NOBLE LETTER FROM GENERAL ROSECRANS. On Tuesday last, in the Ohio Legislature, a message was received from the Governor, enclosing the follow- ing letter from General Rosecrans : Head-Quarters Dep. of the Cumberland, \ Murfreesboro', Tenn., Feb. 3, 1863. j To the Honorable the General Assembly of the State of Ohio: The resolution of thanks passed by your honorable body to the Army of the Cumberland, its Commanding General and his staff, has been duly received, and pub- lished to the troops of his command. On behalf of all, I return you heartfelt thanks. This is, indeed, a war for the maintenance of the Constitution and the laws — nay, for national existence — against those who have despised our honest friend- ship, deceived our just hopes, and driven us to defend our country and our homes. By foul and wilful slanders on our motives and intentions, persistently 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 friends, for the defence, and safety of all, we long for the time when gentle peace 2 shall again spread her wings over our land: but we know no such blessing is possible while the unjust and arbitral 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 now, when driven back, they whine out "no invasion," and promise us of the West permission to navigate the Mississippi, if we will be u good boys," and do as they bid us. Whenever 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 unscrupu- lous 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 are fewer differences than be- tween 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 on the broad foun- dation of national unity and equal justice to all, under the Constitution and Laws, I remain your fellow-citizen, W. S. ROSECRANS, Major- General TO THE DEMOCRACY OF INDIANA. The following stirring appeal has been addressed to the Democracy of Indiana by their companions-in-arms in Arkansas : Ilaving a deep interest in the future glory and wel- fare of our country, and believing that we occupy a position in which we can see the effects of the political struggles at home upon the hopes and fears of the rebels, we deem it to be our duty to speak to you openly and plainly in regard to the same. The rebels of the South are leaning on the Northern Democracy for support, and it is unquestionably true that unjustifiable opposition to the Administration is "giving aid and comfort to the enemy." While it is the duty of patriots to oppose the usurpation of power, it is alike their duty to avoid captious criticisms, that might create the very evils which they attempt to avoid. The name of DEMOCRAT, associated with all that is bright and glorious in the history of the past, is being sullied and disgraced by demagogues, who are appealing to the lowest prejudices and passions of our people. We have jiothing to expect from the South, and nothing to hope, without their conquest. They are now using their money freely, to subsidize the press and politicians of the North, and with what effect, the tone of some of our jour- nals, and the speeches of some of our leaders, too plainly and painfully testify. We see with deep solicitude and regret that there is an undercurrent in Indiana tending toward a coalition of the Northwest with the South against the Eastern 4 Slates. Be not deceived. Pause, for the love you bear to your country, and reflect. This movement is only a rebel scheme in disguise, that would involve you, alike with themselves, in the crime of rebellion, and bring to your own hearthstones the desolation of a French revo- lution. Separation on either side, ivith peace in the future, is impossible, and we are compelled by self-in- terest, by every principle of honor, and every impulse of manhood, to bring this unholy content to a successful termination. What! admit that we are whipped? That twenty- three millions of Northern men are unequal to nine millions of the South ? Shame on the State that would entertain so disgraceful a proposition ! Shame upon the Democrat who would submit to it, aud raise his cowardly voice and claim that he was an Indianiau! He, and such dastards, with their offspring, are fit "mud sills" upon which should be built the lordly structure of their Southern aristocracy I Aud with whom would this unholy alliance be formed ? With men who have forgotten their fathers, their oaths, their country, and their God ; with guerillas, cotton-burners ; with those who force every male inhabitant of the South capable of bearing arms into the field, though starving wives and babes are left behind 1 Men who persecute and hang, or drive from their lines, every man, woman and child who will not fall down and worship the Southern god. And yet free-born men of our State will sympa- thise with such tyrants, and dare even to dream of coalition ! Indiana's proud and loyal legions number at least seventy thousand effective men in the field, and ? as with one great heart, we know they would repudiate all unholy combinations tending to the dismemberment of our Government. 