Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-12-11
COpperhead Patriotism.

Comprehend Patriotism.
Every northern sheet in the interest Of
jeff Davis and Quantrell, from the New Y ork
World down to the Muscatine Courier, is en-
gagged in the dirty business of discouraging
enlistments. With the malisnity of very
fend depicted in the countenance, and the
rottonness Of heart belonging to a ''genera'
ton Of vipers" they exclaim with one accord
"the Aboiitionists have called us rebels and
traitors-of course they don't want us to en-
list in the Union army, and We advise OUR
friends not to enlist. But then we do not
discourage enlistments, because We appeal to
the Union Leaguers, and plead with them to
rally round the flag These are the mis-
e1able whited sepulchres who once upon
time frothed at the mouth when it was dis
puted that more Democrats were in the army
Of the Union than Republicans But when
Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin and Ohio troops
spoke at the ballot box, all this vain boasting
was settled. The army vote demonstrated
one of two things, that either three -fourths
of the army was composed Of Republicans,
or that the Democratic party had become so
fearfully demoralzed and tinctured with trea-
son that the fighting members Of that party
were compelled to repudiate it. One thing
is selfevident, that the adherents to the pres
ent Democratic faith are about as scarce as
hens teeth, or men who are willing to ac-
knowledge they ever voted Copperhead
ticket. The soldiers are either Abolitionists
or Democrats of suspicious hue.
Why is it, then, that such miserable tories
as Thayer and Hutch,ns continue to insult
the brave men who have sacrificed home ard
its endearments for the toilsome marches and
hardships of the camp and field, by calling
them Democrats of their school? Are these
miserable vipers oblivious of the fact that
more than three-fourths of the Western
troops are members of the Union League they
try 50 hard to ridlcule and bring into con-
tempt? We venture the assertion that every
Iowa soldier who voted the Union ticket last
October is member in good standing of the
LOYAL League. We venture another-that
in Iowa there are at least 10000 Democrats
who are members of the Loyal League-but
not such Democrats as Story, Hutchins,
Todd, Thayer & Co. Now what is the theo-
ry of this Copperhead desire for none but
Leaguers to enlist Simply this. You 60
to the war, and we'll stay at home and en-
troll the elections. Will this win? No, not
while our soldiers are permitted to VOTE
Why then throw obstacles in the way of a
speedy reinforcement of our army. Because
their very blood is tainted with treason, and
they are determined to rule or ruin. Will
they. effect anything by such conduct? They
have already been repudiated and their infu-
ence is gone, save among the ill-advised.-
The voice of patriotism calls upon the people
as American citizens, and not as Democrats
or Loyal Leaguers, and to this we must re-
spond. But another view. The Courier of
this city is the organ of party, the majority
of whose members are not in circumstances
to stand the alternative of draft, viz: pay
$500 as substitute money. If they will not,
without respect to party, heed their country's
call, they force the Government to enforce
draft. Are they prepared to pay $500? If
they are not will they heed the voice of pa
triotism and accept the nations generous
bounty Of $500, or will they risk their chances
of being compelled to 60 and receive much
smaller bounty or none at all? To those
readers of and who follow the Oourisr, we
say, beware Of the patriotism Of your Copper
head advisers. They may have $500 at their
command that you have not. They need not
enlist, and if drafted may be saved by hav-
ing more money than you. They, of course,
do not desire you to enlist. If you do not,
you make draft necessary, and if you are
willing to take it's chances, we have no COM
plant to make. But we warn all to beware
in time of Copperhead politicians.
W The Cincinnati Gdzetteo Of the I'd inst