The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1864-02-18
The Soldiers and the Copper
heads. .-:.-. .

The Soldiers and the Copper
heads .. .-:..s ="
The Union press of the State, without
an exception, so far as we are informed. con-
denim nneqnivocally the destruction OF
Stewards press at Fairfield by Go. f, I'd
Iowa Infantry. The ledger, the Union pa
per at Fairfield. did so in the strongest Ian.
guagc, and we learn from tn t paper that
the Union citizens of the place knew nothing
of the design of the soldiers; that if they
had been aware Of the design they would
have prevented it if they could. ,.-. g..
Andtyet in face of the facts that this vio-
lence was confined entirely to the soldiers,
and is disapproved OF by the entire resident
Union population Of the place. what do
the Copperheads of Fairfield dos Under the
lead of Bernhart Hem and Steward him.
self they threatened retaliation, not upon
the authors of the injury done them, but
upon innocent Union men and their proper
ty. Hem made an exciting harrangue in
which he stated that unless full comDensa.
ton was made to Steward by time named
the Ledger. and property of Union citizens
would be destroyed by way of retaliation ,
and he was joined by Steward himself, and
applauied by his excited followers And
they would undoubtedly have carried their
threats into execution if they had not been
q. convinced, By the exhibition of superior
force of Union men who poured into Fair
field from all directions, fully prepared and
abuadantly able to apply the principles Of
the @ertalionis 10 all who wished to make an
appeal to that ancient method of adjusting
difficulties. The consequences were that
the bellegerent peace sneaks, sneaked off,
and quiet and order WAS restored and has
since been maintained. ..f, ...... f...
The principle involved in this transaction
atlFarfeld is one which will often recur
hereafter, and it had better now be met and
eomprehended by both parties in the Loyal
2 States The mode of treatment which ought
to be extended to the Copperheads of the
North, is one of the most serious questions
of the times. 1t will be constantly recur-
ring while the war lasts, and especially al
ter its close. ga ,-. t a.fs N -,f sfEr
We can appreciate the feelings and mo-
tives of the soldiers. They have left their
homes, their families. the comforts of life,
: and all they hold dear to fight the enemies
Z ofthe government, and not being nice
causists, they make small distinction between
there enemies in the South and their SYM
pathzers in the North. They know, be-
cause it has been brought home to them in
Thousand ways, that the Copperheads Of
the North are as really their enemies, and
the enemies of the United States and the
enemies OF the Union cause, as ore those
T. who are in armed rebellion in the South
and in fact more dangerous. They know
that asa party they were privy to the orig
inal inception of treason and rebellion, that
! they were in power when it broke out and
might have prevented it if they had desired
to do So; they know that they opposed coer.
con from the first, that they intimated al
the start the purpose of making the soldiers
Z march over their dead bodies II they dared
to 20 South to fight their Southern brethren;
they have since habitually insulted and vel
flied the soldiers by calling them "hirelings'
''minious of an abolition despotism," &C.,
they have opposed enlistments, threatened
to resist forcably the draft, have generally
united in secret treason able political associa
ton whose object was and is to embarrass.
oppose AID overthrow the government OF
: the United States; in Congress and on,
they have reglected no opportunity to EN-.
barrass the government and the prosecution
Of the war. Is it strange under this State Of
fact that the soldiers, while standing in face
ofthe armed enemies Of the Union. while
living on the cold ground. while on their long
and wearisome marches, while Frustrated ir
the hospitals, and thinking Of the base in
gratitude and damnable treason of those
peace men in the North, should resolve t.
call them to account whenever they had ar
opportunity? No enc can doubt VITA
treatment the soldiers would have met with
from the Copperheads ifthey hal been de
feated and had returned fogitives with JEFF
Davis legions at their heels. But they d.
not so return They have came back will
victory perching on their banners, and GOV
cred all over with glory, and the people
everywhere have united to do them honor
So much we say m justification Of tn
soldiers. But Notwithstanding all this w
say that the soldiers do wrong when they
stain the aurels on their hrows with viz.
lence in abe peaceful communities liv
their friends and families. This is the feel
ing and sentiment Of Union men every
where. not because they fear the Copper
heads, they have been too lon,
aware of their designs and have too long
been aware OF the necessity Of beng prepar
ed for them, but because they deprecatf
from principle any unnecessary and unlaw
full violence to the persons or properly OF
non-c m5at,ants, guilty as they may lie u