5 In this dark hour of our country's trial, there is but one road to success and peace, and that is, TO BE as FIRMLY UNITED FOR OUR GOVERNMENT AS THE REBELS ARE against IT. Small differences of opinion amount to nothing in this grand struggle for a nation's ex- istence. Do not place even one straw in the way, and remember that every word you speak to encourage the South, nerves the arm and strikes the blow which is aimed at the heart's blood of our brothers and kindred. Alvin P. Hovey. Brig. General. William T. Spicely, Col. 34th Ind. William E. McLean, Col. 43d Tnd. Geo. F. McGinnis, Col. 11th Tnd. James R. Slack, Col. 47th Ind. Helena, Ark., February 2, 1863. Action of the Ohio Regiments at Murfreesboro' Regarding the Copperheads. Murfreesboro', Tenn., Friday, Feb. 13, 1863. Last night an earnest and enthusiastic meeting of Ohio officers was held, for the purpose of taking some measures to show the sentiment that exists in the army with regard to the prosecution of the war, the adoption of dishonorable compromises, and the incipient treason which has developed itself in the North. The utmost unanimity prevailed, and a Committee was appointed to draft an address, to be presented to all the Ohio regiments, for their adoption or rejection. The follow- ing persons constituted the Committee: Col. W. B. Walker, Seventy-first, Col. E. H. Phelps, Thirty-eighth, Col. J. M. Council, Seventeenth, Lieut.-Col. F. W. Lestee, Seventeenth Ohio. 6 Col. Connell, a life-long Democrat, drew up the resolutions, which were heartily endorsed by all mem- bers of the Committee, both Democrats and Republi- cans. It has already been presented to a dozen regiments, and not a single man has as yet failed to endorse it. The cheers with which the address was received by the Ohio regiments, this evening, would have sent a thrill of joy to the heart of every loyal man in the country. The address begins by ignoring all party politics, declaring only for the Government of the United States. It asks, with earnest emphasis, why any but a traitor should desire the severance of the Republic, or to throw obstacles in the way of the earnest prosecution of this war, whose sole object is the preservation of the Republic from those who, by armed force, are seeking to destroy it ? This war must be prosecuted, or all it is waged for given up. All evils can be remedied at the ballot-box save the rebellion of men in arms. This can only be suppressed BY bayonets. Can compromise avail? The rebels disdainfully fling back in our faces all proposi- tions for compromise, and declare that nothing will suit them but the acknowledgement of their bastard nationality. They look upon their Northern friends as allies in the war which they are prosecuting against the Union, and will regard them in no other light. People of the North, you must either acknowledge this rebellion to be right, and that your nationality is a sham, or you must as one man, sustain the war against traitors. We intend to protect you, and you must not desert us. We have suffered now too much to be wil- 7 ling to agree to anything, save the absolute uncondi- tional restoration of the Union, without consultation with traitors. Arms have been invoked to destroy the Government — arms can only save it. If some miserable demagogues amongst you must vomit forth their treason, let them keep it at home. We want none of their vile letters, speeches, or papers here. We know for what we engaged in an Abolition war. We have sunk all party considerations in devoted loyalty to our country, and whatever names unholy traitors may apply to us, we will, by every means that Providence puts in our hands, sustain the Union, so help us God. The army of the West is in terrible earnest. Earnest to conquer and destroy armed rebels. Earnest to meet force to force. Earnest in its hearty detestation of cowardly traitors at home. Earnest in will and power to overcome all who desire the nation's ruin. Ohio's one hundred thousand soldiers in the field, citizens at home, 'potent in either capacity, ash their fathers, brothers and friends by their firesides and in their peaceful homes, to hear and heed this appeal, and to put an end to covert treason at home j more dangerous now to our material existence than the presence of armed hosts of misguided rebels at home. Col. M. W. Walker, of the Thirty -first Ohio, then presented a resolution embodying the above sentiments, which, was unanimously adopted. The address and resolutions have so far been presented to about a dozen Ohio Regiments and adopted without a dissenting voice. Another Letter from General Roseerans. He does not believe in Syren Songs of Peace. General Rosecrans has written the following let. ter to the Cincinnati Common Council: IIeap-Quarters, Dep. of the Cumberland, ) Alurfreesboro\ Tenn. \ Gentlemen : — I have just received and read the reso- lutions passed at your meeting on the 16th inst., com- plimenting this army, the Ohio troops, and the Com- manding-General, for their bravery displayed at the battle of Stone's river. # On behalf of this noble array and its gallant leaders, I accept this expression of your sympathy and praise, with pride, and all the more heartfelt because you are my fellow-citizens, and your words touch me by their tones of friendly sincerity, while they fill my thoughts with the sweet memories of home, for the safety of which, and each of you, we, who are far away, are will- ing to lay down our lives. May no syren song of peace, founded on the delusive hopes of honor, truth, or justice, of the rebel leaders, induce us to peril both honor and the safety of our homes. If never permitted to enjoy those dear homes ourselves, we will at least endeavor to leave them safe and free, under the Constitution and laws, to our pos- terity. I have the honor, gentlemen, to remain, with great respect, your obedient servant, W. S. ROSECRANS, Major- General, To the Honorable Mayor and Common Council, Cincin- nati, Ohio.