Sunday Dispatch

ANSWER TO VERITAS.
To the Editor of the Sunday Dispatch:
WEDNESDAY,
Gentlemen: For the past eight years the
Sunday Dispatch has always received a warm
welcome from your correspondent, and up to
your last issue not a chance have I had for a
good old fashioned growl. In your last issue
there appeared an article signed "Veritas,"
which completely upset all my Sunday reading.

An individual signing himself Veritas has
taken it upon himself to pronounce judgment
upon all men who as citizens thought proper to
exercise their rights—rights guaranteed to
them by the constitution of their country.
According to his ideas all men are traitors
who did not vote for Abraham Lincoln, and
all men are traitors who voted for John C.
Breckinridge, a loyal man to all appearance
during our last presidential campaign. Do we
poor mortals possess powers superior to those
possessed by the father of his country, whom
if the history of our country is worth remembering, trusted Benedict Arnold up to the moment of his flight.

Perhaps Veritas has not been long enough
in the country to learn that all citizens possess the right of voting for whom they con-
sider the best man—if so, I would propose a
subscription for the purpose of presenting him
with a copy of the constitution.

It must be remembered by those who possessed the right of voting at our last presidential election, that there was a Union ticket
formed, which embraced the names of Bell,
Breckinridge and Douglas. That ticket received the support of all union men in the
state of New York. Are those who voted that
ticket traitors? I would like to see Veritas
tell that to a boy, let alone a man. I voted
the Union ticket, so of course I must be a
traitor.

Veritas, go and read your anti-American
fanaticism to the men of the Potomac; they
might give you time enough to say amen, and
then a free swing from some tree.

You do not even exempt the glorious dead,
whose bones lie in every State. Shame on him
who defiles the grave, though it covers only a
rebel; and cursed be he who would write
traitor over the head of the dead volunteer.

Who voted for J. C. Breckinridge? Ask
the glorious Sixty-ninth and its gallant leader,
Corcoran. Ask every man of the Irish Brigade, and Meagher, the Irish patriot, Gen. Dix,
Gen. McClellan, Gen. Butler, and lastly, the
old chief, Gen. Scott. Are they traitors? They
voted the Union Ticket, and J. C. Breckinridge
owned one-third of that ticket.

Your chief attack seems directed toward
those in the employ of the Government at the
Navy Yard. What your object can be I cannot imagine, unless you are some disappointed
office-seeker.

Since the election men have been retained
at the Navy Yard—honest and faithful mechanics—men who ably fill their positions, and
whom the Government will not discharge to
suit the fancy of every political demagogue
who chooses over anonymous signatures to
charge them with being traitors.

A short time since the men took the oath of
allegiance to the Government, as Veritas says,
in a loose manner. How does he know, in
the first place? and secondly, how would he
swear them? Would he require each man to
sign his bond with blood from his arm, or
would he swear them standing on a pile of Bibles, with a rope around their necks? He
(Veritas) says they have only affirmed. Very
good. The man who regards the act of affirmation as worth nothing would break all oaths;
and, Veritas, if I had the administering of an
oath to such a man, I would lock him up and
keep him as security for the fulfillment of his
oath.

The men who work hard day and night to
earn money needed to support their families,
have subscribed time and time again towards
Union Funds. Has "Veritas?" Some of them
have sons fighting for the Union. Has "Veritas?" Again: some have relations lying cold
in death in the trenches on the Potomac and
along our whole coast from New Orleans to
Maine. Has Veritas?

If those men did vote for J. C. Breckinridge,
are they traitors? Was Breckinridge a traitor
when nominated? If so, where was "Veritas
then?"

Veritas, according to the laws of all nations,
I will tell you who are traitors. "He that
gives aid and comfort to the enemies of his
country is a traitor." You are one! You
would have the world believe that the Government rewards traitors with positions in the
navy department. You would have the Southerners believe that there exists in our midst
men who at any moment would betray the
government works.

I defy you to produce a single man out of
the whole yard who merits the name of traitor.
If you are a man give us the names of these
traitors, your own at the bottom, so that we
may know the black sheep and rid you of your
night-mare. Pardon the paradox. "To attack
them the way you have done, is, to say the
least, cowardly."

And now a word for Abraham Lincoln. I
voted against him—worked against him—but
it was when I thought him a tool in the hands
of Northern Abolition fanatics. Now, I would
vote, work and die for Old Abe, who, regardless of all party ties, party platforms, and party
principles, has sanctioned only such measures
as were calculated to give us peace. He has
proved himself worthy of every honest man,
and if my life is spared, my next vote will be
for Old Abe. Like Jackson, he only wishes to
save the Union.

One word with you,
"Veritas," and I will
close.

Go back to Massachusetts, read the President's order relating to colored men to Governor Andrews, who is still busy enlisting, in defiance of the order, all his colored brothers,
then go to Boston and give your name to
Mayor Wightman as a volunteer in one of Massachusetts' noble Regiments, acknowledge the
wrong, if not to the men you have wronged,
to your God.

Let the Wood and Brookes men alone; they
are too busy in the field fighting for the Union
to notice you or your communications; and
above all, lay aside the malice which apparently you hold toward our Navy Yard men—
I speak not so much for them as I do their
families—and then take up the cause of your
country.

Hoping that you will take no offence, believe me yours in the cause of the Union,
DAN. M. COLLINS.