, 1877-01-07

greater regard to Art than sanitary require
ments; but, for myself, NAV say have no
| been blessed with 80 much health, warmth, ant
vieor, in five years past, as since my visit !!
August to those same '' brown jugs ~ whtcl
Mrs. s. would have us believe were filled ant
saturated with something worse than bottlet
beer.
It she had been content to cease with thi'
pungent TRADE, should have enjoyed it rathel
| than otherwise; for 1t Is quite entertaining tt
have matter thus presented in good SCI
terms; and, have no doubt, II the Board @
Managers and the "New York saynns' kneh
shaken up SO briskly, and set down SO abruptly
as lunatics and donkeys respectively.
But when she proceeds in the same manner
and spirit to deal with the vital questions no"
| aeitating the nation, think she goes too far.
Such reycngeful and inccndiary utterances can
not do good, and they may prove as the sparh
to ttnder in many fiery minds and tempers uKo
| her own within the circle Of your readers.
| It is bad enough for her to have advocated
the settlement OF the Indian question by a
method of unci7ilized guerrilla warfare, show
| ing no quarter, aud recognizing IN the red men
nothing human; but, in tins of such smoul-
| doring excitement and political ferment as the
present, sho may do infinitely more mischief BY
evitably be fought again, md st wound up "
| with wholesale execution and expatriation.
| know that beer often makes people up
| roarious, but was not aware that 1t would cx-
| cite, even in woman's breast, such blood
| thirsty sentiments as this woman seems to
delight in expressing. One would almost think
she had been imbfbing the murderous - ire
watern with hostile savages, instead OF any
milder beverage.
+ know two Indies who hold in high esteem
of humanity and reform in an earlier day, aud
who mourn much over the reckless, mocking
tone of all her recent letters. Not having
read her earlier productions, l must say
the only good thing have ever known her to
insist upon is abundance Of fresh air; and
think. If she lived on an Iowa prairie, she might
realize that it Is possible to have too much eren
Of that. Indeed, am not sure she may not
have swallowed northwestern some time, which
still blows across her pen.
to go back over the events OF the War and It's
close,-a war in which all the fighting material
OF our family was enlisted on the Union side,
and for the support OF which tie non
the firing Of the first gun to the final surrender
by the Rebels,-I should refer to that which l
have heard stated as historical fact, namely:
that Mr.. Lincoln, in whose great heart there
was t'charity for all and malice towards none,"
at the close Of the War called council of the
ahlest jurists in the country to consider what
could be done with the leaders Of the Rebellion;
and it was considered SO doubtful whether,
under our Government and laws, even Jefferson
Davis could be convicted and executed upon
be so much more unsatisfactory than no trial
that he was suffered to rest merely under in
dictment-
But an extended disquEition is not within the
scope of this letter, and ( will only say that
Mrs. Swisshclnl's characterization Of the pres
ent attitude and auimus of the South seems to
be in direct contradiction OF the accepted state
ment Of facts. When so much hatred and war
spirit remains in tho hearts Of original Aholi-
tionists, it would be very strange If none were
found In the breasts Of their fire-eating oppo-
nents; but, according to the respectable Re-
publican journals which we read, the Southern
ers in Congress and elsewhere are confessedlY
and notorfouslJ the faction which is opposed to
war, and in favor Of peaceable judicial Settle
ment OF mooted questions, whatever such decis-
ion may be-
1t seems to me, If there was ever q time when
every individual should bury personal prejudice
and think only OF our common country and
especially when all who are connected with the
public press, which has such vast influence over
the minds and opinions Of men and women,
should discountenance and abstain from all
ranting and all political clap-trap, speaking
forth only the t. words OF truth and soberness,''
this is the time.
Ii, at this era, our public men and leaders
cannot rise above all selfish and partisan con-
siderations, to speak, write, and labor for q
single object, the elucidation Of truth and right
under orr Constitution and laws,-then there
is sufficient ground for the grave apprehensions
SO widely entertained, that the dsintesration
of our body polite has already commenced,
and that the fabric OF our Government is likely
to undergo such changes as in q few years to be
past recognition.
I am woman, and not a very old one; but
love my country, and revere its laws and tradi-
tions Under the form OF government deyiacd
and executed by our fathers, We have been
most sisnally blessed and prospered. Our Ship
Of State has already endured severe strains and
weathered violent storms; and God forbid that,
just rs we finish the celebration Of
century's life and advancement,
We abandon the glorious bark to the
passions and greed Of 4 short-sighted and uu-
reasoning few! But may the many who love
the free better than place or power, and country
better than party, unite to prevent her strand |
ing amid these rocks and shoals. And, when !
this exisency is safely past, let us take lesson
from the crisis. |
There is q story, often told, of an old gentle
man who, wishing to employ coachman, asked |
each applicant how near lie could drive to the
edge OF q precipice without going over. Many |
claimed the ability to go very near the brink,
without obtaining the coveted position At last
avoided dangerous places as far as possible,
and he was employed. It seems to me that
press and platform too often occupy the
positions Of the reckless drivers, striving,
as each clectfon-tfme approaches, to intlanne
and mfslead the people,-thus every year put
Government aud free institutions,-When they
ought rather, BY fairness, moderation, and dig
nifty, in the legitimate use of their molding and
power, to sec to it 't that govern
%enf ne a Of the PeoRls by the people, for the Pee
rs, as women, by the broadness Of our sympa-
.hies, the depth Of our affections, and the ardor
of our patriotism, range ourselves among the
,onscrvators Of the peace. Z.