Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1862-09-02
DIscourasing Enlistments.

Almost daily the telegraph announces the
arrest Of some prominent Democrats for
discouraging enlistments.n Indeed these
arrests are becoming so frequent that 1t Is
time that people were becoming aware Of
what constitutes the crime or guilt referred
10.
Within the past few days several Demo
Gratis 10 various portions of the State, whose
reputation up to the tine Of their arrest.
| had never been inpugned for a want Of
patriotism and loyslry, have been seized
and dragged of to military prisaus, with
ont the privilege Of a hearing or even
knowing their accu.ers. We haze no de-
fence to offer in behalf Of the traitor. who
aids the cause of our enemies. either by
expressions of sympathy or BY discourage
Jog enlistments. but at the same time the
constitution guarantees to every citizen the
right Of fair trial when accused Of crime
or violation Of law, and we contend that
that privilege should not be denied, what
ever the exigency.
If il can be shown that any mao, no
matter whether he be Democrat or Re-
publican, has discouraged enlistments or
10 any manner interfered with the plans of
the Government for crushing out the re-
bellion and ga wing the Union, we say let
him suffer the penalty due the offence, but
let not the Innocent suffer and the guilty
| go free.
We believe that the Governmental rather
too keen on the, scent of Democrats. II
the authorities al Washington would turn
their attention for awhile to bunting out
abolition secsssionists. instead Of combining
their arrests exclusively to Democrats, the
country would be the better for il. New
York paper very truthfully remarks that
the principal difficulties in the way Of re.
cruitins are the abolition journals and the
abolition demagoguss. They are doing
their utmost to weaken the public conf.
dence in our Generals and in the success OF
our cause, because President Line, In will
not issue proclamation declaring freedom
to all the slaves in the South. This course
these abolitionists have persued from the
commencement of our troubles. By med
ding with the army when Scott was in com
mand, they caused the disaster of Bull
Run. By their intrigues against General
Mcclellan they have been the means Of al
our reverses and troubles in Virginia
They have asserted that the negroes would
be freed, armed BY the Government and
placed in the ranks along side the white
soldiers. 1t is thus that these ultras have
discouraged enlistments and they are still
engaged 10 their Infamous and reasonable
work. Yet the Government does not med
die with them.
All we want is fair play. These coward
ly, stay-at home abolitionists are doiul
their utmost to prevent enlistments, BY
discouragiug people in the ability and in
,egri,y of the President and our General,
and destroying the faith of our troops in
the fnal success Of the war in restoring
the Union, and should be held accountable
The Chicago Tribune has done more to dis.
courage enlistmeuts in Illinois than a..
other causes put together, and if the al
thorities have any more arrests TO make OIL
papers to suppress We would respectfully
direct their attention to that pernicious ab
clifton sheet.