Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-03-13
rHArsrA SECRET.
Two Prominent Ex-C0nfoderAtes Who
Have Doubts About It.

Two Prominent Ex-Confederates who
Have Doubts About It.
St Louis Republican.
The statement by Gen. Frost that in
the incipient stage of the late war, the
early autumn of 81, it was the clearly
defined policy Of Mr.. Davis, the head Of
the Richmond government to avoid send
ing troops into Missouri to cooperate
with the state guard of that state be-
cause of the probable complication that
would result in the event Of the union
being disbanded, still continues to be
uppermost in the minds Of the Missouri
ans and southern confederates who were
at the front. All the discussions and
conferences relating to the peculiar posi-
ton of the state of Missouri and the
state guard are being recalled and redis-
cussed, and opinions freely expressed
that the head OF the Richmond govern
ment was not withheld from action in
the state of Missouri by fear of becom
ing entangled with the state to the later
annoyance of the confederacy.
ut is a subject on which Gen. John
ston never conversed with me-" remark
ed ex. Lieutenant Gov. Thomas G. Rey-
nolds to reporter, shut I have dis
tinct recollection of meeting with him,
during which some one present inquired
of him what he thought might be the re-
suit of war. Gen. Johnston answered:
Il never speculate on the probable result
of my actions. I do my duty as it lays
before me, and leave the result to God
and the future He may have had such
secret, however, as Gen. Frost speaks
of, from Mr.. Davis, for he was very re-
ticent man, but I believe the policy Of
the confederacy toward the state of Mis-
souri, can best be judged by its official
acts, and they do not justify the opinion
that its policy was to avoid any debt OF
obligation to the state in the event of
final settlement. According to my re-
collection, long before the state of Mis-
souri, seeded from the union the con-
federacy made treaty with her, as an
independent state, to furnish money for
the support of her soldiery, and official
acts are better foundation for judg
ment than reliance on chance converse
lions with official men, which are often
simply discussions
''The Missouri troops were, without
doubt, the best informed men, and I'M
derstood the POLITICAL situation in the
country better than the troops from any
other state on either side," said Mr.. L..
B. Valiant, land do not think that they
were ever deceived in regard to the at
titude of the confederacy toward their
state. The peculiar position occupied
by Missouri in the early stages of the
war was the one subject of conversation
about the camp-fres of both privates
and officers, and its position may have
had weight in determining the early
movements in the west The state lead
ers considered the geographical position
of the state-that it would be bounded
on three sides by free territory, making
it impracticable to maintain it as slave
state, and thought the sympathies of the
populace of the state were overwhelrn-
ingly in favor of the south, the state re-
fused to secede. I think that it's geo.
graphical position had considerable
wei ght with the convention that decided
almost unanimously against secession.
But it had never occurred to me until
Gen. Frost made the statement that the
confederacy ever avoided an alliance
with Missouri because of a boundary
line consideration. While the state guard
under Gen. Price was resisting the union
forces and the state of Missouri was a
member of the union, it might have been
thought ill-advised by the Richmond
government to fly to the support of Gen.
Price, thereby making the confederacy
duty bound to stand by him and his
army if treaty should be entered into,
and that without knowing what posi-
ton his state would take. However, that
there was desire on the part of the con-
federacy to embrace Missouri can hardly
be doubted. In support of that opinion
it is significant that commissioners were
sent to urge Missouri to join the confed-
probably they were sent by in
dividual states and when the state did
go through loose form of secession by
her legislature in session, unlike the Sc
cession route taken by the other states,
the confederacy was willing and anxious
to recognize her as confederate state.
But before she expressed herself as will
ing to join the confederacy the fear of
owing protection to the Missouri soldiers
and not knowing how the state as state
would want to act if treaty was to be
drawn up, may have cut some figure in
the confederate troops not being sent
into Missouri. However, there was, per-
haps, very little ordering done from
headquarters to the troops in the west
previous to Gen. Johnston being placed
in command. and when he appeared in
the west he had all he could attend to,
with the men and equipment at hand,
east of the Mississippi river without Or
dering troops into Missouri Therefore
neither the boundary line nor the uncer-
tainty as to whether Missouri would
desire to stand by her soldiers in the
treaty emergency may have played any
part in deciding whether confederate
troops should aid the Missouri state
guard or not"
Counter citing as a Fine Art:
''The counterfeiter is going to work on
business basis" said Chief Brooks, of
the secret service. HE has become an
economist and is operating on narrow
margin of profit"
believes in similar profits and safer
returns?"
Eyes, that's it. Here is new finger
,oocf IF dam or - continued Chief Brooks