Winchester journal. [volume] (Winchester, Indiana) 1862-1863, 1863-04-10
For the Journal.
LET Us STAND BY OUR FLAG.

against the rebellion. 1t is evidently on
its last legs. Let those who do not wish
10 be submerged by it "stand from UNDER
The shadow of this coming event comes
TO Us from the South in the form of deep
and wide spread mutterings Of discomfort
In their frantic hegira out Of the Union in
search Of "their rights" the conversion
Of fruitful fields into devastated wastes,
Of rich men to beggars. their cotton King
TO ashes. and negro lords to common
men, did not enter largely enough into
the account. These mutterings are
ominous. They are uttered where, n short
time since. it would have cost the utterer
his life. They are indicative Of a re.
turning affection for the Union az IL
was" The rebels can not hope TO nc.
eomplish their independence save through
the aid of Discussions among the people
Of the North. Then let us stand bv the
Government. Let us stand bv that Flag
which our Fathers for seven weary years
bore aloft over flood and field when hope
would have died within the breasts of less
gallant men. Let il not be recorded in
history that ii was trampled beneath the
feet of its foes for want Of willing hands
o. defend il. Let us not disgrace the
memory of the heroes who Dequeathed to
us our liberty and our glory, Let usrally
around our flag forgetful of party antipa-
thes, bearing in mind that it is our
country-not an ephemeral party-that
We are called upon TO serve, and that that
country is the home alike of the Demo.
crat as well as the Republican-that men
Of all parties may share alike in its bene-
fits, its grandure and its glory, by doing
battle in its defense. For a moment, let
us imagine our brave soldiers in the field
disheartened for want of support ut homo;
defeated and driven back on our own soil
for want of recruits in their decimated
ranks, and pursued by bowling fiends who
are ;hrsting for their blood and ours
Some, overcome by forced marches, would
tail 6v the wayside and be murdered i'm
cold blood by the pursuing enemy. Others,
preiering death nc the hands Of thei- nm
relenting foes TO returning in dishonor TO
their homes. would tu.n on their pursuers
like tigers at hay and fight with herosm
unparalleled though vain, ard leave their
bones 10 bleach in the valleys on the
hlllsideS and on the mountain tons Of the
"Sunny South" Others, panic struck.
would throw sway their arms, their oc.
coutrements, everything that would i'm.
pede fight, and with panti2g bosoms and
palpitating hearts would hasten with
winged footsteps from the smoking. burn.
ing. desolating pathway of the victorious
foe-bringing, in advance, some foretaste
OF the impending horrors that we should
no longer have the power to ward of.
Is it safe to fatter ourselves that this
worse than barbarian host would stop
short at La. Belle River7 As we'll nigh,
we expect furnishing wolves to hault at
the open door Of the sheep. cote. The in
furiated host would leap to the Northern
shore like fire driven before the wind,
would cross a footpath in our prairie
wildes-its front growing wider, darker.
until within our own beloved
State brother would rise W against broth
er, father against son, and drown her
Young laurels in blood. reduce her cities
10 ashes, her fruitful fields to dcvasted
wastes and her mild Government to a
military despotism. Was it such a day as
this that Webster referred to when he /
said, "May God hide from me the day
when the dying agony of my country shall (
oegin?'
Should this day of dire calamity come,
you who are crying out against this I'M
holy, this unrighteous, this abolition war,
this war against the Constitution, against
bur Southern brethren. this negro crusade.
md you Constitution sticklers who strain
It a gnat and swallow a cammel, who
yaze at a contraband and swallow all
South Carolina. who would destroy the
DOT TO save the shoe. destroy the BODY to
ave its raiment, and destroy the people
o save the Constitution, would be found
alling on the mountains and the rocks to
all on YOU and the hills to hide you from
he face of your betrayed country. And
rho would be "mean enough to do you
everence;" you frateFnizers with rebels
Tho have labored in season and out of
eason to promote the success of this
Anglo Negro Empire-you whose hearts
ave felt n thrill Of JOY at every misstep,
{ every reverse, at every defeat of that
rmy of heroes that has, with 4 heroism
nd devotion never surpassed, stood be-
ween you and this bosom of destruction
{ we fail in this oontes,-in the Justice
{ which We never had an un5elieving
oubt-we ask the recording Angel to
rite US down, ave loved our eountry's ,
lag" But, possessed as We are with
uch mighty elements of success, how can
e fall how. indeed, if we are united.
Mess il be the fat of Fate7 Let the
ord fail be discarded until the Stars and
tripes shall have been unfurled over I