Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1895-10-03

Aware as am of the denial of the fg-
ures given above can truly say that l
have spared no pains to verify them, and
believe they will yet be found to be sub
stantially true, except with regard to the
total Federal loss, of which could form
no definite opinion.
\ word now upon that which it is the
solemn dutyof all to consider in the light
of the gospel and of existing facts-hF
7gay Itself. Shall ii continue "a fear
full question to the church, which so far
has shared largely in all its responsibili-
ties. I tremble for Zion when l think
k0W largely. AS to the occasion OF the
war you know that agree with you fully.
! have not changed my past opinions OF
past facts but if we do not modify our
judgments by new facts and conditions
we fight against providence. But as to
the real causes of the war, they lie far
back of the occasion and few have the
knowledge aud still fewer the impartial
ty to pass a righteous judgment. As to
those who wish to haveit continued there
is no dispute now.
As to any of its professed purposes 1t
is hopeless for good to the North. For
whatever purposes may be professed
even by resolutions of Congress, the only
possible hope of the North is in a mill
tary subjugation of II great States OF
10000 square miles three more with
them in heart making territory larger
than all Europe, Russia excepted, now
separated from them morally by an inl-
passable gulf, and who have declared
their independence and whose cry Is
more deep and universal than when II
passed from the lips of Patrick Henry III
the Revolutiou-"Giv me liberty or give
me death" Is there any example Ill
history of so many millions of intelli-
gent and free people being subJugated'
or of any good arising from the attempt
50 far every prediction respecting 1t has
miserablv failed, especially the prcdic-
ton Of those whom the North most looked
to and trusted. The North can not only
never subiugate the South but it can new
er gain any victory over it which Will not
be as injurious to itself as to the South.
Yet it may inhict great suffering and Is
doing so now, for this war is to the South
cruel and mWdeT0HS 10 tire last dcgree.
l will not speak of the spelling Of our
goods"-the necessity Of burying even
the vessels of the sanctuary to save them
from military robbers-churches en-
tered bv the army as in Fairfax county,
and theirwalls written over with obscene
language, and blasphemous expressions
against God which were but specimens
of the talk of the soldicry, one General,
at least, other high officers included, such
as many witnesses report exceeded any
combination of words to mock every
thing sacred which they could have CON
ceivcd-the insult Of officers riding into
mems houses OH horseback as III this
countv-the shooting OF horses and all
kinds of domestic animals for the sport
of the soldiery and the utter spelling OF
houses i'll Union districts (or which were
Union districts), sometimes burning
them, and the killing of women n the
streets and their own houses by the
drunken and brutal-but 90 to the battle
field which YOU may real of as we all
havc-but which no man can compre-
hend until he has seen it-parents bend
ing over their SONS dying III agony-oth
ers arriving with coffinS to open the fresh
graves of those who have been SLAIN
upon their own soil-aud alas not 'by
the bloody Piedmontese" but by those
oftheir own kindred and religion. Every
one of these deaths believe before God
is a murder and cries for vengeance and
will have to be accounted for, both, by
terrible retributious i'll this world and at
the Judgment day. Then comes :he
prohibition of medicines and remedies
in the markets where we have always
bought them and shutting us out from
procuring them in any part of the world.
What is the meaning of this but that our
wounded and the sick of our whole pop
ulation shall die? thank God that the
numerous sick and wounded Of our enc
mics now among US share equally with
our own in the diminished stock and will
while any remains, You cannot tell
how my heart sunk within me when l
received some weeks ago letter from
Bishop with whom had long been upon
the most intimate terms of christian al
fection quoting with apparent approval
the saying then so common at the North
that this war must be prosecuted at
whatever cost, " which must mean though
il should involve the destruction Of all
his brethren. He closed by saying that
our only meeting place now IS at the
throne Of grace" But alas how can
we meet their, when all our Northern
Bishops, so far as have seen except
three, have put forth prayers which can
be answered by little less than our ami
hilation. There is indeed no help for
us but in the favor Of God, and hundreds
i believe thousands Of our people arc
prostrated before Him in prayer day
and night, and hence as I believe the
results ofthe 18th and 2Ist Of July.
know there are exceptions in both
armies, but as general thing the South
ern dead are our most respectable and
useful citizens including many Of educa-
ton and refinement, the centresof social
affections and often the best supporters
of morals and religion, while it is ad-
rnitted that whole regiments OF those