Dallas herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1849-1873, 1869-11-20
CAPTAIN Conner's Letter.
MILITARY CAMP MAR

hillAAhi NANN 'NNA
JEFFERSON, Tex, O,t, 2s, 1869. J
Gen, S, d, Maxcy, Paris, Texas;
Ny DEAR FRIEND:
am IN arrest. ! have heard tho
grating OF the hinges when the door
moved slowly open as ] passed into
the awful silence OF the bdS'ie. |
have heard the slow, steady, solemn
tread of the sentinel on post 10
whose special charge | was confded.
All these things have ! witnessed,
and yet have | kept calm. What is
my oficnseS Let the men who have
honorcd me with n heafiHg through.
out this canvass answer, | am
charged with being an ineendiary,
an obstruction, an impcdiment 10
reconstruction. The real crime, for
which | havo received fclon' s
treatment is that | AN A DEMOCRAT.
Ii is written in the Constitution
of the United States tn It 30 g'css
shall make no law abridging the
freedom Of speech, or Of the press;
or the right Of the people pcaccab'y
to assemble | know Of no law
conflicting with that clause. il such
is in existence Of course il is inope-
rativc and void. Yet n quiet assem-
blagc of pcaccabo citizens is dis.
pcrscd, the speaker cast into prison,
and ! cm thc victim. Talk Gf free
specch-frec-ycs, free if Rddicdl or
IN harmony with tho views Of
ale who IS monarch OF all he surveys
Whose right there is none to di,pute,'
but not quite so free If Democratic.
Why has this wrong been permit.
tcd-this outrage perpetratcd! In
the hopo that it may bring about
my defeat for Congress. Vain hope.
1t will be alleged that | have vic.
lated some military regulation by
speaking distcspectfully Of Con
grcss. Shame on such contempt.
bio subterl'uge. There is scarcely Il
citizen of this Republic, and not an
officer of the army who has not
heard Andrew Johnson, while yet
President, denounced in the most
bitter terms, BY officers holding
com missions signtH by him. Who
ever heard of an arrcst2 Who has
not read the speeches of Gen. Sick
les, delivered while yet in the army
in which the President Of the U. S
is denounced rs traitor TO his coun
try? Where then were the vigianl
guardians of that sacred fifth article
ofwar? know ofno marked changes
in the army-no new officers have
come in though some old ones have
gone out. Why did not the pres
ence of Gen. Sicklcs gracefully or.
nament the inside Of stockade'
| ask the question, the answer
leave with you, and my country
men.
l shall not say that my arrest was
ordered in the interest Of any man
or any set of men. shall not say
that motive other thah n high
sense of duty has actuatcd my ac
cuscrs. shall not say that some
men have a man whom they W. u q
palm off upon the good people O
this District as an exceeding worthy
gentleman, possessing talents emf
ncntly fitting him for the discharge
of the duties incident to a seat ir
Congress. l simply state facts anc
circumstanccs-the deductions tc
bU drawn | leave for the determine
ton of the candid citizen. On:
thing it has accomplishment shal
be unable to visit and address the
people of Upsher, Titus and Hop
kins.
Two days after my arrest was
released by order of Gen. Reynolds
I then availet myself Of the first op
portunity and rendered my ressna
tion by telegraph. Heaven an'
earth was brought to bear to pre-
vent the acceptance of that resigna
lion. The wires were tccming Will
rniuot and malicious reports. \
Young rebellion was said to bc ray
ing in u s. u county; and / wh'
have never visited Upshur and have
not tho honor of an acquaintance
with any of her citizens, was report
ed rs being responsible for it. Thes'
declarations coupled with the infiu
dnce OF these Iron clad, negro wor
shipping Radical scallawags efectct
nv re arrest. What may be th'
result Of my resignation 1 know not
If Gen. Reg jnSlds aid the Secretary
of War knew the facts it would b'
received. As it is, | cannot hops
for an acceptance; for that woul,
thwart the objects Of my incarccra
ton, and enable me 10 go face Il
face with these infamous dema
gorues, before my injured county
men, whom they have so grossly
slandercd, and arraign them e
high crimes and misdcmeanors. Too
cowardly 10 meet me in debate be
fore the people they have had thcil
blood thirsty hands upon my tracl
and their craven spies scenting M
by day and by night from the frs
moment Of my entry into LANAI
county. Ny speech at Paris is sai'
10 have given special offense, ans
for that | am TO be tried. Ny ei
fort on that occasion was tCmperc'
with that soh moderation that ha
characterized my speeches through
ont the District. The thousands Q
people that have honored me With
Bearing know my offense. sid :
them 7 tconfde my pres gr'is Il ,ue