National Republican., 1883-06-01

the period which Gen. Th ma passed at Car
Isle barracks:
My acquaintance with Gen. Thomas began
when, think, he was lieutenant assignee 20
duty at that garrison, under Col. Charles May,
That pleasure was renewed when he reported
there from the frontier, and, In view oil MS suDse
quent brilliant record, cannot but regard ,. tnM
am enabled to speak knowingly Of what now
state. From the time Mai. Thomas was ordered
day when waived him goodby at the head Of
his command, followed by our City Troop on bis
way o Join Cen Robert patterson ne @ nSd cIiecs neEs
period Of our history. can say, without fear OF
contradiction. which can be attested by some OF
the citizens of Carlisle now living, who knew MIN
we'll, and were with him often Just previous TO his
departure to Join Gen. Patterson, that his whole
soul-Virginian born as he was-with al his enei-
giles and military experience, was enlisted wholiy
on the side of the government whose sworn oln-
Ger he was. He was ever true among the faith
less.
In that exciting period there were people in
Carlisle who distrusted him because of his place OF
birth, and even went so far as to say he ought not
prove traitor, &c. but these doubts all vanished
into thin air" when, at the head of his command,
ne departed from carlisle, looking tne very inchI
| nation of devotion to the cause of which he be-
came so brilliant defender.
may now give an incident, never before pub
lshed which can be verified by a citizen now liv-
ing in Carlisle. The rumors affecting the loyalty
ofMaj. Thomas had become known to him. ON
the day before or on the day he len TO Join Gen
Patterson he gave to Mr.. A. l.. Sponsler, Justice
of the peace (uow dead, voluntary oath Of re:
newed allegiance TO the government of the United
States, saying, Lock this up myour hreproof, and
if am killed in any of the coming conflicts, make
| II public SO that my trnducets may know tnat
was true to the fasp These facts are ss Temem
| lie attention did not the speech of Senator Cam .
eron intimate, If not charge, that Gen. Thomas at
one time wavered in his allegiance TO the govern
ment ofthe United States.
1t is fitting to close this discussion by inter
posing what Gen. Garfield ftly styles the
stainless shield of Thomas himself--his own
unimpeachable words recorded by Col. A. l..
Hough, his confidential aid at the time they
were spoken" Col. Hough says:
slander upon the general was often repeated
in southern papers during and Immediately sub.
sequent to the rebellion. II was given upon the
authority of prominent rebel officers, and not de-
MED by them. 1t was to the elect that he was
disappointed in not getting a high command In
the rebel army he had sought for; hence his re-
fusal TO join In the rebellion. In conversation
with him on this subject the general said this was
an entire fabrication, not having an atom OF foun.
dation not n line ever passed between him aud
| the rebel authorities They nave no genuine let
ter Of his nor was a word AToken by him to any
one that could ever lead to such an inference
He defed any one to produce any testimony
never entertained such All idea, for his duty wal
clear to him from the beginning.
Gen. Thomas is dead. Years ago the nation
piled laurels ON his grave. The pages oi
American history will ever shine bright with
his fame. In all future story, born of oul
rebellion, no blade, among those welded by
our many great and honored captains, will
CLEAN brighter than his. No character will
appear more sounded, and none more perfect
than his
Over his grave, which this senator Of tn,
United States, standing alone among al
the millions of his countrymen, would cove
with clouds of doubt and vacillation, ant
leanings toward disoyalty, history will writ,
his own words: "My duty was clear to m,
from the beginning" and add this verdic
of his country, "and right nobly did he per
form it."