The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1885-10-01
RICHNESS!
An Old Letter Comes to Light
to Torment its Author.

10 torment It's AuGhOfs
CINCINNATI o Sept. 27.-The sens
alton here today was the publication
in the Enquirer of q fac simile letter
of M. Halstead, editor of the CONNER
cial Gazette, written in 1868, and max
ing the most monstrous charges and
assertions about Grant, Lincoln and
the Union Generals. The publication
of this letter has fallen like bomb
shell into the Republican camp, and
has absolutely stunned the party lead
ers. The letter occupies the whole first
page of the Enquirer, and ia reproduc-
ed i'm fac simile, The letter is as fol-
lows:
OFFICE CINCINNATI DAILY AND WEEKLY CoM-)
NERcIAL, Fourth and Race Streets
CINCINNATI. Feb ~, 1865.
Gov. CHAsE-My Dear Sir:
/ wrote you somewhat fantastic
letter the other day. But that I sup
pose is not now strange. / write this
morning to send you a copy of a pri-
vate letter / have from our army in
front Of Vicksburg. 1t is from close
observer, who endeavOrs to tell the
truth:
=" There never was more thorough
ly disgusted, disheartened, demoral-
ized army than this is, and all because
it Is under such men as Grant and
Sherman. Disease is decimating its
ranks, and while hundreds of poor
fellows are dying from smallpox and
every other conceivable malady. the
medical department is afflicted with
delirium tremens. In Memphis small
pOx patients are made to walk through
the streets from camps to hospitals.
while drunken doctors ride from bar.
rooms to whorehouses in government
it that Grant, who was behind at Fort
Henry, drunk at DOnelsOn, surprised
and whipped at Shiloh, and driven
back from Oxford, Miss, is still i'm
cOmmapd?n
Governor Chase. these things are
true. Our noble army of the Missis-
sippi is being wasted by the foolish,
drunken; stupid Grant. He can't or.
ganize or control or fight an army.
have no personal feeling about it, but
/ know he is an ass.
There Ia not among the whole list of
retired Major Generals man who is
not Grants superior. Mcclellan, FIRE.
mont, Mcdowell, Burnside. Franklin,
Pope or Sumner would be an improve
ment upon the present commander of
the army of the Mississippi. Will you
wake up some of these days and find
we have no army of the Mississippi ?
Then there is awful encouragement
at the way the foolish old Hunter, who
is thought to be a great man because
he is not insane in his prejudices on
the negro Question, is doing. In Gods
name, what is he waiting for? More
achievements Pity he can't die
and get out of the way, as Mitchell
did.
But to stop this sort of growing,
and come to something more practical.
The army west and east is being
weakened hourly by desertions. 1t is
the great evil. The thing needful to
stop it is for the President to give each
commander of departments power to
shoot deserters. They must be shot
b the dozen, The Presidents weak,
pulling, piddling humanitarianism is
death and hell to the army. Can't
you take him by the throat and knock
his hevd against wall until he is
brought to his senses on the war busi-
ness? do not speak wantonly when
1 say there are persons who would
feel that it is doing God service to kill
him. if it were not feared that Ham.
lin 10 a bigger fool than he is.
And yet the pitiful Congress twad
dies weekly in private caucus about
little matters, as if little more nigger
would do everything. Why don't they
pass your finance measure and the
conscript act, and mind their own bu-
siness?
The proclamation is positive nui-
sance to every truly loyal man in the
West. 1t is weapon in the hands of
the Butternuts. If it is made party
test, Vallandigham would be elected
of Ohio. Do not think | am
at random. Alas! / know
what | am talking about. What is
wanted:
l. A General for our army of the
9. Deserters shot by Order of COM
manders of departments
3 Lees dependence upon the mig
ger and more upon the white man.
4. The consolidation of the frag-
ments of regiments.
5. Arrest and try Henry May and
Wendell Phillips for treason.
8. Suppress the New York Tribune
and New York World,
NJ. HALsTEAD.
This letter is talked of everywhere,
and the Republicans are in despair.
III Halstead has been shouting and roar
ing aud waving the bloody shirt and
to fight the war over again.
He has been doing the hardest kind of
work for Sherman and Foraker, and
now this letter is made public, con-
victing him of the most villainous
abuse of Lincoln, Grant and the Un-
ion Generals.
Halstead admits that he wrote the
letter, but has not much to say about |
it. Indeed, there Is not much to be
said.
The Charge of Extravagance.