Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-04-23
The Voice of the 25th Wisconsin
Emphatic Rebuke Of Copperhead,.

The following resolutions, unanimously
accepted BY the 25th Wisconsin regiment
at columbus, KY, April 9th, have been
sen' Us LOT publication. They are a signi.
meant and sorcibls expression of the senti.
ments OF our soldiers in the f;0ld.
NHEEEAs, The United States ara on.
saseo IA . war to suppress a monstrons
ana wicked rebellion, which +h,aat sS' gus
oVertnro" OF the government. and ,he Sa.
sIracl'on OF Tree institutions ui+I 49,
hopes throughout the world: and S''n 'ieif
WHEREAS, A certain party in tho N.t
ern oIa1es has arisen In opposition to rho
Administration, declaring that the rah ,ue
hon cannot be crushed by arms: tho. 81.
army Is demorallzed and tired of the ,aS w
ana wishes Tor peace On almost any terms
We deem 1t fitting that We let the frien5s,
we have lett behind know lust how VIC
feel, and just what we are determinsd
upon; therefore,
hesotoed, That when We enlisted in tho serv,..
OF our country against treason We did % v;,h .S
deliberate conviction that our dutv a. .ma;u VIC
ciuAens uemSnoeo OF US the preservation intact
ana unsuiiled, OF the Union of these SAFES go
with the firm resolve that We vouId -os. -oh uo
snoft OF tue unconditional surrender of ali rebels
against the Government, and the triumnbent 81
which Nv % -;a us authority over every foot of soil
49, - Itsut oelonged to it. That we have as
YET seen no cause to waver In orr RESOLUTION mt
oo sec, way oy day, reasons for ever Increasing
Tar as In Us Lies, the Flag We follow sha1i vt t
over every febeIious State, and be respe cted and
isa5ea oy every soul which has dared to despise it,
. Assoseea, mat We view with shame and indigna-
sion sue wicked eIorts of those home traitors SO
aptly named I" Copperheads." to weaken the hanSs
ot sne government in this hour of trial, and that
"are we aonor the open and defiant treason that
Soaes WIN arms IL IFS hands to destroy U.S. that
aonorrence IS admiration compared with the inter
oetee,a.on we ieei Tor the shameless miscreants
WV, aacAins courage 10 take up arms; without the
AAiani'ness TO aVow their true sentiments in the
lace OF thelr countrys defenders waiting until our
volunteers have lefs their homes have assassin
NE, attempted to stab our cause in the back; and
that oy Just so much as despise them more than
open traitors, just so much more condien shall be-
our Fengeance upon them, if, by persistence in
their neiarlous schemes they force upon us the
necessity OF dealing with them.
ReS0tued, That lest any should be in doubt "a To
Whom We mean by "Copperheads" or holus trail
tors, We hereby declare that We mean every man
who, by his acts shows that he regards party more
than country every man who by word or dead
sympathses with treason in any of its forms every
mar who by voice, vote or pen, seeks to weaken
the hands OF the administration; every man who
croaks continually of the inability of the govern
ment to crush the rebellion; every man who does
not throw his whole Ifuence in favor of a yigor-
Gus prosecution OF this war to the bitter end, by
the sw,ttest and sureSt means within tie power Of
the government.
Resoloed, That acts of negligence by command
ing ohcers In the field, in suffering their commands
to be unreasonaby surprised, taken prisoners ilIy
attended with medical aid, lily and clothed and
poorly armed, are, in our estimation, acts of dis
loyalty, and We earnestly recommend the Preside MT
to dismiss all such officers peremptorily from the
service.
Rezosved, That We will sustain the administration
In every act that brings grief to traitors that We
will support it in the suspension OF the Habeas
corpus In necessary cases, which are The cases Of
all traitors North and South, in the lull execution
OF the confiscatlon act, in the thorough carving
out OF the Emancipation Proclamation, in the en-
forcement to the last letter Of the conscription
law; that We will do this because these are war
measures taken by our civil and military head to
suppress a rebellion which threatens the life OF
our governments, ana which We, as loyal citizens
ana good soldiers are bound to carry out-that
while We may agree to disagree in eur individual
opinions as to the strict constitutionaity or sound
policy Of these other measures, we hold these
individual opinions but feather in the balance
against our solemn DUTY to sustain our government
In Its hour OF peril; that we recognize no lawful
way OF SUSTAINING our government but through its
legally constituted authorities, and no manner of
accomplishing this object through these authorities
except by q vigorous and hearty support of the
measures adopted by them; and We here declare
that if the President, by and with the advice of his
Cabinet, honestly believes these measures to be ft
necessary, and effectsl it is his bounden duty as
the conservator of the public peace, as the chief
magistrate OF the people to whom they have COM
mltted the sacred trust Of maintaining their gov
eminent and preserving their liberties, to use them,
citizens and soldiers will uphold him in so doing
with our lives, our fortunes and our sacred honor;
that we cannot and will not, when the fabric OF
our government is on fire, stop to determine by
books and benches the constitutionality OF every
measure adopted for it's salvation, but will crush
the treason noU and settle the question of the
ularity of means used when the constitution is
saved and the government rescuedfrom impending
ruin.
Resolued, That We not tired of this war and
never will De tired of it so long as traitor armed
unarmed, dares to stand against our govern
ment that it is a foul SANDER upon their good
sense, their courage, their patriotism say that
men who have voluntarily left behind all that
they hold nearest and dearest, to encounter the
dangers of in hostile country, will be content
with any thing short of the entire Accomplishment
that want no peace and will have none upon
any other terms than the unconditional surrender
Of rebels that We will fight traitors everywhere
that we and will lash the revolted states into
the Union, and then BY votes if We may, by the
strong arm if We must drive treason in the North
to treason's grave. We warn Northern Copper
heads to keep hands off; even their friendship Is
deal with them as enemies, We shall do our work
Tor all coming time.
RescIUed, That 1t makes difference to us
VIII ether the muskets which speed bullets against
treason, are held in hands white or black that
every man who loves liberty and hates slavery,
who respects law and despises anarchy, who
veres loyalty and abhors treason, is welcome the
privilege of fighting for the of free in
and we WHINE ASSURE the honor due him
by his merit and not by the color OF his skin and
although the government did not attack slavery, if
savery's folly shall result in slaverys destruction,
we will rejoice and thank God forever.