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Valley Spirit: March 5, 1862 Go To Page : 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 |

The Constitution of 1789
(Column 1)

Summary: Argues that Senator Sumner of Massachusetts is as guilty as Southern secessionists of advocating disunion. Sumner's argument that the North can stand without the South and that the South should be treated as enemy territory tacitly accepts that the South had a right to secede. This acceptance legitimizes the Confederate cause. The Constitution of 1789, formed by judicious compromise, is now threatened by those who cannot compromise, according to the Journal of Commerce.

Origin of Article: Journal of Commerce

The Contest
(Column 2)

Summary: Argues that certain members of Congress are spending more time plotting to get rid of General McClellan than they are focusing on the affairs of state. But despite efforts to defame him, McClellan enjoys the support of the president and of the nation, and will continue steadfastly on.

Origin of Article: Journal of Commerce

A Hero Wanted
(Column 3)

Summary: Attacks Republican military and political leaders for their meager achievements, their corruption, and their love for blacks.

Origin of Article: Exchange

Full Text of Article:

The Republicans are in a desperate strait for a hero. Since the collapse of Jim Lane, they are bleating about like sheep without a shepherd. Their first hero in this war was Fremont. He achieved the defeat of Lyon, the surrender of Lexington, the "freedom" of a few niggers, and squandered millions of public money. We hardly know which exploit most commended him to their favor. When Fremont was retired from command in disgrace, they fixed their hopes upon one Simon, surnamed Cameron, who, it has been said, "was a thief from the beginning," and did not hesitate to sell his country for a few pieces of silver. But Simon wanted the niggers set at liberty--he wanted arms put in their hands so they could butcher the women and children of the South. This exalted him in the eyes of the Republicans and they loved him as their own souls. But Simon is dismissed from the council table which he had disgraced. Just then Jim Lane turned up and the Republican journals turned their eyes upon him and saw that he was good at stealing niggers, and they proclaimed that he was to do wonderful things in that line--it just suited him. But General Jime [sic] is suddenly "squelched"--his "expedition" vanished, and he is left before the public a miserable charlatan, a dirty jack that has brayed his own fame, a fit object of scorn and anathema from all patriotic people. Who will be the next hero of the Republican journals?--Exchange.

No Union With Slaveholders
(Column 6)

Summary: The reprinted article from the Tribune argues that readmission of the Southern states on the terms that they left would once again elevate to power uncompromising Southern Democrats. The Tribune goes on to argue that it would rather have Southerners as unfriendly neighbors.

Origin of Article: New York Tribune

Editorial Comment: "They are afraid that if the old Union is restored the democratic party will again obtain the control of the government, and rather than see this they would see the old ship of state forever ruined. As evidence of this we copy the following atrocious extract from Greely's New York Tribune...."

The State of the Case
(Column 6)

Summary: Proclaims that the mission of the Democratic Party during the war is to end the rebellion as soon as possible while keeping taxes as light as possible, as well as bringing Northern industrial interests back to health and preserving the Constitution.

Origin of Article: New Haven Register

Editorial Comment: "So says the New Haven Register, and we entirely agree with it."

Full Text of Article:

The great duty of the Democratic Party in this time of peril, as well as of fraud, with great burthens of taxation in prospect, is to aid with all their influence in putting an end to the rebellion, in making the taxes as light as possible whilst sustaining the public honor and credit, in bringing back prosperity to the great industrial interests of the North, and in preserving the great boon of Liberty, handed down to us by our patriotic fathers--the CONSTITUTION of the United States, on which the Republic rests. So says the New Haven Register and we entirely agree with it.

The Union Cause
(Column 1)

Summary: Reports that information from Washington indicates that General McClellan is very nearly ready to move on the enemy. When he does, says the article, the victories will wipe out the memory of Bull Run for good. Northern courage was not disproved at Bull Run, as some Southerners claimed, but papers such as the Transcript should not impute the same dishonor to Southerners in doubting their courage.

Treason and Loyalty
(Column 1)

Summary: Attacks the Transcript for defining Democrats as inherently treasonous.

Full Text of Article:

That brilliant legal and political luminary, the Transcript, says treason is "the lowest of crimes." If the editor will search his law books, he will probably learn that treason is one of the highest of crimes. Our neighbor evidently don't know much about treason. If he were called upon to define it, he would probably say--"Treason consists in being a Democrat and adhering to the Constitution." Loyalty, in his opinion, consists in being a Black Republican and selling bad horses to the government. The purchase of linen pantaloons and straw hats, with government money, is also a proof of loyalty in our neighbor's opinion. If BRIGHT, in place of foolishly writing a letter of introduction to JEFF DAVIS, had formed a partnership with CAMERON and swindled the government out of a few millions, what a patriot he might be.

