New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1875-05-09

the public mind of this idea of allowing
some black men to be killed in the late wal
and not continuing to arrogate death ant
mutilation BY projectiles and bayonets
an exclusive privilege for our own beloved
white race.
No sooner had Hunter been relieved from
this special duty at Washington than III
was ordered back to the South, our govern
ment still taking no notice of the order o
outlawrv against him Issued by the reoe
| Secretary of War. He and his Officers
were thus sent back to engage, with ex
tremely insufficient forces, in an enterprise
| of no common difficulty, and with an agree
able sentence of sus. per col, 1t captured
hanging over their devoted heads.
| "Why not suggest to Mr.. Stanton, Gen
| eral. that he should either. demand the spe
| cial revocation of that order, or announce
| to the rebel War Department that our gov
ernment has adopted your negro regiment
policy as it's own-which would be tho same
thing"
1t was partly on this hint that Hunter
wrote the following letter to Jefferson
| Davis-a letter subsequently, suppressed
and never sent.SOwipg to Influences which
| the writer of this article does not feel him
self at liberty to reveal-further than to
say that Mr.. Stanton knew nothing OF the
matter Davis and Hunter, we may add,
y
until divided, some years previous TO our
late war, by differences on. the slavery
question. Davis had for many years been
adjutant of the First United States Ora
goons, of which Hunter had been captain
commanding. and relationship of very
close friendship had existed between their
respective families. It was this thorough
knowledge of his man, perhaps, which
gave peculiar bitterness to Hunters pen,
and Tartan ia Ofbepwisa cly a h1a
prophecy or preordainment of that precise
policy which President johnson has SO fire.
quently announced and reiterated since Mr..
Lincoln's death. 1t ran. with some few
omissions, no longer pertinent or of public
interest, as follows:
To Jefferson Davis, Titular President of the So
Called Confederate States:
WASHINGTON. September 90 1862.
SIR-While recently in command of the Depart
ment of the South. in accordance With the laws of
war and the dictates of common sense organized
and caused to be drilled, aimed equipped a
regiment of enfranchised bondmen, known as the
First South Carolina Volunteers
For this action, as l have ascertained the pre-
tended gov eminent, of which you are the chief
officer, has ISSUED against me and all of my beers
who we've engaged in organizing the regiment in
question general order of outl axry. which an
nOuaces that, if captured. shall not even be
allowed the usual miserable treatment extended
to such captives as fall into hands; but that
we are to be garded felOns and to receive the
death by hanging due to such, irrespective of the
la ws OF war.
Mr. Davis, we have been acquainted intimately
III the past. We have campaigned together aud
our social relations have been such AS to make
each understand the other thoroughly. That you
full igor of your threat l am we'll assured and
you will believe my assertion that l thank you
for having raised in connection with me and my
acts this sharp and decisive Issue. shall proud
accept. if such be the chance of war the MARTYR
dom you menace and hereby give you notice |
tt at unless your general order AGAR st me ana nv
officers formally revoked hin Irtv dave
from the date Of the transmission of this letter |
sent under flag of truce, shall take your action
hanging every rebel officer who now is VI may |
hereafter be taken prisoner by the troops of the |
command to which am about returning.
Believe me that rejoice at the ASPECT now
beng given to the war by the course you have
adopted; In my Judgment if the undoubted
Is 1t deserves TO be-as the sum of all felones
crimes-this rebellion would never have attained |
It's present menacing proportions The war YOU
and your fellow consp rators have been wagipg
against the United States must be eoa1ded either
as war OF ustifable defense. carried for the
integrity or The boundaries OF a sovereign confed.
eratou OF States against foreign aggres sion or as
he most wicked, enormous and deliberately |
planned conspiracy against human liberty and |
or the triumph of treason and slavery of which |
he records of the worlds history contain any
lOte
Ii our government should adopt the first view
II the case you and your fellow rebels NAV Justly
lain TO be considered most unjustly treated !
,ody of disiuterested patriots-although rerhans |
little mistaken in YOU" connivance with the
hetts,by which your agent, John B. Floyd, sue
eeded in arming the soutn anu partially disarm-
hS the North as preparative to the connie nee
neut of the struggle.
