The Burlington weekly hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington [Iowa]) 1860-1876, 1865-01-28

OUR RETURNED SoLDlERs.-Greatn num-
be-s Of our brave soldiers have returned
from the war, after having honOrably
served the country for The full term OF their
enlistment. Many OF them have gone
through the perils OF a score Of battles un-
hurt. We call them ''old soldiers they
love to be SO called, though many Of them
are young in years. We have veteran war
riors, who have yet scarcely visible beard
On their chins. But many, also, Of cur
soldiers have returned with the painful
marks OF war Oh their persons, eniee Dled
by disease and mutila.ed with wounds
We see them daily il the city; we see them
in the thoroughtares Of travel, and we see
them in all the towns and villages of the
country.
They are . different sort Of men from
what the old soldiers of other times have
too often been. The old regime of armies
that embraced the issue of a liquor ration,
as regularly as one of bread, was sort OF
discipline into drunken habits, and the re-
cruz: was, by daily drill, taught to turn
down his gill OF whiskey. as well az TO
handle his musket according 10 the tactics.
Not so now. Those who enter the army So
Der men may leave it sober men, and most
OF them do. Some, by the abstinence Of
years, have emancipated themselves from
the despOtic chains Of incorporate habits.
Oar returned soldiers need and desire
employment. For those who have escaped
disease and wounds, and are qualified by
trade, or skill, or scholarship, for situm-
tons, the country and city have employ
ment in abundance at remnnerative wages.
Those who have capital or friends meet
with no difficulty in finding an open door
Of enterprise and usefulness. Many, both
officers and privates, have resumed their
trades, their clerkships, their studies, their
practice, their farming operations. They
L III. ~.,.< "a
and buOyancy as, from citizens. they be-
came soldiers. The sword and the musket
are exchanged for theimplementsO Of peace
full industry.
But there is class of our returned sol
diers which claim the special sympathy Of
our patriotic people: those who have lost
health or limbs in the service. 1t Is notan
pigments which they are capable OF pur-
SUNG; but the number Of such calljngs Is
not great. The range for the men is limited
by their misfOrtunes. They should. there
fore, in strict justice, have some preference
given to them within that restricted range.
We notice that this just and humane prin-
ciple is introduced in the employ ment OF
disabled soldiers Ivy the departments at the
Capital.
The energy and courage Of some OF these
noble Young men who have been seriously
and permanently manned is astonishing
scarcely less 80 than their accomplishing
patience under the terrible suffering Of
their wounds. We met with one Of our
Pennsylvania boys the other day who had
lost his right arm. He saw, while on his
hos pitsl bed, that he could not work at his
trade or on his fathers farm again. No
one can know lis deep, earnest, anxious
thoughts, all those sorrowing hours on bis
bed Of pain. But he recovered health and
strength. and having fixed On his employ
ment for his future life he spent hb time
during convalescence in qualifying himself
for it. Would our readers like TO know
what the brave young fellow chose If We
ever INDUCED in betting, which we do not,
we would wager gold pen that not one OF
them could guess, in ter trials, what this
hoy in blue" without righ. arm, chose
for ms business Book keeping, learned q:
one Of our city colleges. That young man
will get alongi Somebody will give him o
place, aud he, with the blessing Of Heaven,
will do Tire rest.-RststSrC pc-0wwes0k