The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1885-04-25
GEN, GRANT IN APRIL 1861.
An Heretofore Unpublished Letter Written
at the Npening of the KebelliOp.

An heretofore Unpublished Letter Written
at the Opening of the Rebellion.
The following letter was written by
Gen. Grant in 1861 to his father-in-law
in ST. Louis, Mo. 1t was published in
che Gl0de Democrat, of the 18th insti
prefaced with the editorial assertion that
it has never before been made public:
GALINA, April 10, 1861.
Wr. r. Dent.
DEAR SIR: have but very little time
to write, but as in these exciting times
we arc very anxious to hear from you,
and know of no other way but by writing
first to you, must make time. We get
but little news by telegraph from St.
Louis, but from all other points OF the
country We are hearing all the time.
The times are indeed startling; but now
is the time, particularly in the border
slave States, for men to prove their love
of country know it is hard for men
to apparently work with the Republican
party, but now all party distinctions
patriot be for maintaining the integrity
of the glorious Old Stars and Stripes, the
Constitution and the Union. The North
is responding to the Presidents call in
such manner that the rebels may truly
quake. | tell you there is no installing
the feelings Of the people. The Govern
ment can call into the field IS. 600 troops,
and ten or twenty times $4,000 if it
should be necessary, and find the means
of maintaining them, too. 1t is all a
mistake about the Northern pocket be-
ing SO sensitive. In times like the pres
ent no people are more ready to give
their own time or of their abundant
means. No impartial man can conceal
from himself the fact that in all these
troubles the Southerners have been the
aggressors, and the Administration has
stood purely on the defensive-more on
the defensive than she would dared to
have done but for her consciousness of
strength and the certainty of right pre-
vailing i'll the end.
The news today is that Virginia has
gone out of the Union. But for the in
iuence she will have on the other border
States this is not much to be regretted,
Her position, or rather that of eastern
Virginia, has been more reprehensible
from the beginning than that of South
Carolina. She should be made to bear a
heavy portion of the burden of the war
for her guilt.
In al this can but see the doom of
slavery. The Northerners do not want,
nor will they want, to interfere with the
| institution, but they will refuse for all
time to give it protection unless the
| Southerners shall return soon to their
bance Will give such an impetus to the
production of their staple-cotton-in
other parts of the world that they can
never recover the control of the market
again for that commodity. This will re-
luce the value of the negroes so much
that they will never be worth fighting
over again.
have just received letter from Fred
Frederick Dent, Jr.] He breathes
forth the most patriotic sentiments. He
is for the old flag as long as there is
UNION of TWO States fighting under its
banner, and when they dissolve he will
go it alone. This is not his language,
but it is the idea not SO we'll expressed
as he expresses it. Julia and the chill
dren are all well and join me in love to
you ALL forgot to mention that Fred
has another heir, with some novel name
that have forgotten. Yours truly,
| L. S GRANT