The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-12-05
Ghte Bu!ietin.
Col. 1saec N. Kelly, Of DuQuoiu,
Te1is what lie Knows About
Logan.
prQuoIN. III. Nov. q. ls7e.

DrQUOIS, ILL, Nov. 81, 1876.
Hon. ~. l.. Phillips. Springfield, H.:
Dear sir-l saw your letter In the Journal
In vindieation OF John A. Logan, and Ms
happened to live, at the period you refer TO,
in or near The same place where Logan did,
TOO know something about what he did
and what re did not do abou. the time the
war commenced. have been quite IA
mliar with what he has done since. Now.
Gen. Logan made some speeches in the
spring OF 1861 that blamed him for then,
and do yet aud !, at that time, considered
him one Of the most dangerous men In the
state, and | regretted it the More because
had known hun and been intimate with him
from the day he commenced the practice of
law, up 10 that time. had always locked
on him az rising man still, we had always
differed politically, but when the war came
on and I saw the course indicated IVY him
thought he would wreck ali his fine pros.
poets. heard him make a speech in MUIR
physbOro that felt very Indignant at and
out OF which some very warm and angry
words passed between linn aud myself; but
nc a,ouioo ihS, SouutCutIafiss sDOn
ward-and that too before he went on to
the extra session OF congress called to meet
by Mr. Iincolh's proelamation--thst he re-
GREETED that spec eh more than any act OF his
life. 1 know that he had fully made up his
mind TO 90 10 the war before lie left Car
bondale for Washington. for he told me so
the very day he started. He stated that he
Intended 10 do all be could to get Critten.
den's compromise, but he then had little
hope OF it and If that could not be got then
we were not going to allow those fellows
! south to dissolve the Union and break up
our Government; and nc would resign his
.eat in Congress and do what he could to
whip them back again. And he did exactly
what he said he would. He came home,
and ia nine days had a thousand men on
their way to Springfield. When in Carbon
dale with his regiment, before leaving on
the train for Springfield, he was INVITED to
say something, and In the presence Of at
least two thousand of the eitizens, incud.
ing his regiment, he stood on q small plat
form tn front Of the hotel, having an old red
sash around his wsisj, with an old sword
hung to II. lie surveyed the multitude for
minute. drew the sword from the scabbard
and pointing it toward the sky, said In a
solemn voice, ~ have draWnsa sword and
50 help me Sod, will never shelthe it.
while lie lasts me, until this rebellion il
put down."
That was the beginning OF the hsttei OF
his old DEMOCRATIC friends, especially all
those who were born Democrats. raised
Democrats, and have never changed. They
have not ceased to malgn him from that
day to this, and a. you say, have pursued
him with the venom OF their bitter souls,
and for no other reason than that he went
to that war and did his y hole duty and took
with him host OF Democrats that are yet
most OF them Tor Logan, -es.rs.-
As for the accusation that he had any
thing to DO with these men from William
son county going into the rebel service.
ihsppen to know perhaps s. much about
that matter BE any man in Southern Illinois,
I was advised with by some Of the boys who
went, and was informed by them that they
were thinking OF going and they told me
then. and after they returned, positively,
that Logan had never advised them to 90.
! happened to re 10 Paducah the very day
they got there, and know that Logan was
mot there. Avery prominent lawyer and
former old friend OF Logsn's was there, and
we came down TO Cairo from Paducah on
the same steamboat together, and he in.
formed me positively that Logan was not
there, and that he himself had only been
there TO try to persuade them back
il John A. Logan had staid out of the
war and had done all lie could to hinder
and prolong 1t, as many others did who
are now shouting for Tilden and reform,
he would, to-day, occupy the uppermss.
place in their affections bnt now
the cry is "any thing TO get Logan out OF
the United States Senate" That will be
glory enough for them, sthey say. might
tel you much in connection with this
matter, bot have only written this in cor
,roboration of what you have SKID, I might
refer to the Bill Crane scrspe /; had, IN
which was indicted for Knocking him In
the hsad for his abuse OF Logan, while he
) wss in this rr,ny and not there to defend
Z himself i,s--.ului n35s g's. .1I t-ii p.
lniI fully agree with you that John A. Lo-
gan has had more ieis told about him by
his Democratic enemies than any man In
the State Yours as ever, r,..,..
ia aaame- lg. !. NJ KELLY.