The free South. [volume], September 19, 1863, Image 4

About The free South. [volume] (Beaufort, S.C.) 1863-1864

Image provided by: University of South Carolina; Columbia, SC

                
VOL. 1.
i . ?
A TBinrTE.
To the Memory of Col. J. I.. Chat ficltl. .
BY KANNIY.
Weep for the hero, (> daughter of tears!
Who was laid low in the pride of his years:
Veil thy paleiorehead hi shadows of night?
Weep for the gem that is robbed of its light.
Freedom has folded her pinions in woe.
Chanting a requiem weary and low ;
Sadly she wanders, with sorrowing eye.
Mingling her wall with Columbia's sigh.
Banner of liberty! tlag of the free!
Cold-is the bosom that struggled for thee!
Palsied the hand that was lilted on high,
Vow ing to save thee, ported thee, or die.
Empty the casket, the jewel has flown.
LC&Vlll^ Il> pi 15UUa:iUlPV Piicut auu iuiiv .
All this proud nation is mourning for thee?
Brother aixl patriot, friend of thw free ?
Peace to thy ashes, thon noble and brave!
Liberty's tear-drops besprinkle thy grave;
Bosoms with heart-throbs of a pony swell;
Father, forgive if we loved him too well!
Holy and priceless the name that he bore;
Say shall we see him and know hiru no more ?
Brief was his mission and heavenly his trust:
Ah! mnst we leave him to sleep in the dust ?
Deep in Columbia's memory shall dwell
Him who has fonght for and loved her so well;
And o'er his ashes a tablet shall shine,
Treasured and fadeless and lasting as time.
And when eternity's morning shell dawn,
Dripping with harp-strains and seraphic song,
This shall his welcome hy angel hosts be ?
Hail to the chieftain who died for the free !
Waterbury American.
The PreKideitt'N Letter.
* I
The following is the letter addressed by !
3Ir. Lincoln to the Union State Convention
in Illinois, a copy of which was also '
sent to the Republican Union Convention
at Syracuse, and is to be read at the mass I
meeting to-day:
Exixttivk Masmon, Washington, Aug. 26, l^fc'!.
Hon. James C. Cosklixg?My Dear
Sir *-Y our letter inviting me to attend a
mass meeting of unconditional Union
men, to be licld at the capital of Illinois
on the 3d day of September, has becH re- '
ceived. It would be very agreeable for
me thus to meet my old friends at my
own home ; but I cannot just now be
absent from here so long as a visit there j
would require.
The meeting is to be of all those who ;
maintain unconditional devotion to the '
Union ; and I am sure that my old jjolilical
friends will thank me for tendering,
as I do, the nation's gratitude to those
other noble men whom no partisan malice !
or partisan hope can make false to the ,
Union's life.
There are those who are dissatisfied with
me. To such I would say : You desire
peace, and you blame me that we do not
have it. But how can we attain it ? There
are but three conceivable ways : First?
to suppress the rebellion by force of arms.
This Ism trying to do. Are you for it ? ;
If you are, so far we are agreed. If you
are not for it, a tecwid way is to give up
the Union. I am against this. Are you ;
for it ? If you are, you should say so
plainly. If you are not for force, nor yet
for dissolution, there only remains some
imaginable compromise.
I do not believe that any compromise
embracing the maintenance of the Union
?.'1,1? 1U il,0f T lo<ini to ;
IS HOW pOCVU UiC. au man jl ivwu ,
xl directly opposite belief. The strength j
of the rebellion is its military, its army. !
That anny dominates all the country and 1
all the people Trithin its range. Any offer J
of terms made by any man or men within ;
that range, in opposition to that anny, is j
simply nothing for the present; because
such man or men have no power whatever
to'enforce their side of a compromise, if
one were made with them.
%'o illustrate : Suppose refugees from
the South and peace men of the North !
get togethewn convention, and frame aud
proclaim a compromise embracing a res- j
torsion of the Union. In what way can
that compromise be used to keep Lee's ]
army out of Pennsylvania ? Meade's army j
can keep Lee's army out of Pennsylvania, j
and, I think, can ultimately drive it out j
of existence. But no paper compromise
to which the controllers of Lee's army are
not_Agreed can at all affect that army. In
an effort at such compromise we would
waste time, which the enemy would imtn
our disadvantage : and ui.it
would be all. '
A compromise, to be effective, most ?o !
made either with those who cont >1 the \
rebel army, or with the people, lirst lib- ;
crated from the domination of that a: my >
by the success of our own army. Now, j
allow me to assure you that no wed or |
ii^ynation from that rel>el army, or from
amy of the mien controlling it, in relation !
to any peace compromise, has ever come 1
11 uiy knowledge or belief. All charges j
mil insinuations to the contrary arc de-1
THE FREE SOUTH, SATUR
I
ceptive and groundless. And I promise |
you that if any such proposition shall j
hereafter come, it shall not he rejected ,
and kept a secret from you. I freely ac- !
