Norwich bulletin., 1916-12-27
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Allegiance to the South.

MT. Editor: In one of Gen. Picket's letters to his wife he tells why his allegiance went to the Confederacy. He writes "No. my child. I had no conception of the intensity of feeling, the bitterness and hatred toward those who were so lately our friends and are now our enemies. I, of course, have always strenuousiy opposed dis union, not as dou,bting the right of secession, which was taught in our text books at West Point, but as gravely questioning it's expediency. I believe that the revolutionary spirit which inflicted both north and south, was but a passing phase of fanati- cism which would perish under the re- buke of all good citizens who would surely unite in upholding the consti- tuition, but when that great assembly composed of ministers, lawyers, Judges, chancellors, statesmen, mostly white haired men of thought met in South Carolina and when their dis tricts were called crept noiselessly to the table in the center of the room and affixed their signatures to the parchment on which the ordinance of secession was inscribed, and when in deathly silence. in spite of the gath cred multitude, Gen. Jameson arose and without preamble, read, The ordi- nance of secession has been signed and ratified. I proclaim the state of South Carolina an Independent sovereignty , and lastly when my old boyhood friend called for an invasion, it was evident that both the advocates and opponents Of secession had read the portents alright. I love my neighbor-that is, my country. I love my household that is. my state more, and I could not be an infidel and lift my sword against my own kith and kin, even though I do believe that the measure of American greatness can be achieved only under one flag, and I fear as there can never again reign for either of us the true spirit of natural unity whether divided and under two flags or united under one. Why, all we ask is a separation from people of contending interest who love us as a nation as little as, we love them; the dissolution of union that has lost its holiness. to be let alone and per- mitted to sit under our own vine and fig tree and eat our figs peeled or dried, or fresh or pickled, just as we choose. The enemy is our enemy be- cause he neither knows US and yet will not let us part in peace and be neighbors, but insists on fighting us to make us one with him. forgetting that both slavery and secession were his own institutions. The north is fighting for the Union and we for home and fireside. All the men know and love in the world-comrades and II ASIAuS, DOt1 Lo1 LII SlIA0 SoulIl, are 6X- posed to hardships and dangers and are fighting one on one side or the other and each for which he knows to be right"
 On the night before General Picket was wounded at Gaines Mills he wrote the following note:
 This was never contemplated in earnest. I believe that if either the north or south had expected that it's differences would result in this ob- stinate cruel war the cold blooded Puritan and the cock halted Huguenot and cavalier would have made a com promise. Poor old Virginia came of tener than Noah's dove with her olive branch. Though she desired to be loyal to the Union states. she did not believe in coercion and when called upon to furnish troops to restrain her