The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1864-04-08
The Trouble in Southern Illinois Tho
Facts In the case

says the Clncinnal COmmcrclai, WlJn
n great deal Of care, In the effort to
gather the exact truth as to the late
trouble In Southern Illinois.
We find in tho detailed report, fur.
nishcd by the special correspondent
of the Chicago Times, some state
mcnts which throw a good deal of
light on the subject. This account is
presented under the boldly displayed
headline, "Tbe Bloody Responsible
ty rests upon tho Aboltionists. -
The correspondent, it must be re
mcmbcred, is giving story as fav-
orable Ms possible for the copperhcads,
and VIC may take rs unquestionably
true all that he admitsthat tells against
his own party. lie commences by
saying, tho disturbance was 'but the
natural and inevitable result of the
outrsges which tho citizens Of Coles
and adjoining counties have receiv-
cd at the hands Of Federal soldiers y
n few sentences further aaoag, he
observes There is but one remedy for
such disturbances, and that the ccs-
sation OF tho practice Of turning sol
diers loose upon the country in suf-
Iicient numbers to idvitc them to law
lcssness.
Again:
"rhe people OF Coles County, as
those OF many other interior counties
where the whole people have been
prostratcd helpless and powcrlcss at
the foot of soldicry who saw in
their power, and the terror they in
spircd, but an invitation to commit
any outrage or violate any law or Gus
tom founded upon public convenience
or decency which they saw proper"
Thus it appears that if We are not
TO have mobs and murders by whole
sale, "the practice of turning soldiers
loose upon the country" must be stop
pcd. And we also learn that the peo-
pie of many counties of Illinois have
been "prostrated helpless at the feet
of soldicry."
There is distinctly apparent in this
language the fact that the coppcrhcads
Of Illinois have been cultivating a
hatred of soldiers, and looking upon
them rs an obnoxious class. The
correspondent, making this plain pro
ceeds:
"The 54th Illinois Infantry, Col.
G.. NJ. Mitchell, having re enlisted,
returned rs veterans, and was fur.
longhed from this place the men re-
turning to their homes in Coles and
adjoining counties. AT first, the men
behaved with reasonable propriety.
Soon, however, the very loose ideas
of rights ofpcrson and property, and
liberal constructions of laws and con-
structions ef laws and constitutions,
entertained by the 'Lincolnitcs, were
embraced by them, and then their
action was far from what it should
have been. From the misclievous
destruction of small articles Of prop
erty and petty annOyances, in which
their lawlessncss first found expires
sion, their progress was rapid to the
most high-handcd outrages. The
regiment--the private soldiers mean
seem to have conceived themselves
charged with the especial duty of ad
ministcring the oath ofallcgiance, and
OF putting down copperheads.'
"Divided into small squads, usual
ly of from five to six, maddcncd by
liquor, and breathing the most shame
full profanity, they would stagger
along the public street, administering
what they called the oath of allie
glance to almost every one they met
Any mortal with the faintcst spirit ol
manhood, whether Democrat or en-
Abolitionist, wcud hesitate before
taking any oath at the instigation OF
these drunken miscreants, and fire.
quently they would meet with men
whsse hesitation amounted to refu.
sal. When such one was found, a
half n dozen soldiers or more, if more
were present, would beat him unmcr-
cifully, until their strength and drum
ken fury were exhausted together
These things were doubtless done at
the instigation of Abolitionists." :"
Our readers know how much
weight should be given assertions of
this sort. We believe, as general
rule, the Abolitionists, who are con
stantly accused of exciting the sold
iers to do violence, have exertcd them
selves to preserve the peace. The
soldiers have been accustomed to
fight to the death men who express
sentiments identical with those Of vul-
gar slang:whangers of copperheadism
and, when insulted by such men it is
not wonderful that they should re-
sort to the knock down argument
tits judgment that in majority of
eases the conduct ofsoldiers, at home
on furlssgb. has been remarkable
rather for ferbearance toward inso