The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1879-09-18
The Bummer-in-Chief Heard from.

We cannot approve of the proposed re-
union at Salisbury on the 18th prox., OF
orr brave ex-Confederate soldiers with the
s.Galvanized Yankees" ''Kirkites, 'Buf-
faloes." and s'Bush-whackers," who rep
resented North Cardinals contingent IN the
Yankee army. We printed the call for the
re union, because requested to do SO, ana
because, while we do not approve, we have
no right, nor wish, to interfere with, or
censure, our Salisbury friends who have the
matter in hand. There is no community
in the State for whose people we have more
kindly feelings. They have giveI us rea-
son thus to regard them: and we are CRATE
full therefor.
But we cannot endorse this reunion OF
true men with renegades. If it were a
meeting of Northern and Southern soldiers
the case would be different. We can res
pect a brave Northern soldier, provided he
fought in sincerely to restore the Union,
and not merely because he hated US, and
wished to rob us of our slave property, and
take from US our constitutional right to
hold it. A Federal soldier of that stamp,
you may depend, is guiltless OF burning
widows houses, numbering grey-haired
grandsires, robbing and ravishing; leaving
woe and Indebtedness, and weeping, and
''desoldtion las Sherman bOasts) az has
track" For the honest Northern soldier,
who has not since turned politician, we can
feel respect and sufficient fellowship to
meet him cordially, and forget that ever
our swords clashed. But these 'Galva-
nized," these 'Kirk's cut throats," these
'sBush-whackers, Whose bloody atroci-
ties vet make mourning in thousands OF
homes all over the Carolina hills, -prithee
have me excusedj
If they repent of the past, w shall be
very g,ad-bu at present, as Gen. Sher-
man says, we cannot ''meet on equality"
However, it is not likely any of them will
come to the reunion for their Grand Bum
merlin Chief (the burner of Columbia and
Fayetteville) who confesses, in his book,
that he tried to fix a base calumny on brave
Wade Hampton. has set the example Of In
sulting the committee who cOurteously in
vited him. Here is the gist of his lett r in
reply
Whenever and wherever the honest men Ct
North Carolina meet to allay sectional and
party animOsities, and to cultivate feelings
of fraternity and respec: for their fellow
citizens of the United States, it will be to
me most tempting to come to Salisbury.
IuouM far prefer to come alone, than as
before miM q east army, hdring desolation
behind, but 1 must not be construed as as
senting to the proposition that Confederate
and Union men were alike ,UOrthy of a cele-
bration for the terrible history of 1876.
1 would much prefer to come on some
civic occasion when all are absolutely equaL,
all alike interested in the present and future
glory of our common country. There were
very few Union soldiers in North Carolina
during the war, though we believe the peo-
pie generally were opposed to secession and
war; so that your meeting, if confined to
surviving soldiers of North Carolina, will
be in fact a Confederate Re- Union," where
[ would certainly be out of place. All sol
diers in their social reunions glorify their
deeds of heroism, and this reunion will
hardly be an exception. and 1t could be a
strange sight for Gen. Sherman to cheer the
victories of has enemies, and respond to the
claim that because the soldiers of North
Carolina were brave and true to their State
and section, their cause ua as sacred as
oars, which finally triumphed, and made
our Union more glorious and more resplen-
lent than before. Were l present., and
you should suppress this natural feeling. |
would feel myself an intruder marring the
natural happiness of a festive occasion.
l know that the soldier element were the
first to lay aside the angry partisan feelings
of the war, and are now leaders in the new
epoch which is sure to add wealth and
prosperity to our whole country. and when
occasion arises when we may all meet
on common ground in North Carolina, to
celebrate some revolutionary event, or to
encourage some modern enterprise, it will
give me great pleasure to come to Salisbury,
% Raleigh, to Guilford Court House, or anv
,fhnr ,>1ooo - %ho Sll1 NzuI Co.. -
Wishing you an agreeable reunion, but ask
Ing you to excuse me, l am, with respect,
Yours most truly,
W. T. SHERMAN, General.
GENERAL News ITEMS A number of