IllAwlorlera nireolf tr> 1 to rlui cmrnnf nt t
IV VU lilt OL1 UU1V VI
the people, according to the bond of service,
the United States Constitution ; and
that, as such, I am responsible to them. j
But, to be plain. You are dissatisfied
with me about the negro. Quite likely j
there is a difference of opinion between j
you and myself upon that subject. I cer- i
tainly wish that all men could be free, j
while you, I suppose, do not. Yet, I have 1
neither adopted nor proposed any measure I
which is not consistent with even your
view provided that yon are for the Union.
I suggested compensated emancipation ;
to which you replied you wished not to be
taxed to buy negroes. But I had not
ased you to be taxed to buy negroes, ex- \
cept in such way as to save you from j
greater taxation to save the Union exclusively
by other means.
You dislike the emancipation proclamation,
and perhaps would have it retracted.
You say it is unconstitutional. I think
differently. I think the Const-'tution invests
its commander-in-chief with the law
of war in time of war. The most that can !
be said, if so much, is, that slaves are
property. Is there, lias there ever been, j
anj question that by the law of war, pro- 1
perty, both of enemies and friends, may !
be taken when needed ? And is it not I
need- d whenever it helps us and hurts the |
enemy ? Armies, the world over, destroy j
enemies' property when they cannot use
it; and even destroy their own to keep it
from the enemy. Civilized belligerents j
do all in their power to help themselves I
or hurt the enemy, except a few things j
regarded as barbarous or cruel. Among
the exceptions are the massacre of van- j
quished foes and non-combatants, male i
and female.
But the Proclamation, as law, either is
valid or is not valid. Ii it is not valid it ;
needs no retraction. If it is valid it cannot
bo retracted, any more than the dead
can be brought to life. Some of you
profess to thiuk ils retraction would operate
favorably for the Union. Why bet- [
ter </ter the retraction than he/arc the
issue ? There was more than a year and j
a half of trial to suppress the rebellion before
the Proclamation was issued, the hist
oue hundred 'days of which passed under
an explicit notice that it was coming unless
averted by those in revolt returning
to their allegiance. The war has certainly
progressed as favorably for us since the
issue of the Proclamation as before.
I know as fully as one can know the
opinions of others, that some of the commanders
of our armies in the field who i
have given us our most important victories i
believe the emancipation policy and the
use of colored troops constitute the 1
heaviest blows yet dealt to the rebellioi, ,
and that at least one of those important
successess could not have been achieved i
when it was but for the aid of black soldiers.
Among the commanders these views are !
some who have never had any affinity
with what is called, "Abolitionism" or,
with "Republican party pel tip," but j
who hold them purely as military opin- !
ions. I submit their opinions as being ,
entitled to some weight agsiinst the objec- !
tions often urged that emancipation and i
arming the blacks are unwise as military I
measures, and were not adopted as such
in good faith.
You say that you will not fight to free
negroes. Some of them seem willing to
fight for you?but no matter. I ight you
then, exclusively, to save the Union. I
issued the Proclamation on purpose to aid
you in saving the Union. Whenever you
shall have conquered ail resistance to the
Union, if I shall urge you to continue i
fighting, it will be an apt time then for |
you to declare you will not to free negroes,
f thought that in your struggle for the
Union, to whatever extent the negroes
should cease helping the enemy, to that
i vtentit weakened the enenir in his re
sistance to yon. Do you think different- j
ly ? I thought that whatever negroes can '
be got to do as soldiers leaves just so much
less for white soldiers to do in saving the
Union. Does it appeal' otherwise to you f
But negroes, like other people, act upon
motives. Why should they do anything
for us if we will nothing for thein ? If
they stake their life for us they must be
prompted by the strongest motive, even
the p omise of freedom. And the promise,
being made, must be kr pt
The signs look better. The Father of
Waters again goes unvexed to the sea.
Thanks to the great north west for it.
