Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1864-04-22
How this War Should be Prose.
cuted and How Ended.

SeA8SSA eAAAeA AV" 0Lmuc0s
We have seen nothing in the world of Ian.
suage since the Inauguration of this rebellion
that has 80 accurately portrayed our own
views relative to the prosecution Of this war,
and its final conclusion, as the speech Of Gen.
Garfield, made few weeks since on the floor
Of Congress. Gen. Garfield was chief of
staff to Rosecrans, while in command Of the
Army Of the Tennessee. On every occasion
he proved his soldierly qualities, and no man
in the army is more beloved or venersted by
the men under him than he. His words are
so earnest, his policy SO just, his measures
SO vigorous and his response to the peace
clamorings Of the Woodheads and Copper
heads Of the North SO appropriate, that we
gladly surrender our columns to the follow
ing extract:
hold it as settled truth that the leaders
in this rebellion can never live in peace in this
republic. l do not say it in o spirit Of vindic-
tveness, but as matter of conviction. Ask
the men who have seen them and met them
IN the darkness Of battle and all the rigors of
warfare they will tell you it can never be.
| make, of course, an exception in favor of
that sad array Of men who have been forced
or cajoled by their leaders into the ranks>and
subordinate Offices of the rebel army. be-
lieve they could meet and shake hands Joy
fully over returning peace, respecting their
mutual courage and manhood. But for the
wicked men who brought on this rebellion,
for the wicked men who led them into the
darkness, such day can never come. Ask
the Representatives of Kentucky upon this
floor, who know what the rebellion has been
in their State, who know the violence and de-
vastation that has swept over it, and they
will tell you that all over the State neighbor
has been slaughtered by neighbor, feuds fierce
a. human hate can make them have sprung
up, and so long as revenge has an arm to
strike they will never cease to strike if such
men como back to dwell in their midst
This is true of every State over which the
desolating tide Of war has swept If you
would not inaugura'e an exterm;nating war
fare, to continue while you and | and our
children and children's children live, set it
down at once that the leaders of this rebel
lion must be executed or banished from this
republic. They must follow the fate of the
Tories of the Revolution. l believe, Mr.
Speaker, that the army Is unit on these
qufstions; and must here quote from one
of natures noblemen, man from Virginia,
with the pride of the Old Dominion in his
blood, but who could not be seduced from his
patriOtism-one who, amid the storm of war
that surgsd against him at Chickamau2a,
stood finn a. rock in the sea-George H.
Thomas. That man wrote a communication
to the Secretary of War nearly year ago,
saying in substance, for quote from memo
/ y II send you the enclosed paper from a
subordinate officer. indorse its sentiments;
and | will add, that we can never make solid
progress against the rebellion until we take
more sweeping and severe measures; we
must make these people feel the rigors of war
-subsist our army upon them, and leave
their country SO that there will be little in It
| for them to desire" Thus spoke man who
is very far from being what gentlemen on the
other side of the House are pleased to call an
Abolitionist or Northern fanatic; and in
saying this he spoke THE VOICE OF THE
| ARMY. Mr.. Speaker, l am surprised and
amazed beyond measure at what have seen
| in this House. Having been so long with
men who had but one thought upon these
great themes, it is passing strange to me to
hear men talking Of the old issues and dis
| cussilns of few years ago. They forget
that we live in actions and not in years. They
forget that sometimes a nat'on may live a
generation in single year. and the expert
ence Of the last three years has been greater
than that IF centuries of quiet and peace
There are men who do not seem to realize
that this is struggle for existence; terrific
| fight of flint with flint, bayonet with bayo-
net blood for blood. They still retain some
hope thai they can smile rebellion into peace.
They use terms strangely.
One would suppose from all we hear that
war is gentle and graceful exercise. to be in
dulged in quiet and pleasant manner,
have lately seen stanza from the nursery
rhymes of England, which I commend to
these gentle hearted patriots who propose to
put down the rebellion with soft words and
paper resolutions:
"There old man who said, how
Shall fee from the hor rible COW!
will sit on the stiIe,
And continue to smile.
Which may soften the heart Of this COW ~