The Tiffin tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1868-1887, 1869-07-16
Rosecran s Opinion Of COpperheads
in 1863,

RoSecran S Opinion Of COpperhead
in 1868.
! After the battle of MurfreesborO
the Ohio Legislature passed resolu
! tions of thanks to the army of til,
j Cumberland for their heroism in tha
struggle. To this, Gen. ROsecrani
returned the following letter
"HEADoUARTERs DEPARTMENT OF !
THE CUMBERLAND, MURFREEs-, (
BoRo, TENN, February 3, 1863. J
''To the Honorable the General As
sembly Of the State OF Ohio:
"The resolution of thanks passed
by your honorable body to the Army
of the Cumberland, its commanding
General and his staff, has been duly
received and published to the troops
of this command. On behalf of all,
/ return you heartfelt thanks.
"This is, indeed, a war for the
maintenance cf the Constitution and
the laws-nay, for national existence
Against those who have despised
our honest friendship, and driven US
to defend our country and our homes.
By foul and willful misrepresenta-
ton of our motives and tidns,
persistently repeated, they have ar
rayed against US our own fellow-eiti-
zens, bound to US by the triple ties
of cOnsanguiDity, geographical posi-
ton and commercial interest.
"Let no man among US be base
enough to forget this, or fool enough
to trust an oligarchy of traitors to
their friends, to civil liberty, and hu-
man freedom. Voluntary exiles from
home and friends, for the defense
and safety of all, we long for the time
when gentle peace shall again
spread her wings over our land; but
we know no such blessing is possible
while the unjust and arbitrary power
of the rebel leaders confronts and
threatens US. Crafty as the fox, cruel
as the tiger, they cried mo coercion,
while preparing to strike us. Bully
like, they proposed to fight us, be-
cause they said they could whip five
to one, and now, when driven back,
they whine out, mo invasion, and
promise us, of the West, permission
to navigate the Mississippi, if we will
be good boys, and do as they bid US.
Wherever they have the power,
they drive before them into their
ranks the Southern people, and they
would also drive US. Trust them not
Were they able they would invade
and destroy US without mercy. Ab~
sOlutely assured of these things, I am
amazed that any one could think of
"peace on any terms" He leho enter
tains the sentiment, IS ft only to be a
slaUe; he q1ho HtterS Il, at this time, as,
nlOreoUer, A TRAITOR TO HIS COUNTRY,
WHO DESERVES THE SCoRN AND CON-
TEMPT OF ALL HONORABLE MEN.
"When the power of the unscrupu-
lous rebel leaders is removed, and
the people are free to consider and
act for their own interests, which are
common with ours under this govern
ment, there will be no great difficulty
in fraternization Between our tastes
and social life there are fewer differ
ences than between those of the
Northern and Southern provinces Of
England or ireland.
"Hoping the time may speedily
come when the power of the peril
dious AMI cruel tyrants of this re-
bellion having been oVerthrown, a
peace may be laid Oh the broad foun
dation of national unity and eqGal
Justice to all, under the Constitution
anu laws.
81 remain your fellow-citizen.
"W. S. ROSECRANS,
Maj. Gen."
We wonder if the above sentiments
are still held by the General. If so,
how will they be received by the Dem
Ocrats who at that time were frantic
on the peace question? If he has
changed, when did he do so?