Juliet signal. [volume] (Juliet [i.e. Joliet], Ill.) 1844-1???, 1864-03-08
Three Years OF Rephb IIcan
Rule,

Last Friday was the third anniversary
Ofthe reigo Of Repubiicanism, and should
have been lceDebpted in due form by the
vast army OF officers s3d sboddy contract
7ors tbstare now feastiBg upon the vitals Of
the nation. 5gttsss4 glsoG,E
zoo the fourth of March. 1861, Abraham
+ LlncolD, who bad been elected President
of the United by q sectional party
on sectional platform, was inaugurated
as;chief MsgessFate of the United States.
Fbe nation was then united and powerful
respected and feared abroad, and Ioved
and cherished at BONE. The bloody stains
of war had not crimsOned our fair plains,
nor the demon of destruction been turned
loose Prosperity, peace and happiness
prevailed over the country, and bright
and glorious tuthre-was IN prospect.
Butour rulers, instead ofpursuing
such q course as. would continue this state
OF things, rejected all overtures for COM
promise and cOncilintiOn, and persisted in
their pareizan and intoierant schemes.-
And The result is now before u.
The Union of States has been broken
up. snd war iuits most appalling and .eru.
el type RACES over our land. Our once
peaceful shores are now disturbed by the
tread q of vast armies and our rivers and
seas blackened by iron clads and other
a . ~
vessels, Of war. Our, commerce has been
destroyed, our trade broken up and all
branches.Of industry and thriftpro.trated.
The credit oftbs' nation has deprecated
50 that GlVerGmentr notes are worth less
than sixty cents en- the 6ollar.s.us7.s--..
Ard politically, the oonstitution-ethe
equality u The States under it-their right
to- supreme local Legislation in their domes-
tic csucerbs--the freedom of speech@-the
freedom Of the press-the freedom Of pop
ular snfrage-the rights of personal lr5er-
ty-the i6violable right Of private proper
ty under state laws-the right oftriaI by
iury-and the right Of the civil authority
to hold the military in strict subordination,
have been violated 10 the name of liberty
liberty to the black men but military
despOtism and tyranny for white men.
The darkest page 10 tbs history of the
three years Of Republican rule, is the re-
suits that this cruel war has brubgh upon
the people. Every town, neighborhood
and family have suffered BY the war
There Is not a neigh bOrhOud that has not
given a portion of the flower OF its youth
aud manhood to the cause. Many have
fallen in battle. sOme have come back
crippled for lite, and others have returned
with constitutions destroyed by disease
Our country indeed is clothed IN mournmg
and the voice of waling comes to us from
nshonsaEds of bereaved homes. 90.
And sll this suffering, and sorrow, and
desolation. ana Death, we believe, might
have been avoided had Oh. RepuLlcan rul-
ers listened to the voice of reason and jus
tice and manifested the Spirit Of conciHa.
ton which animated our fathers, or adher-
\ oN " Nho O0Jscb W the war, 10 0eieDQ
and maintain the supremacy of the cousti-
tuition and leserve the Union with all the
dignity aUd rights Of the several states On,
impaired" iu preference to the pestilent
Abolition crusade for the total destruction
Of State equality and the freedom Of the
negroes. r
Surely, the country will have enough of
Abolition rule by the time the remaining
year of Lincoin's term of Office expires, and
will be eager fO- change. Our greatest
fear is that by the time another year Of
Republican rufe shall have gene BY, there
Will not be enough Lett Of the coontry
worth saving. But let us bide our time
and hope that the next year of the present
Administration will not be as desolatiDg as
those whose bloody record has been al,
ready written. 81. .7a
l..