22 honorable traitors do—let them,bear in mind that there is a time coming when the honest indignation of a loyal people will hurl them headlong into an abyss as bottomless aS the pit.” These resolutions and proceedings of the brave men now in the field, speak for themselves, and need no comments of mine. Let us hear what the brave and skillful Gen. Rosecrans Says, one of the real heroes of the war, the man wh'o saved h^ army from defeat at Murfreesboro, and snatched victory from the arms of the rebels by leading his columns in person, amidst a shower of iron and lead around him. Headquarters Department of the Cumberland, Murfreesboro, Tenn., Feb. 3, 1863. To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Ohio : The resolution of thanks passed by your honorable body of the Army of the Cumberland, its Commanding General and his staff, has been duly received and published to the troops of this command. On behalf of all I return you heartfelt thanks. This is indeed a war for the Constitution and the laws—nay, for National existence—against those who,have despised our honest friendship, deceived our just hopes and,driven us to defend our country and our homes. By foul and willful slanders on our motives and intentions, persistingly repeated, they have arrayed against us our own fellow .citizens, bound to us by the triple ties of consanguinity, geographical position and commercial interest. Let no man among us be base enough to forget this,, or,fool enough to trust an oligarchy of traitors to their friends, to civil liberty and human freedom. Voluntary exiles from home and friepds, for the defense and safety of all, we long for the time when gentle peace shall again spread her wings over our land; but we know no such blessing is possible while the unjust and arbitrary power of the rebel leaders confronts and threatens us. Crafty as the fox, cruel as the tiger, they cried “no coercion,” while preparing to strike us. Bully-like, they proposed, to fight us because they said they could whip five to one ; and npw, when driven back, they whine out, “no invasion and promise us of the West permission to navigate the Mississippi, if we will be “good boys,” and do as theybid us, . Wherever they have the power, they drive before them into their ranks the Southern people, and they would also drive us. Trust them not; were they able, they would invade and destroy us .without mercy. Absolutely assured of these things, I am amazed .that any one could think of “peace on any terms.” He who entertains the'sentiment is fit only to be a slave-; he who utters it at this time is moreover a traitor to his country, who deserves the scorn and contempt of all honorable men. When the power of the unscrupulous Rebel leaders is removed, and the people are free to consider and. act for their own interests, which are common with ours under this Government, there will be no great difficulty in fraternization. Between our tastes and social life there ate fewer differences than between those of the people of the Northern and Southern provinces,of England or Ireland. Hoping the time may speedily come when the power of the perfidious and cruel tyrant of this rebellion, having been overthrown, a peace may be laid bn the broad foundations of national unity and equal justice to all, under the Constitution and the laws, I remain, your fellow-citizen, W. S. ROSECRANS, Major-General. These, sir, are the sentiments of the patriotic men in our army without distinction of party—the Democrat and the Republican standing shoulder to shoulder in defence of the Government, the vindication of the Constitution, and the preservation of the Union. Sir, there’are thousands of honest Democrats and Republicans’ in every section of‘our country who will heed the voice and example of our gallant soldiers, and know no party other than that great party of the people, who have decreed that this Government shall be maintained, and that traitors in the North, as well as the South, shall not go unpunished.
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