, 1863-03-14
SNAKE KILLING IN CHEAnI-
PAIGN.


CHAMPAIGN C1TY, ILL.,, March q, 1868.
Editors Chicago Tribune:
Here at tEc commercial centre Of Cham
paign county, there Is nest Of Copperheads
the most numerous TINT ever crawlcd in dark
ness and squirted treason Conscious of their
numerical weakness, they cndeavor to make
up In malignant spitcfulness oil that they lack
In numbers and respectability. Emboldened
by the success which, they achieved last
fall by excessive professions Of loyalty to the
Union, they have just been making an effort
to take Champaign county out Of the Union.
simp. Busey, who WAS SO astouishcd last
fall on finding himself elected Representative
from this district, (hiR partizaus were still
more nstonished ut the result Of their Joke in
nominating him) changed his base after the
adjournment Of the Legislature, and COM
mcnced the kind of fllibusterlng here which
he had seen his keepers practiclng at Spring
field last winter. a county mass convention
was called, to meet in Champaign CITY, on
Saturday, March 9TH. Hcagen-no, that other
place-and earth were moyed to raise crowd.
Staring posters were spread broadcast over
the county. Distinguished aud notorious
speakers were promised from abroad. Hcralds
were dispatched in all directions with the ral-
lying slogan Of "Wakc Snakes" and not
stone with o viper under It WAS left unturncd
tomake the so.cal1ed Democratic meeting fot
loyal, constitution loving, law-abidine, peace
loving citizens Of Champaign County,"
splendid success.
We'll, Saturday March eth came. And Liu1er
came-U. F. Linder-"G God for sakcn Linder,T
the great acrobat, nlustrious in summersaults,
handsprUgs, fin-faps, posturing and anus.
ing tranEpositions Of character. And Greene
came also-Ihr1s Greene from Edgar county.
And Eden came likewise Congressman Eden,
who may be likened to the garden Of Eden, be.
cause be holds forbidden fruit in view, and Is
badly addicted to snakes. But that great
crowd Of Copperheads, "snch as no man can
NUMBER" did not come. The little squad Of
unWashed and unterrificd who did appear,
were marsbal1ed about the streets By Sitnp.
Busey, our distinguished Representative. j 3.
aristocracy, who answers to the name of Nor
row, but is not referred to In the doggerel
which the dramseller posts over his bottles:
"sopay today, ri trust tomorrow"
After slnshjng about town for es,ne time in
search OF room small enough to include
them, and exclude the loyal crowd which had
they finally wrigglcd into CloIe's Hail, and
coiled up for a spring. Bnsey chairman,
Morrow secretary, Jones scene shifter and
Lawhead eupe. Lsnder made the opening
speech. Those who listened to his magn1h-
cent Bryan Fall speech in Chicago few weeks
ago, in which he triumphantly yindicated the
constitutiona}ity, necessity. exI'ediency and
righteousness Of BIZ. LincolIi's Emancipation
Proclamation, were somewhat disappointed to
lind that he did not sustain his new character
with his usual ability. The speaker verified
his ability to change principlcs--no, not prin-
ciples. but oWners-naore abruptly than any
other living actor, for in this instance he had
twirlcd about SO suddenly as to forareach his
garments, thus appearing before his audience
with the seat of his pants and his coat-tails In
front. Another sucha change Of base md his
small clothes will be NIL right again. Who
tragic, scenic, pomadic, dramatic Linder-
how much?
His speech was disunion only by innuendo,
and consequently harmless among Copper.
heads generally, who do not absorb and digest
inductiye philosophy very readily. His as
venom Of disappointed expectations. There
vas doleful bitterness in his announcement
that az the offices had passed By him. That,
| with kindred expressions furnished key to
the eccrct Of his recent transfer to the Cop
| perheads. Clearly his sympathies arc not
|
tion here, and during his whole speech it was
apparent that his feelings were In his pocket
instead of lis heart. He was quietly listened
| to By the crowd of loyal men who constituted
four.iiftls Of the audience in the hall, and who
| surrounded the doors and windows, being
apsns }aste to gs93n 9at standing Place inside
! reasonable. and belchcd falschoods So gla-
ringly, and insults so offensive to his loyal
| hearers, that lie WAS frequently interrupted
| with bold contradictions, and frequent inter
| rogatories. His speech throuy bout wonld
have been arp3audcd to the echo BY JEFF. Da-
Wis himself He thanked God that our Fede-
ral Congress had ceased to exist, and asserted
that it had been more destructive to constitu-
| tional liberty than the rebel Congress at Rich
Mond. A government must be dehantly con-
scions Of its invinciblc strength, If it can
afford to tolerate treason SO boisterously ram
pant. AT the conclusion Of his haranguea set
Of point no.point resolutions were read.
They we're coward1y compound Of stupidity
and diluted treason, and showed that their au-
| tor would be pirate If he were not pigeon
1ivered and lacked gall When they were put
upon the Peasags, they were rejected BY more
Determined, however, to s itle an honest ex-
preston Of patriotic sentiment, the Copper
head chairman announced that the resolutions
were carried. 4 division of the house was
demanded, but such q movement being i'm
| possio!e, IL was proposed That the lOyallsts
take the outside Of the hall. This motion
prevailed, and the room was emptied squickcr
than Spirits" When the Union men had with
drawn, nothing was left but Il scrubby little
group Of frightened Copperheads, who hunted
! their holes with 4 movement Which showed
both speed and bottom, and called to mind
those elegantly descriptive lines OF Camp.
bell:
ave see them Oh their winding day,
Look how they make their t1otters Play"
IN Ave minutes not q serpent couldb be found,