Nor yet wholly to them. Three hundred
miles up they met New England, Empire,
Keystone, and Jersey, hewing their way
right and left. The sunny Bouth, too, in
more colors than one, lent a helping hand.
On the spot, their part of the history was
jotted down in black and white. Tae job
was a great national oge, and let none be
DAY, SEPTEMBER 19, 1863.
slighted who bore an honorable part in it.
And while tliose who have cleared the
great river may well be proud, evtc that
is not all. It is hard to say that anything
has been more bravely and well done than i
at Antietam, Murfreesboro, Gettysburg, i
and on many fields of less note. Nor j
must Uncle Sum's web-feet be forgotten. ;
At nil the watery margins they nave been j
been present, not only on "the deep sea;
the broad bay, and the rapid river, but j
also lip the narrow muddy bayou, and '
wherever the ground was a little damp, j
they have been and made their tracks. !
Thanks to all. For the great Republic? '
for the principle it lives by and keeps
alive?for man's vast future?thanks to all.
Peace does not appear so distant as it
did. I hepe it will come soon and come
to stay ; and so come as to be worth the
keeping in all future time. It will then
have been proved that among freemen
there can be no successful appeal from the
ballot to the bullet, and that they who
take such appeal are sure to lose their case
and pay the cost. And then there will besome
black men who can remember that,
with silent tongue, and clenched teeth,
and steady eye, and well poised bayonet,
they have helped mankind on to this
great consummation ; while I fear there
will be some white ones unable to forget
that with malignant heart and deceitful
speech they have striven to hinder it.
Still, let us not be over-sanguine of a
speedy, final triumph. Let us be quite
sober. Let us diligently apply the means,
never doubting that a just U-od, in His
own good time, will give us the rightful
result.
Yours, very truly, A. Lincoln.
A Traitorous Telegraphic Messenger.?John
Lancaster, a youth about fifteen
years of age, was on Monday arrest
ed by Captain Johnson upon the charge
of opening and destroying important Government
telegraphic despatches. It appears
that this boy was for some time
employed as messenger in the American
Telegraph cilice, but of late lie lias been
employed in carrying despatches from
and to the War Department. Some complaint
was made to the Department about
despatches not reaching their proper destination.
Captain Johnson was immediately
notified of the fact, and to ferret
out the cause. He kept strict vigilance '
over the boy, and he discovered that he j
used to open the despatches and read '
them, and if there was any information in
tliem that would likely be valuable to the
rebels lie would, through other sources,
transmit it South, and destroy the despatches.
When arrested, other evidence
was obtained which clearly proved the
above statement. He ha3 a brother attached
to Gen. Lee's staff, while his
father holds an important position under
Jeff. Davis. He acknowledged that he
used to send information South through
the medium of his brother, who used to
run backwards and forwards. He was
sent to the old Capitol.
The Rebellion Mrsr be Squelched.?
General Payne, of Illinois, commands a
brigade in the Army of the Cumberland,
composed of Ohio and Illinois troops. A
i * il /\I L J- i..
soldier 01 tne seven ly-nmin uino seuus to
the Dayton .Journal the following in reference
to this officer ; " One day a wealthy
old lady whose plantation was in the vicinity
of camp came in and inquired for Gen.
Payne. AVhen the commander made his
appearance the old lady, in warm language,
at once acquainted him with the
fact that his men had scolen her last eoofful
of chickens, and demanded their restitution
or their value in currency."
"I am sony for you madam," replied
the General; "but I can't help it. The
fact is. madam, we are determined to
squelch out the rebellion if it takes every
d?d chicken in Tennessee !"
" This exhibition of utter recklessness
of means for the accomplishment of a
purpose which the old lady deemed most
'foul,' temporarily deprived her of the
power of speech and she passed from the
, Ii-ncnniw f t1i*? ??maro1 wit limit <1 n CT
her right?the last word."
- ? ? 0 m>
A Genuine Joke.?A big Teuton, with
rotuml abdomen and florid face, was
drinking buck beer, the other day at
Bergner's in Library street. Mr. Muchleek
was waiting upon him.
44 You hears," asked he. 44 that Cheneral
Lee was ferry seek when he comes into
Pennsylfania V"
44 Yes, he was sick of kis undertaking,
no doubt."
4 4 Yaw, und den he throwed up?endrenchments."
44 Very good, what then ?"
"Dendey geefes him a little Meade,
und dat settles his stomnck."
A copperhead who was imbibing close
by, let down his half emptied glass and
went out. lake ..the Richmond papers,
he doesn't like the d d Dutch.
NO. 37.
