Year: 1865

are not, nor haze they been fighting for the con-
tinuance Of slavery. The first battle Of Bull Run
did away with that idea. Their causes since
for acar have been as noble and greater far than
allow they were wrong at the beginning of
this contest. cruelty and injustice have made the
wrong become the right and they stand nosc
| (befOre the wonder and admiration of the
| world) as a noble band of patriotic heroes.
Hereafter reading of their deeds, Thermopyle
| will be forgotten.
| When aided in the capture and execution
| of John Brown (who was murderer on our
western border, and who was fairly tried
and CONNECTED, before an impartial Judge and
| jury, of treason, and who, by the way, has
since been made god,) was proud of my
share in the transaction, for deemed it my
duty, and that was helping our common coun-
q crime in poor John Brown is now considered
(by themselves) as the greatest and only virtue
| of the whole republican party. Strange trans
migration! Vioe to become virtue simply
because more indulge in it.


| I thought then, as now, that the abolition
lists ,cere the only traitors in the land, and chat
| the entire party deserved the same fate as poor
old Brown; not because they wish to abolish
slavery, but on account OF the means they have
| ever endeavored to use to effect that abolition


If Brown were living doubt whether he him.
self would set slavery against the Union. Most,
or many in the North do, and openly, curse
the Union if the South are to return and retain
which we once reuered as sacred. The South
can make no choice. 1t is either extermina-
ton or slavery for themselves (worse than death)
to draw from. know my choice.


have also studied hard to discover upon
what grounds the right of State to secede
has been denied, when our very name. United
States, and the Declaration of independence,
| both provide for secession. But there is no
time for words. l write in haste know
| how foolish shall be deemed for undertaking
such step as this, where, on one side, have
many friends and everything to make me
happy, where my profession alone has gained
me an income more than twenty thousand dols
lars year, and where my great personal am.
bition in my profession has such a great field
for labor. On the other hand, the South has
| never bestowed upon me one kind word q
place now where I have no friends except
| beneath the sod; place where / must
| either become private soldier or beggar. 10
give up all of the former for the latter, besides
| my mother and sisters whom love 80 dearly,
| (though they so widely differ from me in opin-
| ion), seems insane; but God is my judge. Hove
justice more than l do s. country that disowns
J.; more than fame and wealth.; more (Heaven
| pardon me if wrong) more than happy home
/ have never been upon battlefield; but oh!
my countrymen, could you all but see the real





them Cn ere'y State, save Virginia), know
you would think like me, and would pray the
! Almighty 10 create in the Northern mind q
sense of right and justice (even should it possess
| no seas )ning of mercy, ard that He would dry
up this sea of blood between US, which is daily
growing wider. Alas poor country, is che to
meet her threatened doom? Four years ago
| would have given thousand lives to see her
| remain Gas had always known her) powerful
| and unbroken. And even now / would hold
| my life as naught to see her what she was. Oh!
my friends if the fearful scenes of the past four
| years had never been enacted, or If what has
| been had been but a frightful dream, from
which we could now awake, with what over
| flowing hearts could we bless our God and pray
| for his continued favor! How have loved the
| old flag can never now be known. A few years
| since and the entire world could boast of none
so pure and spotless. But have of late been
| seeing and hearing of the bloody deeds of
which she has been made the emblem, and
| would shudder to think how changed she had
grown. Oh! how have longed to see her
| break from the mist of blood and death that
circles rouHd her folds spelling her beauty
and furnishing her honor. But no, day by day


has she been dragged deeper and deeper into
cruelty and oppression, till now Tin my eyes)
her once bright red stripes look like bloody
gdshes on the face of Heaven. I look nsw upon
| my early admiration OF her glOries as dream.
| My love (as things stand today is for the
South alone. Nor do deem 1t a dishonor in


attempting to make for her prisoner of this


man. to whom she owes so much misery. If
| success attend me ! go penniless to her side.
| They say she has found that "last ditch I"


which the North have so long derided and been


endeavoring to force her in, forgetting they
are our brothers, and that it is impossible to


gOad an enemy to madness. Should 1 reach


her in safety, and find it true, will proudly


beg permission to triumph or die in that same


ditch by her side.


A Confederate doing duty upon he o,on respon


si6iI.y. J. WILKES BOOTH.


THR CIRCUMSTANCES UNDER WHICH THB LET


TRR WAS RHCRrvED By Mr.. CLARKE.


From the Philadelphia ledger, April 10.


J. Wilkes Booth, the wretched assassin
of President Lincoln. 10 January last left
letter, in a sealed envelope, directed to


himself, at the house of Mr. ]. 8. Clarke,


his brother-in-law in this city, with the
statement that they contained oil stocks


and bonds. They remained at the house


unopened until after the crime of Friday


night, when M. Clarke opened them and


handed them over to the United States


Marshal.


This letter is undated, but it could moi


have been written later than January, and


was probably written in November. Il


shows that if John Wilkes Booth did no,


then contemplate killing the President, he


had at least resolved to aid the rebellion il


some striking and startling way. It is PROB


able that he was then bound by an oath t.


obey some secret band of conspirators, ant


his object in addressing the letter to him
self was to ensure secrecy till be bad takel


some step which would give the family rea


son for opening it So strong were hi


sympathies for the rebel cause that b
would undoubtedly have joined the rebe
: army at the begipni1g of the war, it it hs,
, not been for the firm opposition OF hi
! family and the grief Of his mother Hi