Year: 1870




one OF his Stan.


From the Alta Californian.


The letter of Fitzhugh Lee 10 the
Richmond Dispatch, which appears in
your columns to-day is but repetition
Of the oft-repeated SANDER upon Cen
eral Thomas that was. favorite article
during the war. After the close Of the
war, and Southern papers became ac-
cessible to the people of the whole coun-
try, these ISLANDERS ceased, as General
Thomas could too easily refute them /;
but now that the great man is dead, il is
thought safe to renew them.


1t is known to all who know General
Thomas, that one of his great charac-
teristics was truthfulness, entire truthful
ness, without reservation, and it is for
the people of the United States to Judge
between what he said on this subject
while living, and what the enemies of
our country say, now that he is dead.


As. a confidential staff-oficer, one of
his Aids-de-camp, l had the privilege Of
having many conversations with Gen.
Thomas, upon matters relating to the
rebellion. The more important of these
made note of at the time, with his
knowledge and consent Among them
is one on the subject of F'itzhugh Lees
letter, which here copy from my note
book:


"a SANDER upon the General was Of
ten repeated in the Southern papers dur
ing and Immediately subsequent to the
rebellion. It was given upon the au-
thority of prominent rebel officers, and
not denied by them it was to the effect
that he was disappointed in not getting a
high command in the rebel army he had
sought for, hence his refusal to join in
the rebellion. In a conversation with
him on this subject, the General said
this was ar. entire fabrication, not hay-
ing an atom Of foundation not a line
ever passed between him and the rebel
authorities; they had no genuine letters
Of his, nor was a word spoken by him
to any one that could even lead to such
an inference. He defed any one to
produce any testimony, written or oral,
to sustain such an allegation he never
entertained such an idea, for his duty
was clear to him from the beginning
He said these ISLANDERS were caused by
men who knew they had done wrong,
but were endeaYoring to justify them
selves by claiming their action to be a
virtue which all true men would have
followed. and by blac1ening the charac-
ter of those who had done right. 1t was
evident they were determined that no
Southern-born man who had remained
true to his country should bear a reputa-
bic character, if continued and repeat
ed abuse could effect a stain upon it.


Another conversation, showing the
opinion of the authors of these slanders,
and his own views at the breaking out of
el,es = se n Il
is as follows: "In a discussion upon
the causes given for their action by
some of the officers who deserted the
government at the rebellion, ventured
the assertion that perhaps some of them,
at distant posts, had acted ignOrantly
that had been informed that some of
them had been imposed upon by friends
or relatives, and led to believe there was
to be a peaceable dissolution Of the
Union; that there would be no actual
General Government for the whole coun-
try, and by resigning their commissions
they were only taking the necessary
steps toward returning to the allegiance
of their respective States. He replied
that this was but a poor excuse; he could
not believe that officers of the army
were so ignorant of their form of gov
ernment as to suppose such proceedings
could occur, and as they had sworn al
legiance to the Government, they were
bound to adhere to it, and would have
done SO if they had been so inclined.
He said there were no excuses whatever
in a United States officer claiming the
right of secession, and the only excuse
any of them could have had for their
desertion of the Government was what
none of them admitted having engaged
ina revolution against a tyranny, be
cause the tyranny did not exist, and they
well knew it. l then asked him, sup
posing such state of affairs had exist
ed, that arrangements were being made
for a peaceful dissolution of the Union
| by the Government the North from the
South, and that it was in progress, what
would you have done He promptly
replied, that is not a supposable case F;
the Government cannot dissolve itself ;
| it is the creature of the people, and un-
til the people had agreed by their votes
to dissolve ii. and it was accomplished
in accordance Herewith, the Govern
ment to which he had sworn allegiance
remained, and so long as it did exist he
should have adhered 10 1t. Let the
country Judge between him and them.
ALFRED l. HOUGH,


Capt. and Breyet Col. u. S. a.
San Francisco, May 7, 1870.