The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1868-09-17


peace and prosperity? ~
The ROsencrans and Lee Cores
pondence. i
General Rosencrans writes to
Robert E. Lee that he believes him
to be patriot in whom Rosencrans
has unqualified confidence and
requests him, after that piece ofsoft
sawder, to ''pledge the South to a
chivalrous and magnanimous devo7
ton to restoring peace and prosper
ty to our common country what
ever that may mean. How does
Rosencrans wish Lee to 'sdevote
himself?" What is lee to do? He
is to write a letter, as representa-
tive of the southern people. .-r
Lee answers after the same fash
ion. He speaks of the Southern
democrats, throughout, as the only
"people of the South.'' He asserts,
contrary to truth, that "the people
Of the South, meaning the southern
dem ocratic party, abolished slavery,
and he writes as though their whole
submission to the laws Of the Uni bn
was voluntarily, when it is well
known that Mr.. johnson had to use
sharp words with the rebel leaders
to induce them to accept, in words,
the abolition of slavery; and it is
even supposed that Grant and Lin
coin had to use something sharper
than words for the same purpose.
Finally, Lee adds, coolly, that the
only way to have peace is to let
what he calls the southern people"
that is to say, the southern dem
ocratic party-rule as they did be-
fore the war, and trust to ''treat
with humanity and kindness their
political opponents, the southern
Republicans, whom he will not even
allow to be part of the southern
people. i5l. -, - 5.s,'t r..l
u AS to Lees patriotism, where are
the evidences of it? When par
Gel of demagogues in 1851 began an
insurrection whose avowed object
was to overthrow the Union, and
disgrace; and eXterminate the flag,
Lee deserted from the army, and
went over to the enemies of his
country. Was that the act of a pa
triot? "" n rDuaesf. ft.5,2
Since the war ceased, Lee has
been sulking in Virginia He has
doubtless great influence among the
southern democrats; he might have
used this influence for the good of
the country. He might have told
his admirers that they ought to obey
the laws; that they ought not to be
intolerant Of others opinions; that
they do wrong to abuse and kill the
whites and blacks who were loyal
during the war, and who now be
long to the Republican party. He
might have told his adhercnts that
peace means good will on both sides
That would have been patriotic
Has he done so? '.. --.i t,Hal
No; he has chosen to sulk, in ST.
ience, determined apparently that
the restoration Of peace and good
will shall not have tile help Of his
notent voice. Whatever influence
be has had since 1866 has gone to
increase the noble army of ''sore-
heads in tshe southern states; the
crowd of the dissatisfied who feel
in their hearts what Robert Toombs
spoke out the ether day, that as the
late war was produced by the defeat
ed democratic partyin 1860, we shall
never have peace till il, is restored
in 1862 ..5 ,..-... -...5...
But Lees patriotism is r,a more
useful than his humanity, of which
he himself boasts, would be trust
worthy. When he talks about hui
manity and kindness to those whom
he wishes to be left in helpless de-
pendence, does he imagine that peo-
pie here forget Andersonviile and
Belleisle? Does he think men and
women here forget the cold and
hateful cruelty of the rebel com
mander-in chief, who saw thousands
of our brave fellows starYe and
fellows starve and freeze to death
under his own eyes in the horrible
swamp of Belleisle, near Richmond
Was Lee humane when our men rot
ted in the Andersonyille pen, and
he refused to write the brief order
which would have ensured them suf-
ficient food, clean water and space
to sleep in? Was Lee humane.
when in grim and cruel silence he
suffered thousands of Union sol
diers to perish of want and cold il
Belleisle-but a mile or two from
Richmond, which he constantly Wis
tied - -G.i
Is it not a little too impudent fol
Lee to talk about humanity /? A
soft-hearted man would no more
speak the word in Lees hearing
than he would talk of hemp to .
man whose father was hanged. Blu
this patriot in whom Rosencran'
has unquestioned confidence, ane
who starved a good many of Rose
! or,n,o co11iorS fO 6aath n fa1u Woo