A Yankee letter.
The letter from which the following extracts are made was picked up in the camp of the enemy on Saturday last. It was dated at Stevensville, New York, in Van Wyck's district, always noted for its abolition sentiment. It is worthy of attention, as a sign of the times: "Dear"
--We have received a letter from you dated the 25th.
I send you the Watchman every week.
The Caucasian (newspaper) that I sent you, with Davia's Message in it, is the last of that paper.
So goes our liberty of speech and freedom, of the press (it seems that the Caucasian has been suppressed by the Government) that the Constitution guarantees to us, and for which grandfather fought and spilled his blood in the war of the Revolution.
This war is going to use up a good many of our very best young men. A vast multitude have already laid their bones on Southern soil, far away from friends and the home of their childhood.
More, George, than 100,000, and there will be fifty or sixty thousand more before the 1st of June. This negro question and Chicago platform is going to destroy us, I fear, and make white slavery instead of black.
They are out now in the papers begging for the negroes Lincoln's Generals have taken from their masters as contrabands. --They want old clothes and anything you have got to give them.
Let them who got them from their masters take care of them.
They always used to have enough to eat and to wear when with their masters.
Whoever heard of a slaveholder begging for his needy blacked Suppose the whole four, millions were free, what should we do with them?
This negro freedom is all a humbug.
Col Van Wyck is to work in the House of Represent — fives to free the negroes.
He has no political friends here but the blackest of black abolitionists.
You speak of coming home; do so if you can get a furlough. 