Alarm Among the Renegades
(Column 2)

Summary: Attacks John W. Forney for his accusation that Pennsylvania Democrats are disloyal and criticizes the Chambersburg Times for its support of Forney's position. The editorial claims that Democrats are accused of disloyalty when they point out the burden of taxation that the war has brought on or when they argue that compromise could have avoided they war. However, people like Forney do not do anything when Republicans attack McClellan or condemn the Union for failing to embrace abolition. The article also attacks the Times for accusing the Valley Spirit of disloyalty while at the same time supporting "His Satanic Majesty," radical Republican Thaddeus Stevens.
(Names in announcement: John W. Forney)

Full Text of Article:

That renegade and political cut-throat, JOHN W. FORNEY, has, for some time past spurted his venom against the Democratic party with an unusual degree of vindictiveness. There is no depth of meanness, no matter how low it requires him to stoop, to which he will not descend to injure and revile the Democratic party. He is evidently fearful that the Democracy will make a clean sweep of the State, at the next October election, and these apprehensions have filled him with fears and alarms, and excited his petulancy equal to the scolding capacity of any rebel beldam. Every fabrication, no matter how monstrous or how ridiculous, that he can invent, he puts in circulation to create prejudice against the Democracy. He is continually telling us that Democrats are disloyal, and all his small imitators throughout the State take their cue accordingly, and join in the hue and cry against the Democracy, carping at every move the party makes with the impudent interrogatory--"Is this loyalty?" The Chambersburg Times is a paper of this stamp. It imitates FORNEY to a crotchet, and gives him all the aid it can, in its feeble way, to cry down the Democratic party and keep it divided for the benefit of the Republicans. It keeps up a continual howl about "sympathizers with treason" but those persons who are "traitors" in its very loyal estimation are always sure to be Democrats. The Republicans may condemn the war because it is not made an Abolition war, and assail MCCLELLAN, and other Union Generals, and aught is not said against it, but let a Democratic paper undertake to show the enormous taxation with which the people will be burdened, and which might have been avoided if COMPROMISE, in place of shedding each others blood, had been adopted, and it is at once set down as "disloyal." To show the hypocritical meanness of the Times which professes to be ready to immolate any Democrat who will presume to talk in favor of compromise, or against the taxes which have been piled up on the people by the plunderings under this administration, we have only to refer to its last issue. In one column it copies a garbled extract from the Spirit and rolls up its eyes in holy horror over it and exclaims--"If this is loyalty, God preserve us from treason." In the very next column it pats His Satanic Majesty--THADDEUS STEVENS--very lovingly on the back and says "We do not accuse Mr. Stevens of disloyalty," and to make it more emphatic it reiterates in the same article "Our object is not to charge Stevens with disloyalty." Oh! No, never mention it! It would never do to charge a Black Republican Abolitionist with "disloyalty," but the Valley Spirit is fair game for every whelp to snarl at. How exceedingly anxious the Times is to screen Republicans and condemn Democrats, but in this it is only carrying out the dictation of its master FORNEY, who has recommended that "immediate steps be taken for the purpose of consolidating such a party at the next election as will put down the secession sympathizers forever." Meaning, of course, the Democrats, for that is the manner in which FORNEY speaks of the whole Democratic party. The Times is playing its part of the programme, in a small way, to perfection. Here is the convincing sample of its treachery. We give an extract from the Valley Spirit which the Times pronounces "disloyal," and an extract from a speech of THADDEUS STEVENS, delivered in congress a few weeks ago, whom the Times will "not accuse of disloyalty." We ask Democrats to compare them and then say if there is any honesty in the Times. We give the extracts without another word of comment:

From the Valley Spirit as garbled in the Times.

"We have a war which, no matter how soon it may end, will leave on our shoulders a debt of at least one thousand millions of dollars. This is the lowest amount we can escape with. The interest on this debt, at 7.80, the present treasury rate, will be seventy-three millions per annum. If the country is kept together and the Southern States are made to pay their proportion, Pennsylvania will have about one-tenth of this sum to raise--say seven millions of dollars a year. If the South gets off, Pennsylvania will have about one-sixth of it to make up--say twelve millions of dollars a year. Can the people of this State stand the grinding of additional taxes out of them to the amount of twelve millions per annum? Can they pay even seven millions over and above their present State, County, School, Borough and township taxes? We don't see how it is to be done. Perhaps those who would have no compromise with traitors' can tell me."

