The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1876-11-03
"VOTE AS YOU FOUGHT"
ri IL
General stoneman on the Old Repub-
lican War Cry.
Generals for rtlden aad
Hendricks.
Major. General George Stoneman: !:

Major General George Stoneman:
DEAR GENgRAL:-Representing, as
YOU do, as m1ch as any man on the Pa
cific slope, the true patriotism of those
who really bore the brunt of the war
and overcome the gigantic rebellion, and
being, as you were, IN high command and
close relations with the government dur
ing the entire war, and in command Of the
Fist Military District (VirgiAia) under
the reconstruction acts, it would be just to
the non-psrtissn voter if you would state
whether the assertions sent broadcast
over the land and affecting our securities
abroad, to the effect that to turn the
government over to the Democratic
party is to endanger our safety and haz-
ard the results of the war, are true, or
whether the Democratic party, under the
leadership OF the present Governor OF
your own native state, is not composed
of a large proportion of the best men
who supported the government in the
hour of its greatest need.
Truly your friends,
INDEPSDENT VOTERS.
To the above communication General
Stoneman returns the following re-
ply:
The leaders of the Republican party
have arrogsted to themselves the absurd
claim, and are acting upon the assump-
tion that they represent the party, or
that portion of the Northern people that
did all the fighting during the late war
of secession, and the idea Is persistently
cultivated that to the Republicans, and to
them alone, is due all the credit Of having
filled the ranks of the Union armies, OF
having led them in the battle, and OF
having finally conquered the South and
emancipated the slaves.
A reference to the Army Register for
the year 1864 discloses the fact that out
of seventy Msjor-Generals of volunteers
then belonging TO the army of the United
States, and engaged IN fighting the bat
ties of the Union, fifty fUe were, at the
of the war; pronounced
Democrats; and but fifteen claimed to be.
long to the Republican party. During
and since the war, twenty have died, and
of the remaining fifty, three-fftbs, by
actual count, are now in sympathy with
the Democratic party; and if they vote al
all, will vote for Samuel j. Tilden for the
next President of the United States.
The count has been carefully made by
reliable and competent persons, and the
foregoing can be depended upon as SUBJ
stanLisily correct.
As to the Brigsdier- r-Generals OF volun-
teers they were men of less political note,
and it would be very difficult to make
an accurate count, but as far as can be
ascertained it is safe to say that at least
one.halt OF them were Democrats, and
certainly not less than one-hslf of the
survivors are Democrats to day, and will
vote the Democratic ticket next Novem-
Der.
In the early part of the war the rsgl-
ments were filled with volunteers, and
many OF them were Democrats almost TO
a nlrn During the latter part of the
war the regiments were kept filled by
conscripts and substitutes; the result was
they became less Democratic and more
Republicanizcd.
By Just and liberal expenditure of
vast sums of money in the shape OF
pensions and bountles the Republican
party has endesvored to keep the con-
troll of the soldiers vote, and it would be
very strange il large portion OF the
rank and file were not in sympathy with
the party in power.
~ No CT
State in the North, sent more troops into
the field than any state in the Union IN
to the population, whereas
Massachusetts, the strongest Republican
State in the North sent fewer of her own
citizens into the war, in proportion to her
than any State in the Union
Among the Msjor-Generals of volun-
teers who left the Democratic party are
Butler, Logan and Sickles, whilst among
those who have lett the Republican party
are Hooker, Sieel, and Palmer of Illinois.
The thirty Msjor-Genersls Of volunteers
who have never severed their connection
with the Democratic party, and have re-
mained true to their Democratic princl-
pies, are represented by such men as
Rosecranz, Hancock, McClearnand, Nc.
Clellan. Fran kiln, Buel, Ord, Couch, Slo-
cum, n. 5. Williams and Fighting Joe
Hooker.
Nearly the whole Cabinet of President
Lincoln severed their connection with the
Republican party, and OF the war Gov
ernors more than half of those now alive
are supporters of Mr.. Tilden.
Up to 1864 the war was supported and
carried on by the Union sentiment OF the
whole country, irrespective OF party.
In that year party lines began to be
drawn by those who had the control OF
the conduct of the war, and preterments
and promotions were confined 10 those,
and those only, who were opposed TO the
election of Mcclellan. and q lukewarm-
ness and dissatisfaction arose, which
dampened the srdor and checked the en-
thusiasm of the masses, and forced the
Government to resort TO conscription TO
fill the ranks the Union armies.
Loyalty TO the government was de-
fined a fealty 10 the Republican party,
and the sacred veteran was pronounced
a traitor to his country unless nc joined
in the hue and cry Of down with the
Democrats, who, while fighting an open
enemy front, were subject TO trescher-
Gus attacks by political enemy in their
unprotected rear.
The foregoing are facts which speak
for themselves, and 60 to disprove the
arrogant claims and false assertions made
by the leaders of the Republican party
that they, and they alone, represent all
the Unionism in the land, and that they
fought the war and saved the country.
Very truly,
GEORGE SToSEMAS,
Major General Volunteers.
Rettipe on the Election.