Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-03-26

Ons Out mere are, the Union Ieaguers,
somebody says, what are they going to do with
us? Never. mind my friends, the Union
Leagues amt agoin to hurt nobody. They
are made of flesh and blood like we are, and
they are citizens, and their fate will be our
fate. They are as much disguised at Sher-
| mans bill as anybody. They are our neigh
bors and our friends, and if there is some
bad men among 'em, there is enough of the
good to make 'em do right. So keep quiet
and be easy, and the Union Leagners are not
going to trouble you, If they want to save
their own, it don't follow that they want to
steal yours
But Joseph is afraid we can't stand mill
tary government. Well, know its humilia-
ting, whitening, crushing; but we have stood
1T and can try it awhile longer We can do
1t until we can do better. Military govern
ment amt the cause of onr poverty and dis
tress Its government higher than Thomas,
! or Sherman, or Sheridan-its the loss of
crops; the want of rain. The military never
stopped the corn from GROWN, and there's
Just as much rain in one platform as another
Ii the good Lord will only bless us with
abundant harvests, everything will go on
smooth enough with the honest and humble
| people who drive the plow and hoe the corn,
II they prosper, everybody else will too, if
they mind their own business. We will have
to quit talking so much, and quit writing al
together-muzzed lips and gagged press.
We done took harnih myself, and dIit. Had
my life insured in the Knickerbocker. and
the policy won't allow me to expose myself,
to jump into unnecessary peril. The military
can out write us anyhow. Folks say the pen
is mightier than the sword, but you put 'em
both together, and they'll flank man out of
his liberty, and may be his life, i6Sdouble,
| quick. The Mayor of this town had a little
billet doin with Gen. Thomas the other day,
and only come out second best, though it
wasn't an open field nor a fair fight.
thought myself 2l order must be hoax, got
up oy Brick Pomeroy, or somebody, and was
looking tor the General to come out in card
denyin of it. but soon found that it was a
genuine Robesperian document Istill think
ms posterity will deny it some twenty years
hence
Well, I was mighty mad. I would have
given hundred dollars to have played Van.
toun with him one hoir, just to have been
turned loose in the papers, all free. no gag, no
Jail, no barracks, no bayonets, no guard 1
would have got such a.grin on him for the
next six months as would have made every
body except Brick Pomeroy forget that Beast
Butler stole Spoons "I4ivin on their mao.
nanimityi" l tell you that got me. that
burnt mo, when knew there Wasent enough
magnanlmity in ship load Of all such to
support poor Reb twenty four hours Mag
nanltnlty! My opinion is they've lost the
seed, and don't know now what the commod-
ity is. l was as full of wrath as Brownlow
is of pisen. Language come to me sponta.
ncous; regular hiie>lifters, that would have
peeled the bark from mans carcass like
sklnnin an alligator. But you sec was in
the cautious state, and had to smother nv
feelings L think l should have gone up
with spontaneous combustion if my wife had
eht broke the spell with her cornick scenes.
She IS an amusin and interestn woman, but
much given to music in these days of nu-
merous and lively offspring, but just as soon
as order Il come out she hunted up the
'gr"y JdcAct," and the ''cOmQuercd banner"
and Just such solo soiriee as | have 81 times
week, was never heard in Big Shahty be-
fore. She seems to take delight in cttin
the rebel flag on the title page see the light
and 'Aaunts 1t about in my face because [
call myself Union man. She saws that
p"tt OF the order about Gen. Hans0n's re-
mains was founded on scripture, and so was
Phil. Sheridan's about Gen. Johnston's. for
Solomon says in Acclesiasres, THAT living
dog IS better than dead lion" NV opinion
Is that 1t will be impossible to harmonic
these women durin this century. Such
order as - will cut of all hope of it.
l think if General Thomas hadn't been
Nirginian, he wouldn't have issued it
I've noticed that when Vrginian falls. he
falls heavy and fur. He gifts further over on
the SIDE aSin US than anybody. I've heard
that the General and Edward Johnston were
both powerful seccsh, aud got mighty impa;
tlent because the Old Dominion Vas SO slow
in movin. The General said all the good of.
1icers would be gobbled up before she seeded,
Wen, they say old Gen. Scott got hold of EN-
about this time, and took 'em up into high
mountain, aud showed en- kingdom or two.
and the GcDeral fell down and worshipped
and Ed Johnston wouldn't. tell YOU NV
friends, man ought to be careful about going
up onto these dangerous mountains and this
leads me to remark we ought to petition Mr.
johnson to put over Big Shanty General
who stood square to his State.
Hope for the best, my friends. Don't im-
1glne you see painters and injuns, because we
are in Territory. Don't mistake a Bureau
track for bear sigu. Don't fear, it will be
sickly, because Florida is hitched ON to our
dlgg!ns Attend to your business, keep off
of high mountain, and all will be we'll. I
would say more, but my wife's music has be-
gun. Yours, respectfully,
BILL ARP.
P. ST date my letter from Big Shantv.
as 1 hear these three 'diggins' are to have
that name. Let US all be thankful we know
where we are. For two years it has been
doubtful whether we were in or out. Ny
opinion now is that are out, and heard a
female Voice say whoopee B.A.
A PUzzLE FoR TIE CuR1oUs.-Under
certain circumstances a captain found that
out of his crew of 80 seamen, he could save
but one. The seamen, therefore, resolved
among themselves that the captain shoald
count them OF, alter they had arranged them