From a speech of Thaddeus Stevens in Congress
Dec. 16, 1861.

"The Committee of Ways and Means will have to report a deficiency bill, even after Congress appropriating $818,000,000 last July. We shall have to appropriate from one hundred and sixty to two hundred and fourteen million dollars more to make up the deficiencies for this fiscal year. We shall also have to report a bill making an appropriation of $413,000,000 for next year. We will then have to appropriate more than six hundred million dollars, without the addition of a single dollar beyond what is estimated for. Now, sir, that in itself is alarming. I confess I do not see how, unless the expenses are greatly curtailed, this Government can possibly go on over six months. If we go on increasing expenses, as we have been doing, and as we propose to do by this the whole country must give way, and the people will be involved in one general bankruptcy and ruin. For Heaven's sake do not let us go on piling mountains upon mountains of debt and taxation, until the nation itself is finally destroyed in the operations of this war.

Republican Intolerance
(Column 4)

Summary: Attacks the hypocrisy of the Republican Party, which having campaigned on a platform of freedom has turned around and suppressed criticism of the administration by arresting Democratic newspaper editors. But, the editorial argues, some Republicans are growing up, and with conservative Democrats in power in the army there is hope that the extremes of Northern "fanaticism" and Southern "treason" can be buried and sectional hate and animosity may be banished.

Extremely Loyal
(Column 5)

Summary: Attacks the Chambersburg Times for its accusation that the Valley Spirit is disloyal and accuses it of defending Thaddeus Stevens, despite the fact that it is a Democratic paper and Stevens is a Republican.

In the Last Agony
(Column 5)

Summary: Pokes fun at the Republican call for a state convention on March 12 and likens the convention to a post-mortem examination. The corruption running through the party has sickened it, claims the article, and it is obvious that Republican managers fear that the party is on the verge of breaking apart.

Origin of Article: Patriot and Union

Death of a Wealthy Citizen
(Column 1)

Summary: David Wilson, one of the most wealthy and respected citizens of the county, died at his home in St. Thomas on February 27, at age 70. He had inherited property from his ancestors and built up his fortune during his lifetime. The inheritance tax on his property is rumored to be around $10,000. He never married, but leaves an unmarried brother and a sister with children.
(Names in announcement: David Wilson)

The Seventy Seventh
(Column 1)

Summary: Col. Stumbaugh's regiment, the 77th Pennsylvania Volunteers, is rumored now to be near Nashville, Tennessee. The last positive contact the paper had with the regiment was when the 77th was about 20 miles from Bowling Green rebuilding a destroyed bridge. The battery is definitely at Nashville, and men unable to make the march were left in the hospital at Mumfordsville.

Forwarded
(Column 1)

Summary: The box of hospital supplies collected at Nixon's Drug Store by the women of Chambersburg has been forwarded to the 77th Regiment in Kentucky. The wounded left at Mumfordsville will receive the supplies.

Where the Honor Belongs
(Column 1)

Summary: The box of mittens brought by Rev. Rebaugh of Greencastle to Col. Kuipe's regiment was in fact donated by the women of Chambersburg.
(Names in announcement: Rev. Rebaugh)

Released Prisoners
(Column 1)

Summary: George W. Walker, Luther B. Kurtz, and Joshua McCamsey, all of Waynesboro, were released by Confederate authorities. The trio had been imprisoned since their capture last July near Martinsburg. They returned to a large crowd of friends, and looked to be in good health.
(Names in announcement: George W. Walker, Luther B. Kurtz, Joshua McCamsey)

Released
(Column 1)

Summary: The "young man" McLaughlin of Loudon, whose captivity was noted recently, was among the prisoners released by the Confederates. He had reportedly given his captors an extremely difficult time.
(Names in announcement: McLaughlin)

Iron Works Sold
(Column 1)

Summary: The Bowers Farm, on which the Warren township Iron Works sits, was sold to a Mr. Byers from Fayetteville for over $11 an acre.
(Names in announcement: Byers)

Played Out
(Column 2)

Summary: Notices for a 'Union Meeting' to nominate officers have appeared in some county papers. The Valley Spirit warns Democrats not to be tricked into joining and asserts that the Democratic party is the true Union party.

