Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1885-04-18
GRANT BEFORE THE WAR.
Letter Written by the General which has
Never Before been Made Public.

There is printed in the St. Louis Globe
Democrat the following letter, written by
General Grant in 1861 to his father-n-law
in st. Louis, pretaced with the editorial
assertion that this letter has never before
been made public 1t is document of rare
views expressed on the rebellion, ard of
especial interest just now that all eyes are
turned toward the dying chieftain:
GALENA, Apriu9, 1861.
Mr.. +. Den.-DEAR SIR / have but very little
time TO write, but as in these exciting times we
are 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 par
ticularly i'll the border slave States for men to
prove their love OF country l know il is hard
for Southern men to apparently work with the
Republican party, but now all party distinctions
should be lost sight of, and every true patriot be
for maintaining the integrity of the glorious old
Stars and Stripes, the Constitution and the
Union. The North is responding to the Presi-
dents call in such Il manner that the rebels may
truly quake. ! tell you there is no installing
the feelings OF the people The Government can
call into the field not only 10 coo troops but ten
or twenty times 40 O. if it should be necessary
and find the means of maintaining them too
1t is ali a mistake about the Northern pocket
being so sensitive. In times like the present no
people are more ready to give their own time OF
of their abundant means.
No impartial man can conceal from himself
the fact that III all these troubles the Southern
ers have been the aggressorS and the Admins
tration has stood surely on the defensive-Tnore
nthe defensive than she wonld dared 10 have
done before her consciousness of her strength
and the certainty of right prevailing in the end
The news to-day is thar Virginia has gone cut
of the Union. But tor the influence She will
have on the border slave States this is not much
10 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 10 bear heavy potion OF
the burden OF the war for her guilt.
In all this can but see the doom of slavery.
The North does not want, 10 Will it want, TO in
terfere with the institution, but it Will refuse for
all the time to give it protection, unless the
South shall return soon TO its allegiance. And
then, too, this disturbance will give such an i'm
petus TO the production of its staple, cotton, i'll
other parts OF the world, that il can never re.
cover the control of the market again for that
commodity. This will reduce the value of the
negroes 50 much that they will never be worth
fighting for over again. ! have just received a
letter from Frederick Dent, Jr. He breathes
forth the most patriotic sentiments. He is for
the cd flag as long as there is q union of two
States fighting under the banner, and when they
dissolve, he will go it alone This is not so well
expressed as he expresses it.
Julia and the children are we'll and join me
in love 10 you all. forgot to mention that
Fred. has another heir, with some novel name
that have forgotten. Yours truly,
/. 5. GRANT.