The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1872-09-12
A SOLDIERS DUTY.


Of N iunesota, to cali for Convention Of
| Soldiers sod Sailors. to be held in Pitts.
burg, 10 September, has led to some mis-
apprehension among the friends Of that
distinguished gentleman, aud NY own
which wish to correct. 1t is q matter
Of no public moment, but as it has been
deemed worthy Of occasional mention in
the press, duty to the cause which ! sup.
port aud my personal convictions lnpel
me to state that | do not concur 10 the call
referred to; that | cannot, as a soldier OF
citizen, listen tc il nor vote for the candi'
date 10 whose interest il was issued.
It would always give one the greatest
pleasure to meet my comrades Of the war
for tho promotion Of any social and patriot.
ic purpose but | could never countenance
tue perversion Of such meeting to the
purpose Of reviviug and sustaining the
bitterness and animosiIies Of the war
With many thousands, believe the war
40 inevitable and unavoidable struggle be-
tween two distinct and conflicting social
forms-s democracy and an arstrocrscy
touoded respectively on tho dignity and
degradation Of human labor. The persis.
tent iuroads Of tue Democracy on the
South had imperiled their social structure,
and in time would have destroyed it, thus
rendering separation its only salvation =
Our material interests and never failing de-
votiou to our nationality impelled US to
accept the issue ofwar to prevent disuuion
In the conflict that eusucd, those who
fought on the Southern side we're no more
to DO reproached for living under and be.
lieviug in the social system which they
had inherited. than we who shed our blood
in maintaining tue purer democracy in
which we had been born and educated. -
The south was ready, willing aud strong.
Her strength was measured by the 1000,
600 men aud $4,000. 900, 900 required to
crush her. The strength Of the North
was not measured.
Our nationality was saved, and labor
made free throughout the land. These re.
suits which cost US so many lives aud so
much money, were accepted by the South
The people, with the habit Of couceutrat'
ing all praise or all blame on an iudiyidu.
al, selected General Grant as the IDEAL,
on whom they bestowed all homer and
power. Since George Washington. to no
American citizen has been afforded such
great opportunities as to Ulysses Grant,
| and 90 man, living or dead has ever ex.
hibtcd such absolute lack Of intelligence
to understand or Of will to embrace them
That he has had the necessary power has
been shown by bis ability to make extra
ordinary czertions for the success Of many
unworthy and unconstitutional schemes
without provoking articles ofimpessbueot,
His FIRST great opportunity to reconcile
this people, to heal the national wounds
BY the first intention, was utterly d'src.
parded. What had be to fear? No hu-
man power could alter the results of the
war Union aud Democracy were assur-
ed forever. Tue soldiers Of the South
not only laid down their arms, but had al
once gone to hard work at various occupa,
tons formerly despisel, showing that they
had we'll learned the lesson Of the war -
Every consideration Of honor. dignity,
and even Of mercy, demanded that we
should encourage them in their struggle
for life and peace. 10 less heroic than thel'
conduct in battle The shattered frag'
ments of their former social structure
we're ready at hand to reconstruct society
on Democratic foundation, but those
fragments have been ground to dust un
der the viudic,ive heel ofU s. Grant ant
the men who control him. Ignorantsuprr
stitious negroes who villabide with US for
ever, have not been Instructed in the du
ties Of self.governmcnt; but by the spec'a
efforts Of the President and his Cabine
and other officials they have had their ap
prcheusious aroused and a race hatred be
gotten. If this be peace, then the hrmes
rallyiug cry ofhis partisaus. "Let US haV'
peace" isa cruel mockery. The peac'
proG iscd four years ago was nasloua
demand, a demand more impe'i'ive thai
ever. 1t is not to be approached or at
tanned through the meeting Of a few sol
licrs at Pittsburgh to revive the grievou
memories Of cival war long sluce con
cluded | believe in no distinctive class
: The soldier who bore arms and the citizc'
who contributed Of bis means to preserve
the Union, each performed ouly his duty
A gathering ofsoIdirrs for the purpose 0
controlling or influencing the political &C
ton either Of late comrades or Of o'be
citizens is not, I,hirk, in keeping will
the spirit of our Democracy coul'
take no part 10 that Convention, even il
we're in political accord with the geutlema'
who signed the call. | shall do what
can honurably to defeat the reelection
General Grant and shall make every prop
or efor. to secure the election Of Horac
Greeley, | believe that the atter's sue