Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1861-09-03
Our Positions.

The readers of this paper do not need to
be informed that we labored sedulous'y, in
our humble sphere as public journalists, to
prevent the election of Abraham Lincoln.
We furetold the dangers to the peace of the
country and the Union by the triumph of
a sectional party; and warned geople of
the importance of the issues presented
But our eounsels we're not needed Lincoln
was elected President and our worst appre
tensions have been realized. The country
is in state Of fearful strife and is threat
ened with total destruction. Indeed, we
very much fear that we are a ruined peos
ple-and that the blood stained banner of
our once glorious confederacy will be tarn-
ished forever.
We were among the last to abandon the
hope or to remit unceasing labors for cons
promise and peace. When Congress as
sembled last winter, we anxiously looked
for solution of the difficulties. But when
we beheld the rejection of the Crittenden
compromise and other measures for the
restoration of amity and peace, it seem ed to
US that the knell of the Union had been
sounded. That We should indulge in Sc
we're structures under these circumstances,
| need not be wondered at We said MANY
hard things against the Senator's and Con-
gressmen of the Republican party who
were the cause of the appalling difficulties
and meant just what we said. Nor are we
willing to admit that anything we have
published in this paper was not warranta-
BILE and justifable. At least we do not
feel disposed to take back anything we NAV
have said, or repudiate any sentiment which
may have been advanced through these col
umns.
Though we have been published all over
the North as advocating secession senti-
| ments, our readers will bear us witness.
that this paper has contained no word or
sentence in violation of the constitution or
the laws. 1t has committed no offence
against the Government, or abetted or sym
pathlsed with traitors and disunionists. II
has invariably spoken of the President and
members of the Cabinet as becomes their
acts ard position.
Yet because the Signal has fearlessly ex
ercised and asserted the rights which the
constitution guaranteed to It, in war as well
as in peace, to oppose, not the Government
but the policy of the Administration. it has
been classed a secession organ by Journals
which have been advocating the violation
OF the National constitution for many
years and threats of violence have been
thrown out on every side. Feeling that we
bave committed no offence against the laws
of our common country, and that the COL
umns of this journal have been tainted with
no word for which even those most hostile
to our opinions could justly reprove or re-
pioach US, we protest against the SANDER
Gus imputation against our loyalty and pa
triOtsm.
However, for the edifcation of those who
presist in incorporating our position, we
repeat 1T more definitely: We are for our
country under all circumstances. Though
we conscientiously believe that the havo,
and bioodshed and ruin incident to this
terrible war might have been avoided BY
the rulers of the dominant party, yet we
stand by the old flag and the Government as
transmitted to US by Washington and JEFF
ferson and jackson and Polk. We cannot
endorse all the measures of the Admins
tration, nevertheless we recognize in Abra
ham Lincoln the constitutional Executive
of the United States-and, as good and
loyal citizens, yield him such support as his
position legally demands. And while we
would be amongst the first to welcome and
hail with delight the restoration of peace,
at the same time we are in favor of carry
ing on the war until the rebels will submit
to the laws and an honorable adjustment of
our difficulties.