The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1879-10-07
OLD BOYS IN BLUE, READ.
General Rice and the Cincinnati
Gazette.

Colonel Rice, it is said, lost a leg
in the Union cause. General Ewing
gave out that his great expectations
of success in this election campaign
were in the figure of their three
legs as against the four of the Re-
publican ticket. But Colonel Rice
could not lose a leg in the Union
cause when his heart was not in the
cause. His political conduct showed
that his heart was on the Confede-
rate side, and that his enlistment as
a commissioned officer was a specu-
lation. A Colonel's pension for a
lost leg is a handsome income for
life, and is very high pay for a Val.
landigham leg. When Colonel Rice
undertakes to run on his claims as a
soldier of the Union for party
which was hostile to the Union SOL
diers, and when he harrangues for
the principles of State secession
which the Union army fought to put
down, he justifes us in examining
his politico- military record, and this
examination proves that he was
then a professed Union Colonel
with Confederate principles, and
that his service was very much
worse than useless to the country.
Gazette.
Gen. Rice, while at Covington,
September 5, took occasion to reply
to the slanderous article that appear
ed in the Cincinnati Gazette of Sep.
tember 4. The General said:
81 am not in the habit of intruding
personal matters into political can
vass but the charge made against
me by the Cincinnati Gazette is so
slanderous and insulting that my
self-respect will allow me to remain
silent no longer, | spent five of the
best years of my life in defense of
my country and flag, enduring pri-
vations and suffering with no other
thought than loyalty to my country
l was wounded at Vicksburg, wound
ed again at Lookout Mountain, gain
at Resacca, again at Pine Mountain,
and lost my leg at Kenesaw. l bear
on my body the marks of five balls
and two shells. l Ispent four years
in Congress endeavoring to procure
justice for my comrades, and secure
the passage of the arrearages and
pensions act, and the equalization
of bounties. Yet Longstreet, a rebel
General whom l fought in the field,
is appointed to a lucrative Office un-
der a Federal administration. Key
made Cabinet member of the Gov.
ernment, and Mosby, the black flag
guerrilla, sent as an ambassador to
China. When think of these men
loaded with honors and emoluments
and credited with loyalty and patri
otism, while /, because / am Dem
ocrat, suffering as | have, crippled
as / am, while in the service Of my
country, am denounced as a sympa-
thizer with treason. 1t seems to me
that it is high time my comrades,
the survivors of the late war, should
know how their record for loyalty
stands. Under the circumstances,
my friends, l think no apology is re-
quired for these remarks"
This manly and justly indignant
reply of brave soldier and patri-
otic citizen to the attacks of, a
sneaking coward will meet with a
hearty response from every patriot
in Ohio who may read it. We mis-.
take the temper of the boys in blue
if they do not rebuke the party
which endorses this unnatural and
infamous war upon the character of
General Rice whose shattered body
and wooden leg attest his bravery
and gallant services in defense of
his country. sf 81 i6a.