Miscellaneous Items.
Sudden.?"Miss Brown, I have been
to learn how to tell fortunes," said a
young man to a brisk brunette. " Jnst
give me your hand." "La, Mr. Whitehow
sudden you are !'
The latest novelty, says a Yankee, is a
dog who hits a whistle growing at the end
of his tail. He calls himself when wanted.
Jones complained of a bad smell abont
the post-office, and asked Brown what it
could be ? Brown didn't know, but sng
1 ?1 I *1 1 t 1 1 1 LL A.V .
gestea tnat it migut oe causeu oy - iut
dead letters."
A lady at sea, full of apprehension in a
gale of wind, cried out among other pretty
exclamations, "Wo shall go to the l>ot-tom?how
my head swims." "Madam,
never fear," said one ot the sailors, "you
can never go to the bottom while your
head swims."
A celebrated painter of animals state? that
a race-horse will clear from twenty
to twenty-four feet in a bound ; and from
the impression left on the turf, he infers
that a horse, at full gallop, places only
one foot at a time upon the ground.
A German prince, when introduced tc>
an Englishman, by the way of appropriately
commencing the conversation, observed,
" It is bad weather to-day." The
Englishman shrugged his shoulders and
replied, "Yes?but it is better than'
none."
When ex-Senator Truman Smith, oi
Connecticut, returned to Washington
with his youthful, accomplished and handsome
wife, one asked how many slaves she
had. '1 Only one !" said Mr. S., placing
his hand upon his heart.
A Question fob Classical Scholars.?
Were the sacred fowls of the ancient Horn
ans ever used for lay purposes ?
Note.?A single woman has generally
hi* a single purpose, and we all know
what that is.
"Well, what next?" said Mrs. Partington,
as she interrupted Ike, who wtjs
reading the war news,?" The pickets
were driven in five miles ? mat wih
make a strong fence, indeed ! I suppose
they had to be driven in deep, to keepthe
sessionaders from digging out under
them."
*
A Dutchman was relating his marvellous
escape from drowning when thirteen
of his companions were lost by the upsetting
of a boat, and lie alone was saved.
"And l?w did you escape their fate?"'
asked one of his hearers. " I tid not cc in
the pote," was the Dutchman's placid"
answer.
For Sale*
A very fine Satklie and Carriage HORSE for safe.
Enquire of CHAPLAIN, 11501N. Y. fob.
Beaufort, Sept. 10th 1S*3. b:MS
Ice! Ice!! Ice!!!
Edward L Lboyd, is now ready to furnish vessel*, .
steamers, hotel?, and privafc persons with Icc in any
quantities.
Orders left at the Ice Honee. or through the Post Office,
will receive prompt attention.
Ice house open from <i to * a. m? and 1 to 7 p. in.
In Magnolia street, rear of Bobbins Store.
i.f rni* i u it r i i avd.
MILITARY FURNISHING STORE.
DOUGLAS & CO., having removed t* their NEW
STORE, 011 Bay Street, one door east of fiie Poet Commissary
Building, Beaufort, wotild respectfully call tiur
attention of Army ami Navy Officers to their larye ant,'
tctll aelteUil awrt'ihirnt of
Military and Naval <;o?d?.
Consisting of SWORDS, SASIIKS, BELTS, PAS SANTS,
&c,, Ac. Also a good stock of full l)r**H and'
Vtidttt* Military Clo'hiiyj.
They have a line stock of GOLD and SILVER
WATCHES, adapted especially to Anny use; alsoJEWELRY,
WATCU-CllAINS, KINGS, PINS, Ax.?
GOLD PENS and J^pNCILS of the liest quality.
T. DOUGLAS A CO
formerly Douglas, Steele, k Co.
Aug. 27th lSd-t. u.'Uw*
THE FREE SOUTH.
PUBLISHED EVERY
Saturday Morning,
AT BEAUFORT, S. G.
?vrnir?? i. ThAiuiicAii m m m Punriaton.
w lllit'B U/ A. uvm^avia . r
Jaincs G. Thompson - - - - - Editor*
C. C. Leigh, No. 1 Mesrer street, N. V., Agent, i
(Who is authorized to receive 6uhscrii>tions.) J|
3. M. PETTINGILL & CO., No. 6 btate street, Bos- >
ton, Mass., Agents.
TEliM S?Two Dollars jh* annum, in advance.
JOB PRINTING
OF EVERY DESCRIPTION
NEATLY DONE AT THIS OFFICE.
*