Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1872-10-17

been amazed nj inc peculiar auuaclly
of the hero of Fredericksburg in az
rogating to Himself dictatorial powers,
but it was reserved tor Gen. Slocum
to exhibit it in all its righteousness.
There would certainly seem to be moth
inc 10 Gen. Burnside's war career to
entitle him to such a prominent peace
command as he assumes; and this
idea is ampliied with the most admira-
BILE wit, and witbal logic, by Gen. Slo-
cum. lie also pays handsome and
deserved tribute to Mr. Greeley, and
denounces in fit terms the oligarchical
tendedcy Of such reunions as the Pitts
burg Convention. Gen Slocums let
ter bristles throughout with the keen
est points of satire, and it will doubt
less trouble Burnside much more tina
the latter gtntlomans sword ever
troubled the rebels.
Let all read Gen. Slocum admirable
letter, which is as follows:
GEN. A. +. BURNSIDE:
DEAR GENERAL--I have read with
great interest your address to the SOL
diers 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 dis
pleased if say u few words in re-
Spouse thereto. You tell us that you
and others, as our representatives, met
at Pittsburg and adopted a series of
resolutions which we have already
seen. You complain that Mr.. Gree
ley has expressed the opinion that you
assembled for political purposes, and
that you hoped to accomplish these
purposes by reviving the animosities
and hatreds engendered by the war.
You further say that these remarks Of
Mr.. Greeley and his entire lack of
cou tesy to wards the soldiers and sal
ors serve to confirm you in the opin-
ion that he is quite unfit to be trust
ed in any position where loyalty
to his Government. a just
regard to the feelings of Others
and IN abnegation Of self is required.
You then proceed to inform us in con
clusion, that it only remains for you
to urge us to organize in harmony
with the regular Republican organiza-
tions, 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
Gen. Burnsides military career that
iustiies him in telling the hundreds of
thousands of soldiers who served dur
inc the late war what they should do
in time of peac,?" Did anything occur
at the first Bull Run, at Roanoke Is
land, ut Fredericksburg, in East Ten
nesseC, or at the mine explosion in
front of Petersburg, which entities him
to assume command of all ofus in time
of peace, and older us to the front to
fight in behalf ola political party!
My second though was SIS it credi-
table to the soldiers of the late war
that one CT their number should be
PERM ted as their pretended repr>s NJ
tative to spread broadcast over the
land document charging Horace
Greeley with disloyalty!' The truth
of the saying that ''the pen is might
er than the sword is coming year by
year to be, more generally acknowledg.
ed. In view of the election of Gen
Grant to the Presidency, and of the
fact that he is a candidate for re-elec.
ton, there a'e nrobably some men in
the country who doubt its truth. If,
however, we were to add to the saying
the proviso that the pen should be
handled by Greeley and the sword
by Burnside, all doubters would
disappear. You and |, General, know
full we'll that while we were in the
field fighting for the Union, Mr.. Gree
ley was welding in behalf of the same
cluse a weapon far more powerful
than those used by either of us. We
know, too, that long after we had
sheathed our swords he kept W the
fight, and continued it until every OBJ
iect was accomplished for which ever
the most ardent Abolition had ever
prayed. He did not cease the fight
until the Union was restored, Slavery
abolished, the blacks enfr,nchised
and all their civil and political rights
solemnly guaranteed to them byamend
mens to the Constitution. And yet
Genera, you have the hardihood o
charging this man with disloyalty
and are uttering this foolish charge il
yourassumed capacity as the representa-
/ tive of all the Union soldiers of tn,
land You say he has heen guilty o
a lack of courtesy toward us. In m.
judgment. any man who, eignt year
after the close OF u bloody civil war
will ask sol leus to assemble in con
vention with view of controllin!
their action in nolitical matters, IS
demagogue unworthy of courtesy a
the hands of Mr. Greeley or any othe
person. When at the close OF the wa
we lail down our arms, we became
citizens, and we have no interests to
day except those we have in common
with all other citizens Why, 'her
should any one ask US, in our charac
J ter as soldiers, TO assemble in politica
bodies? Why should you extend to u
such an invitation, unles3it il with tn