The Weekly Kansas Chief

GREELEY And The Presidency.

The Promptings of a Mother of Two Dead Soldier Sons-The Spirit of '62-shall we Forget it

From the La Crosse Leader.

EDITOR LEADER:-I am an old lady, sixty-three years of age, and a widow. This is the first time I ever attempted to write an article for publication. But I cannot keep silent. It is out of the fullness of my heart my pen speaketh.

During our late fearful war, I devoted every energy of my being to working for the poor, brave, suffering men and boys who were perilling their lives for their country's honor. I deemed no sacrifice too great.

Two precious sons remained to me, while the grass was growing green over the graves of six. When the first call was made for volunteers-after the fall of Sumter, among the foremost to rush forward and give his name, was my darling boy-literally a boy-only nineteen years of age. Crowding back the hot tears of agony, I gave my consent and kissed him for the last time. He fell dead-shot through the head-in his first battle. For his country he died, and early and late from my aching, bleeding heart, went forth the prayer, Teach me, oh! Father, to say, "Thy will be done." Then when the cry was heard for "three hundred thousand more," I gave up my last and only one-my precious Harry. With streaming eyes and quivering heart-strings, I bade him go at his "country's need." That brave young boy was slowly, cruelly murdered at Andersonville. A few scrawled lines with a pencil, on the margin of an old torn piece of newspaper, was brought to me by a more fortunate comrade who was exchanged: "They are starving us to death, mother, I shall never see you again. Pray for your boy Harry." That was all the record left, save the after message-Dead!

Then, when our war was over, and his murderers were escaping unscathed, when Jeff. Davis and his cold-blooded satellites were set at large, unpunished, I strove to still the angry murmurings of my heart by remembering that there was a just God, who hath said, "Vengeance is mine; I will repay."

I am an old-fashioned woman, Mr. Editor, one who has always felt that woman's province was home. I have disapproved of, and coldly ignored everything pertaining to the so-called "woman's rights" movement. In fact, I have felt that woman's clamoring for the ballot was uncalled for, indelicate and unwomanly, having its origin only in an ambition for notoriety and a desire to usurp a man's place.

When I read of Horace Greeley's nomination for the Presidency, the bosom friend of Jeff. Davis, his sympathizer and bondsman-Jeff. Davis, the black-hearted traitor, the cold-blooded, inhuman butcher, the demoniac slaughterer and torturer of thousands upon thousands of fathers and sons, husbands and brothers-when I read, I repeat, that Greeley had been nominated for the highest and most honorable position in our land, to take the place once occupied by Washington and the murdered Lincoln, I sat paralyzed for hours. Had my country fallen thus low? Was this to be the reward for the wholesale massacres and the fearful sacrifices made? Were our dead soldiers to be thus insulted in their graves? Was the grief of the broken-hearted wives, mothers, sisters and daughters thus to be made a mockery of! Just as well nominate Jeff. himself as his warm sympathizer, bosom friend and coadjutor, Greeley. In fact, extreme sophistry might possibly, by a mighty effort, call up some things in partial extenuation of some of Davis' crimes, but what can the most charitably inclined urge for Greeley? Not one extenuating shadow can be put forth for the Northern renegade, who proffered aid and sympathy, thus virtually endorsing every barbarous act of the arch-traitor Jeff. and his minions. It has been said that Horace Greeley had not one single relative serving in the Northern army, while his wife did lose two cousins fighting beneath the rebel flag. Perhaps this solves the riddle of the renegade's course. Can he be infatuated enough to suppose that one brave Union soldier in the land, can so far forget his self respect and manhood as to become his aider and abettor by helping him into the White House?

To-day, Mr. Editor, from my innermost heart, and for the first time in my life, I wish it were woman's privilege to vote. Old as I am, and shrinking as I always have from publicity, I would make it my mission to labor among my sex "from early morn to dewy eve," for six months to come, if need be, to prevent the shadow of a possibility of that man's being elected. But he will not be; he cannot be. It is a disgrace heavy and black enough to the country, that he has been nominated. When there are surely in the land staunch and true, in numbers sufficient, to rally for the right and crush down this vile attempt of the friends of treason and the South, to hoist into the White House a person acknowledged to be the sworn ally of the rebels, through his warm sympathy with its leaders.

I, the now childless mother of two dead soldier boys, appeal to every brave, noble fellow who has worn the "blue," to be true to himself and his country, true to the memory of his fallen comrades, "who, though dead, yet speaketh," true to every principle of honor, manhood and self-respect, in this hour of temptation to himself, and peril to his country.

Wives and mothers, sisters and daughters, now is the "silent, gentle home influence" to make itself felt; perhaps you feel "no interest in politics;" arouse yourself if never before, and think who the man is that was nominated at the Cincinnati Convention for the next President! Think who and what Horace Greeley has proved himself to be! Even if you "have no interest in politics," think how you would feel if Jeff. Davis were nominated for the Presidency. Horace Greeley is second only to him. He is his sworn ally and friend, the man who stepped forward and rescued the arch-demon from even a slight punishment. Did the cruel war snatch from you a loved one, a father or brother, husband or son? Then, by their blood which crieth to you from the grave, I adjure you to use all the influence you possess to prevent this insult to the memory of the loved and lost, and the sickening obloquy and foul disgrace to our beloved country should Horace Greeley be elected to the Presidency.

A.W.R.