Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-01-24

our views and carries out our plans, and
not, we will become ncutralor join the enemy
We supportrit with hearts and hands ant
means, although .:wo may doubt its policy
trusting time will demonstrate the correct
ness of our views, and bring about their adopt
ion if found correct The giving of homes
counsel and rendering of faithful service maxi
up the duty of all true men. I'll y.-@ .
The war has brought on us severe trials
and others are yet to como. Many of ou1
best and bravest men have died upon the
battlefield Oh in the hospital, and many more
must die. Our business operations have beer
interrupted; our markets have been closed,
the prices of the products of our industry have
been lessened, we have been compelled tc
to wholly forego OF materially to curtail the
use ef some luxuries which, by use, had be-
come to us comforts of life, and these things
must continue to be. They are the inevit-
able attendants of war, and must be borne as
they have been borne, bravely, unilinchingly,
and cheerfuly. Life is valuable, but it is in
tended to be useful; and how can any one
make his life more useful than by giving it
| for his country? Gould our own brave men
who died at w lson's Greek, Blue Mills and
Belmont have used their lives in any other
way to- a better purpose than by losing them
on those bloody but glorious battle fields p
Their names will live after them, embalmed
in the hearts of our children and our chill
drens children, as the names OF men who
died Tor their country, and their example
will fire the hearts of generations yet to come
to deeds of equal and as noble daring "
We are emlnently peaceful and peacelovng
people, and the interruption of our peaceful avoca.
tons by war and its incidents bears hardly upon
us; but We must remember that the only way to
BRING back and permanently secure to us that
peace we love well is to convince those who
have thrust the war upon us and to convince all
others that though we love peace much we love
our country honor and the perpetuty Of our Un
ION more. But do We not exaggerae the evils OF
our condition? | am well convinced there is not
in the world people Of equal numbers. all of
whom enjoy to day SO many Of the necessaries and
OF the comforts of life as are enjoyed by our prO.
pie In our own State our cause of complaint is
not that we have not enough OF the necessaties of
HE. but thai we cannot get high enough prices
tor what we spare of our superabundance
not, that we have not food but that can not sell
TO advantage food, We do not need
But we Will have to pay heNvy taxes True, we
will and it is equally true We can. We have 10 do
but one thing. and that thing must do. We
mus give up the idea OF money making to a great
extent until this war is over. Wemust be content
to devote to the preservation of the country pOr.
ton or all OF the surplus we have been a custom
ed TO lay up IN years gone by. We may be re.
CURED to return to customs and expedients for
many years abandoned. We may be compelled to
do as our fathers and mothers did clothe ourselves
as they did with the products of their own farms
and their own hands. What then Our men will
be none the less brave loyal, and loving: our wo.
men none the less true hearted, lovely, and be
loved Wemay be required to DO and may do all
these things and yet suffering and want lie far
from US. We may required to do and may do
all these thing aud yet will not have done nearly
SO much as our fathers did to hand down to US the
rich inheritance we are now striving to ransmi
unimpared to our children. And if required, will
we not do 1t promptly and cheerfully
There may be amone st us a few men whoknow no im
pulse OF patriotism have love of country, and
no; hing but sordd gain There may be amongst us
few Others who ilinded by prejudice eugendered by
former political strife, cannot forget that the Govern
ment guided i'll this struggle for its life by the hands
of political opponents and who wond rather it per-
ish than have it saved by their hands who will ry
when there is peace and who will endeavor to
turn us from the prosecution of this continually
dwelling and exagserating the misfornnes it has
brought and will bring upon But these are
few in nu, Der and weak in influence The great
of our ople clearly, and know we'll that peace
can be permanent which is made by compromising
with armed rebels, and which will leave our resent
territory divided between jealous and hostile nations by
such boundaries as it must be if not preserved in its
integ rity.
cannot close thi address without paving well de.
served tribute to the brave men who represent our
State in the great army collected to do battle for
country. We may well be proud of them. We here as
officers, and alloeu- people citizens should feel tina
there is much for do maintain the high reputa
tion they have won for our State.
Trace the Iowa First their weary way to Spring
field see them ragged and hungry, but cheerful and
ready listen to teir marching song it rolls along
the column lending new.vigor to themselves and their
tired comrades hear their fierce shouts and witness
their daring deeds the field where Lyon fought and
fell witness the he oc spirit of devotion and self
rce with which the low Third at Blue Mills attacked
hn Whi az nuu tha in,
overpowarng numbers, to delay that enemys retreat
until expes ted reinorcements could arrive. See the
Seventh on the bloody field of BemOnt heading the at
tack and covering the retreaG witness the cheerful
durance the untring energy the indomtabe valor of
all our troops whenever and wherever tried and who
does not feel proud that he, too is IOwan? We owe
thesegailnt men much. The rank and file of reg
iments have been passed. doubt very much
if they have been equalled There is not a com
pany IN any of which does contain in
its ranks men who, in intelligence and moral worth
are the peers of man who hears They have left
behind them the comforts and endearments of home,
their business their friends their oil, and hsye taken
their places privaes in the ranks, with nominal paw
and almost without hove for honor and distinction
This is patriotism, and repeat it ITO these owe
mucn 1t is due to them AZ least that all shall be
that our circumstances will allow, to promote their
health and comfort and doubt not you will see to it
that the debt is paid.
When the u commenced many of us hoped that by
this time it would have been completed, or that at
least we would bc able to the beginning of de-
sirable end. But we have been disappointed The re
bellion had greater strength than had supposed
obstacles have arisen that we had not anticipated and
the end is yet. But these things should not dis,
courage and am glad to say they have not discour
ged u.s. As the greater strength Of the rebellion
been developed have promptly furnished he greater
needed strength to put it down. and if need be Iowa
yet send forth regiments brave loyal and
those that have already gone obstacles have arisen
they have been met as brave men meet them. They
have beer trampled upon and have passed on. And
now, when as it seems to us here that all things
ready, We are waiting patiently. bnt with batting
hearts, for the day when the great battle shall be-
fought-lisening ntently, and oh how how xiousy
for the battle shout "God for the right" which will
on that day roll that batte-e from the brave
men who will be privileged there to rally around
dear old flag and strike in its defence, and trusting
humbly and confidently that because they will strike
the right the God of battles will give the victory
| g-- y, $. ]. KIRKWOOD.
| .DEsMo1NEs, Jan. Is, 1862. -i - -