Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1879-03-13
"reminiscences of am Old Editor.


NUMBER ".
To the Editor of the New Vienna Register:
In September, 1861, purchased the Cir
cleville Herald from John A. Lutz, Esq,
administrator of the estate of Wm.Brem-
igan, decd. It had, for many years been
one of the leading papers of the Scioto
Valley. VIM. B. Thral and Jason Case
were numbered among its editors. Mr..
Bremigan was man of decided talents.
This was the first year of the rebellion.
Sumter had been fired on and the MEM
orable battle of Bulls Run was fought.
The Union cause looked decidedly blue,
and many patriots had serious misgivings
as TO the result of the struggle. Being
'sof the muster roll, % gave my heart,
soul and pen, to the Administration of
President Lincoln. All that ever blamed
him for was, that he was too slow in de-
elaring emancipation and too forbearing
with such commanders as Mcclellan. I
did not agree with Mr.. Lincoln, in his
letter to Horace Greeley, that he would
save the Union a0fsE or aoitbout slavery.
Slavery was the cause of the war, and
that was the first thing, to be destroyed.
After the secession of the eleven South
ern States, and the attack upon Ft. Sum-
ter, the Emancipation Proclamation
should have been. issued. also differed
with Mr.. Lincoln, in regard TO his treat
ment of Gen. Fremont. He was removed
from command in Missouri for declaring
that slaves were contraband of war and
should be set free. Butler, too, took the
same ground, and was the first to employ
slaves in working on fortifications. Ex-
pediency rather than principle was the
prevailing policy of Mr.. Lincoln up to
the issuing of his grand Proclamation of
Freedom.
Being in advance of the Administration
of Mr.. Lincoln, onall questions involving
freedom and equal rights, I had no diff
Guilty in, sustaining all measures tending
/ to the overthrow of slavery and the Wig
orous prosecution of the war. All the
calls for troops; all plans for raising
money; all the Constitutional amend
ments, met my decided approval. 1 was
in full sympathy with Ben. Wade and
Charles Sumner, and always rejoiced
when old Abe stiffened up his back bone.
1 The title fHerald'' was not expressive
enough to meet the exigency of the times,
and, consequently, with the concurrence
of the Republican Central Committee,
changed the name to FsCircleville Union. -
During the war ,one of the marked char
acters of the Union was the publication OF
letters of soldiers in the army from Pick
away. They filed weekly eight or ter
columns, and were read with great inter
est. The correction of them for the press
involved vast labor. So popular was the
paper, in 1864, that the Republicans o1
Pickaway subscribed, and paid for, 8O(
copies of the Union, which were sent to
the various regiments, in which the sol
diers were enrolled, for one year.
The Union, all through the war, was rec
hot, and, of course, exceedingly unpopu
lar with the Vallandfgham Democracy.
was often threatened with personal vic
lenee; and, on one occasion, anorganizet
mob, from Fairfield county, invaded the
city for the purpose of destroying the,of-
fee. Ample preparations were made fol
their reception. If they had commenced
the attack, it was the intention of the Re
publicans not only to defend the U9sto1
but to go for the Democrat. Better coun.
sells prevailed, and the city was saved
from a disgraceful riot. The bearing O
Jason Case, the Mayor of the city. on tha
occasion; was worthy of all praise. Hi
:. course was manly and conservative. HI
armed himself and deputies, and took
position in front of the Office, and patroleC
the city at night. -
The Union, during the war, had yer!
large subscription. At one time, ther,
were twenty-four hundred copies regu
larly issued. It was impossible to prin
them on a hand press, land I had no none!
to buy power press. In this emergency
my esteemed friend, John A. Lutz, Esq.
came to my relief. wanted 5000. In
days time he raised the money on M
notes to different parties for $50 and 500
five years after date without interest
This was exceedingly generous, but per
fectly characteristic of the noble Repub
licans of Circleville. That was an act O
friendly appreciation shall never for
get. Long before maturity, was able t
take up these notes. The Hoe press.
then bought, is still in the Office of tn
, Herald Union.
After the close of the war, in 1866,
sold the Union for $4,000 to Colonel C. T
Hayes, now a member of Congress frol
4 Illinois. The Office was doing an exec
) lent business; had first rate reputation
and was, in all respects, a desirable proI
erty. Iparted with it fromnecessity an
with great reluctance. My losses, at Day
3 ton, were the moving cause. The fact i
have never recovered from them.
could make money, at printing, but n
enough to tide over this cruel misfortune
j From March, 1865, to April, 1872, I WI
Postmaster of Circleville. After the a
cession of Andrew johnson, 1 had co
slant struggle to maintain myself in c
a flee. I did not do this by playing t
ot spaniel, but by bold, manly opposite
to the measures of his Administration.
opposed his Philadelphia platform, al
refused to affiliate with the office-holde
in this State, who sought to propitis
= him by an apparent, but hypoeritical e
dorsement of ''My Policy" I was I
only Postmaster but editor of the Uni,
and hence disguise was impossible.
never did understand the art of kn.
bending, ,and if 1 had condescended to ge
Election it would have been to some mC
honorable man than Andrew johnson
looked upon him as a miserable den
(. gogue; was opposed to his nomination
the Vice-Presidency had serious dou
of his loyalty and strong suspicit
20 that he had guilty knowledge of the
- sassination of Mr.. Lincoln. Of cour
was in no frame of mind to supp