The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1872-11-01
A REAL SOLDIER on BURNSIDE.
The Commander Of she rmnn's Left WING
ON the Pittsburgh Convention, Greeley,
and Burnside-Puugent SUGGESTIONS from

The Comma nder OF sh e rmnn's Left Wins
| ON the Pittsburgh Cow entIon, Greeley,
and Burnside-Punsents asgestions from
| Gen. SIOcum.
GEN. A. +. BURNsIpE-De.r General: l
have read with great interest your address to
| the soldiers and sailors who served in the
| Union army and navy during the late war.
As was one Of the soldiers alluded to trust
you will not be displeased il say few words
In response thereto. You tell US that you
and others, as our representatives, met at
Pittsburgh and adopted se,ies OF resolu-
| tions which we have already seen. You CON-
| plain that Dir. Greeley has expressed the
| opinion that YOU assembled for political pur-
poses and that you hoped to accomplish
these purposes by reviving the animosities
snd hatreds engendered by the war. You
further say that these remarks Of Mr.. Gree
| ley and his entire lack Of courtesy toward the
soldiers and sailors serve to confirm YOU in
the opinion that he is quite unf to be trust
ed in any position where loyalty to his Gov
eminent, just regard to the feelings of
others, and an abnegatlon Of self is required.
You then proceed to inform US in conclusion,
that it only remains for you to urge us to or
ganize in harmony with the regular Republi-
can organization, and do all in our power to
re-elect Gen. Grant.
The first thought that occurred to my mind
on reading this address was, "What was
there in Burnside's military career that iusti-
fies him in telling the hundreds Of thousands
of soldiers who served during the late war
what they should do in time Of peace!" Did
anything occur at the first Bull Run. at Roam
oke Island, at Fredericksburg. in East Ten
nessee. or ut the mine explosion IN front of
Petersburg, which entities him to assume
command of all OF us IN time Of peace, and
order us TO the front to fight in behalf Of .
political party3
Nv second thought was: SIS il creditable
to the soldiers Of the late war that one of
their numbe.: should be permitted as their
pretended representative to spread broadcast
Greeley with disloyalty." The truth Of the |
saying that "the pen il mightier than the |
sword is coming year by year to be more |
generally acknowledged. In view of the cleo |
fion Of Gen. Grant to the Presidency and of |
the fact that he is a candidate for reelection.
there are probably some men in the country |
who doubt its truth. II, however, we were |
to add to the saying the proyiso that the pen |
should be handled by Greeley and the |
sword by Burnside, all doubters would dis /
appear. You and /, General. know full well |
that while we were in the field fighting for |
the Union, Mr.. Greeley was welding in be-
half Of the same cause weapon far more
powerful than those used by either Of US. We |
know, too, that long after we had sheathed
our swords he kept up the fight, and con-
tinued ii until every object was accomplished
for which even the most ardent Abolitionist
had ever prayed. We did not cease the fight
until the Union was restored, aud slavery
abolished, the blacks enfranchised, and all
their civil and political rights solemnly guar
anteed to them by amendments to the Cam
stitution. And yet, General, YOU have the
haraihood of charging this man with disloyal-
ty, and are uttering this foolish charge in
your assumed capacity as the representative
Of all the Union soldiers of tine land.
You say he has been guilty of lack Of
courtesy toward us. In my Judgment any
man who eight years after the close of
bloody civil war will ask soldiers to assemble
in convention with view Of controlling their
action in political matters Is a demagoguc un-
worthy Of courtesy at the hands of Mr.. Gree
ley or any other person. When at the close
Of the war we laid down our arms. we became
citizens. and we have no interest to-day ex-
cept those we have in common with all other |
citizens. Why then, should any one ask us.
in our character a. soldiers to assemble in |
political bodies? Why should you extend to |
us such an invitation, unless II Is with the |
hope that from your former connection with |
us in the army you may be able to influence |
our judgments upon matters Of public policy ]