Year: 1868




II is great advantage, when you de-
sire to abuse anybody, to know some
thing about them. That was the very
thing poor Job had in mind when he
exclaimed: "0h, that mine enemy
would write book" and now one James
s. Brisbin, Of Kentucky (who has been
too small for a General ever since Ad-
miral Semmes broke his sword over his
back, is out in long letter, telling
sneaking, family tales about his brother
Radical, Governor Curtin, Of Pennsyl-
vania. Brisbin, no doubt, knows him
we'll. And we hope the adage may
prove as true now as ever that when
rogues fall out honest men will get their
dues" The following closing sentences
of the letter will sufficiently indicate its
contents:


Comrades, / know this man well, we
lived together in the same county and
town for years, and on my honor as o
soldier, 81 tell thee across the bayonet
be is not fit person to receive the con-
fidence or suffrages of soldiers believe
he is not a man of his word; he is not
honest; he has no fixed political princi-
pies; he is an aristocrat and cares
nothing for the people; he is incapable
OF lasting friendship; he cannot do dis.
interested act; he y great moral and
physical coward.


1t so happened that in 1860, in time
of peace, he was chosen Governor Of
Pennsylvania, and the war soon after
ward breaking out he of necessity be-
came one of the great Union war Gov
ernors-not that he was gre at, but that
his State was great State. He tried to
initiate that noble and true man, Gov
ernor Morton, of Indiana. He saw in it
a reelection, and made much OF the
soldiers, pretending to be their best
friend, and deceiving nearly all.


He came frequently TO Washington,
and after remaining for some days at
Willard's Hotel with boon companions,
| am told, would return to Pennsylvania
to weep in public, tell the moth ers and
fathers how he had visited the hospitals,
ministered to the sick and wound ed, and
depicted to them the suffering os their
poor boys whom he had not seen at all.


Do you say that such man can have
no influence or friepds2 Nay, there
you are mistaken, for so fine is his
speech, so magnificent his presence, so
winning his manners, that this fellow is
a very Satan to beguile men, and those
whom he has deceived once will even
trust him again. Of the ten thousand
offices within the gift and control of the
President, if it would help him, Curtin
would not hesitate to promise nine
thousand nine hundred and ninty-nine
to those who would serve him, for like
the evil one of old, he is continually
giving away that which he hath not to
give.


With such spectre as him in the
Vice Presidents chair, / would not con-
slider the life of our comrade Grant safe
for a single day.


| do not presume that there is any
probability of Mr.. Curtin being nomi-
mated at Chicago for Vice President;
nevertheless this bad man should not be
allowed to impose himself on our sol
diers' organizations in Pennsylvania,
and recommend that you acquaint Lo'
gan, of the Army of the Republic, Ed
monds, of the League, Mitchell, Of the
Legion, General Crittenden, and such
others as you may see proper, of the
matter set forth in this communi-
cation, and request them to send inspec-
tors into Pennsylvania to inquire into
the manner and fairness of selecting
delegates to the National Convention, for
otherwise | shall feel it my duty to enter
protest and demand committee to in
vestigate the case of the Pennsylvania
delegates before they be allowed to sit
down or vote in the Convention in
Chicago on the 10Th day of May next,
and should exceedingly regret the delay
such proceedings would occasion in the
business of the body.