But if, on the other hand as is the theory of
he United Sar.S be i.blon the mos esuse.
tss, crafty cruel and bloody ever known a con.
piracy haHlng ne rue-or-run policy for its basis
he plumber of the black race and the reOpenino |
I the African slave trade for it's object the con- |
inued and further deg adaton OF ninety por cent
+ the white population of the South ia favor OF |
SiaVt-GflFinn len per cent aristOcracy Ia |
xclusion OF all foreign born immigrants from
ANTICIPATION IN the generous anu equal hospitali-
foreshadoWed to them in the declaration of |
this, AS believe be y far state.
lent or the origin ana motives of the r. he lion |
t which you are the titular head, then it would !
ave been better had our government adhered
0 the constitutional view of treason from the |
farL and hung every man taken in arms against |
he United States. from the first butchery in |
ne streets of Baltimore down to the last result | ,
is bait le fought in the vicinity of Sharpsburg
II treason IN other worcs, be any crime # ia
le essence of all crimes; a vast machinery of
ullt, multiplying demonstrations into wholesale
aughters. and organizing plumber as the basis
Q ur action, and that of those with whom Won are |
! league has its best comment in the sympathy q
'ciacies OF Europe. You have succeeded in throw ,
g oack civilization for many years. and have | .
ade the country that was the freest. happiest
'ouoest richest, and most progressive but two | 1
ears ago, vast temple of mourning doubt | q
lxiety, and privation-our manufactures of a | ,
1t war material nearly paraly zed tie inventive |
init which was forever developing new reso rces
stroyed and our flag, that carried respect every
mere, now Knocked by enemies who think its |
DRY furnished, and that its power ia soon to b. !
me IN re tradition OF the past. | L
For al these results, MIR. Davis and for the | 2
ooo lives already sacrificed 9th sides in the Il
ar-soIne pouring ont their blood on the bait q.
I'd, AID others, fever-striken, W sting awav 10 |
ath 10 over-crowc ed hospitals-you and the fl
-mlscreants who have been your associates in !
is conspiracy are responsible. OF You and them |
may with truth be said: that if all the innocent
BOD which you have spilled could be collected in
nf
ieracy might swim i'll IT,
am aware that this is not the language in
hCn tne prevailing etiquette of our army Ia in |
Z habit OF considering your cons piracy II has |
nee to pass-through what Observation-Disclosures Won
, pest aoie TO decide-that the greatest and
ist cplme ever attempted against the human |
nliy, has been treated in certain quarters as
out IL We're mere error of Judgment on the
RI Q. some gifted friends; thing to be- regret |
|, OF cOurseas causing more or less disturbance |
the relations OF amity and esteem heretofore |
sting between those charged with tine renras
"a OF such eccentrlcltles and the eccentric actors.
tact, as sight political misc aculati0n or nee
mo rather than as an outrage involving the
'OatlOn Of q continent, and demandinG the |
wer of human law. '''A' ''o
or Yyself | have never been able to take
WV OF the matter During a lifetime of
I'VE etiElce, nave seen the seeds Of this con
r&cy planted III the rank soil of slavery, and
UpastgrowIh watered by just such trcklinps
a courtesy alike false to Justice. exnediencp
our eternal future. Had We al an earlier dsv
h 1a 10 call things by their right names,
TO LOOK at the hideOus features of slavery with |
ordinary common eyesight ana common sense |
tead OF through the se-colored glasses of sup
60 po1ucal expectancy, there would be 800 900 !
re men alive to day on American soil and nnr |
htfy would never for moment have forfeited |
proud position as the highest exempa ar OF the
'siuSs-noi az IN electuai and nateual-to be
wed from a free form of government
hether your intention Of hanging me and | w
SO OF my staff and other officers who, were en-. | ~
Ell IN organizing the First South Carolina Vol W
GERS; IN case we are taken prisoners in battle | al
pe iikeiy 10 DeEeht your Cause not is a mat. |
manly Ior your own confederation. For US | tn
profession makes the sacrifice of life a con | -
'ency ever present and always to be accepted. IL
although such a form of death as your order | LII
poses Is hot that 10 the contemplation of which W,
ll have Ir.IlnEl .1nsL n. L