Visit to the Battle Field
(Column 3)

Summary: A first-person description of the battlefield at Fort Donelson, mostly focusing on the corpses left on the field. The Confederates had carried off many of their dead, so the majority left on the field were Union dead. The writer emphasized how thick the piles of bodies were at points where artillery had killed large numbers at once.

Origin of Article: Chicago Times

Proclamation of General Halleck
(Column 5)

Summary: A reprint of the orders given by Major General Halleck, commander of the Department of Missouri, to his troops regarding their behavior in the area. It specifically instructs the troops that "It does not belong to the military to decide upon relations between master and slave," and orders his troops not to allow contraband slaves into camp.

Full Text of Article:

Headquarters Department Of Missouri,

ST. LOUIS, February 23

The Major-General Commanding the Department desires to impress upon all officers the importance of preserving good order and discipline among their troops as the armies of the West advance into Tennessee and the Southern States.

Let us show to our fellow citizens in those States that we come merely to crush rebellion, and restore to them peace and the benefits of the Constitution and the Union, of which they have been deprived by selfish and unprincipled leaders. They have been told that we come to oppress and plunder. By our acts we will undeceive them. We will prove to them that we come to restore not to violate the Constitution and the laws. In restoring to them the glorious flag of the Union, we will assure them that they shall enjoy under its folds the same protection of life and property as of former days.

Soldiers! let no excess on your part tarnish the glory of our arms!

The order heretofore issued in this Department, in regard to pillaging and maurading, the destruction of private property, and the stealing or concealment of slaves, must be strictly enforced. It does not belong to the military to decide upon the relation of master and slave. Such questions must be settled by the civil courts. No fugitive slave will therefore be admitted within our lines or camps, except when specially ordered by the general commanding.

Women and children, merchants, farmers, mechanics, and all persons not in arms, are regarded as non-combatants, and are not to be molested either in their persons or property. If, however they aid and assist the enemy, they become beligerents, and will be treated as such. As they violate the laws of war, they will be made to suffer the penalties of such violation.

Military stores and the public property of the enemy must be surrendered, and any attempt to conceal such property by fraudulent transfers or otherwise, will be punished but no private property will be touched unless by order of the General commanding. Wherever it becomes necessary to obtain forced contributions for the supply and subsistence of our troops, such levies will be made as light as possible, and to be so distributed as to produce no distress among the people. All property so taken must be receipted and fully accounted for, as heretofore directed.

These orders will be read at the head of eve[r]y regiment, and all officers are commanded to strictly enforce them.

By command of
MAJOR GENERAL HALLECK.
W. H. McLean, Adjutant General.

Married
(Column 6)

Summary: Jacob H. Snoke and Nannie Shoemaker, both of Lurgan township, were married on February 27 at the residence of the bride's father.
(Names in announcement: Rev. L. Baltzell, Jacob H. Snoke, Nannie Shoemaker)

Died
(Column 6)

Summary: Harry Siebert Keefer, son of John P. and Mary Keefer, died of diphtheria on February 25 in Chambersburg, at the age of 2 years, 2 months and 26 days.
(Names in announcement: Harry Siebert Keefer, John P. Keefer, Mary Keefer)

Died
(Column 6)

Summary: Jacob Etter died on February 23 in Chambersburg at the age of 69 years, 1 month and 11 days.
(Names in announcement: Jacob Etter)

Died
(Column 6)

Summary: John Jacob Garman, son of John and Catharine Garman, died on February 21, age 2 months and 27 days.
(Names in announcement: John Jacob Garman, John Garman, Catharine Garman)

"We are sorry...."
(Column 1)

Summary: The Dispatch takes issue with another paper in the state which had protested the formation of a legislative investigation committee to look into fraud and corruption. If that paper, the Miner's Journal of Pottsville, is so convinced of Gov. Curtain's integrity, it should have nothing to fear from the formation of such a commission.

Origin of Article: Pittsburgh Dispatch

Shall the Union be Saved?
(Column 1)

Summary: The Journal of Commerce attacks the New York Evening Post for its abolitionist tendencies. The article argues that abolitionists who attack the Constitution should be prohibited from holding public office. The hope of the Union, it states, lies in the advances that McClellan will bring and in the Union sentiment manifested in such states as Kentucky.

Origin of Article: Journal of Commerce