You hold that as one gentleman deal
ing with another, l should have sent yol
private note. Seinmes, you are tn,
greatest joker of this age.
! What, take you for gentleman ano
send you note as such Oh, Semmes
Semmes, for pity sake do not crack an
other such huge joke this year, or the
North American republic will break its
suspenders, fracture its breeches, and
laugh itself SO weak you can march in
and take il with single gunboat, Now,
mg dear Semmes De reasonable, own ul
honestly that You are nothing but mean
low-hyed pirate rebel. .liyingby the mercy
OF too humane government, that you
ought TO be hung, and will forgive you
Remember that putting on airs won t
strengthen your neck, and if you don t
drop your peacock feathers and doff your
hon skin soon, rope reconstruction will
be absolutely necessary In your case
Who whipped in the last war? Per
haps you think Grant surrendered to Lee
and L ain your vassal My recollection is
| the reverse, but if you are not satisfied
gather up your plunder, get out your
greybacks and we will try it over.
ou say officers of the old service when
aggrleved demanded satisfaction of the
party offending them, and so | believe
they do yet, providing the offending par
ty Is a gentleman, but you not being in
r. ~
warlIkc heart cravcd was an impossibility
You certainly could not expect me to
challenge perjured traitor. Why sir,
to the proprietor Of a bawdy house, the
inmate Of "a penitentiary, or a highway
robber a.: TO yourself By the way can
you tell me the difference between steal
ing a pocket book from man, and stealing
a gunboat from a government? You see
am fond Of conundrums, and do wish
you woi..6 guess it.
Speaking ol uotea, Why, when you got
SO mad about my Fourth OF July speech,
did you not send me a note before you
billingsgated it down whole column Of
your nasty sheet? l have often heard it
said, that when man became a rebel he
would do anything, and had lost all sense
Of shame, but tell me truly Semmes, do
you not sometimes teela little bit ashamed
of your crimes? do you not trembIe in
the knees, and have serious misgiyings
occasionally about your future? Did
You not on the Fourth Of July and the
22d Of February, and did you not on last
Sunday night, pray 10 the Lord to soften
the punishment the radicals would intiict
upon you? If you did not, then you are
not human every drop of blood in your
veins has turned TO rebel distilled corn
you are given over to reprobacy and rebel
hardness of heart, which is just where
rope reconstruction comes in.
Two Years ago You were never going to
surrender You you'd not live under
such IA government. You would die In
the last ditch, etc. Yet here you are to-
day, nos only sneaking back to live under
the. flag You could not pull down, but
really assuming to be u public teacher,
and advise bow the government so hate
tul, shall be administered. Was there
ever such Imrndence since the devil re-
belled in heaven? No, Semmes, you
cafnot excuse. palliate, or make treason
respectable; your lot is infamy; accept
ii quietly retire from public life; you
affairs concern the loyal only eat your
bread in silence, aud |, for one, will never
disturb you. But if you parade your
obnoxious treason, and be noisy, then by
the eternal, | will help to end such et-
frontery BY putting rope around your
rebe! neck, and hanging you till you are
dead. ...
You say YOU do not know me. That
is d matter OF regret to yoH ii not to me
The last words Of James Buchanan,
deceased, expressed remocse that he ''did
not know me early. = Booth whispered
to Corbett tell him I am well; and
Wirz, dying, congratulated himself that
he had once hatilad me. Asyou are the
next lneanest man alive, advise you to
make my acquaintance with as little de-
lay as possible, So you may have nothing
to regret when you come to be swung off
| thought | had fought my last battle
with rebels, but | feel really ought to
do something for you. The articles Of
war and a proper self respect forbid me
meeting you and settling our affiir, III
the usual way, but | freely accord to you
the privilege | have ever given to mad
dogs and blackguards in attacking NE on
the streets. | am a very large, fat man,
with an easy conscience. good looking
face, and viii make an excellent mark for
your Derringer, while [ suppose you are
a lean, cadayerous las all traitors should
be, bony, m san, sneaking looking cllss
No doubt have seen many such faces
as yours in the rogues gallery still |
might not recognize you'at first sight, and
will be obliged if you would send me your
photograph. [ am often in Memphis, or
you can come here, and [ will endeavor
to find for you, under the curb-stones,
that last ditch" which you have been.
unable to find anywhere else. 10
Army officers are quiet men who attend
to their own business, and are not afraid
Of anybody They will not permit con
quered rebel editors to abuse them with
inlpunity for their loyal opinions, and
whatever may be your experience with
me, my advice to you is, hereafter to re-
member who and what you are-mind
your own affairs and let Union officers
alone. Yours truly. da
JAMES S. BRIsBIN. s
TIE GREAT TURF ACHIEVEMENT.