Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1863-02-27
Tho Destruction OF tho Office OF the
keOkuk Daily Constitution.
(Froa tie Gate City, Feb. 2o.)

Yesterday afternoon a large number of
soldiers from the hospital marched down to
the Constitutional Office, and taking possession
of it, broke up the presses and threw them,
together with the cases Of type and other
contents of the building, into the street A
couple of drays were pressed into the service,
which carried each load to the river This
movement took everybody by surprise, but
the numbers were so formidable that 10 op-
position was made Except the personal efforts
Of Lieut.. Ball, cemmandant OF the post, and
perhaps some others until the contents of
the office were in ruins. Lieut.. Ball at length
got together the Provost Guard, when the
work of destruction was brought to close.
We are told that the cause of the outbreak
was the indignation of the soldiers at the
comments in the Constitution of the 18th
and 10th ins:, upon the speech Of Governor
Wright No one. so far as we are aware,
excepting the soldiers engaged in it, knew
anything of the movement, until it was con-
summatcd.
We publish below, at the request of the
soldiers, the pledge which they made, setting
forth the reasons for destroying tho Consti-
tuition Office. 1t will not be deemed by any,
inappropriate to allow an expression from the
soldiers engaged in this act that public opin-
ion may be fully informed in regard to all the
circumstances Of the case This paper was
signed by $50 soldiers of the hospital, most
Of whom, We understand, arc awaiting trans
pcrtation to return to service. ''-"r j.
''lIEAparAR7ERs Q. 6. soLDIERs, ! .
.... ... hIoKrK, Iowa, February ~, 1868. (
/ ave, the undersigned, soldiers of the U.
S. army, being fully convinced that the influ
ence of paper published in this city, called
: The Constuution,' edited by Thos. Clagett
has exerted and is cxerting a reasonable in.
fluence, (nexcusable by us as soldicrS) against
the Government for which we have staked
our all, in the present crisis. We, therefore,
consider it duty we owe to ourselves, on,
brethren in the field, our families at home,
our Government and our God, to demolisll
and cast into the Mississippi river, the press
and machinery used for the publication OF
the aforesaid paper, and any person or per
sons that interfere, so HELP Is Gop." &
"MEssRs. HOWELL & DELAPLAlN-G Gentle.
men: Having at my command no other
means of immediate communication with the
subscribers of the Constitution newspaper
of which was the Publisher and proprietor
GU VIII ooiiSc INC ny HSeTtliiS III your pa
per of to morrow the following card, togeth.
err with this note ss.. = a.
On yesterday afternoon, while was alb.
sent from the Office, a gang Of soldiers from
the hospitals in this city, armed with revo'
vers and bludseens, forc,bly entered the Office
and destroyed the whole of the material
presses, etc, with which the paper has been
printed This will account for the non-ap
pearance Of the Constitution this morning
But, notwithstanding have lost several
thousand dollars by this act of lawless van
da'ism, the publications OF the Constitution
will be resumed as soon as can procure the
necessary new material. shall have more
to say OH this subject at another time. 81.
h-a zgs#...-- rHOS. W. cLAGETr. q