The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-10-25
Issues of the Day.
Speech of General Frank z. Blair.
ACHARGE Upon THE RADICAL LINES.
WHAT A SOLDIER THINKS OF THE
POLICIES OF THE STAY-AT-
HOMES.
ACHaRGE Upon THE RADICAL LINES
APPROACHING REUNION OF C0NSER-
VATIVE MEN UNDER THE DEM
OCRATIC FLAG.

From speech by Maj. Gen. Frank p
Blair, at Rola, Mo, on the l9sh inst, main
~ devoted to local issues, we extract the fol
lowing points OF general application
Those of US who agreed with Mr.. LIncoln's
policy thought when the war ceased that we
should have peace. Those of US who agreed
with Mr.. Johnson's policy, which was in
pursuance aud in accordance with that OF
Mr.. Lincoln, and in accordance with the
speeches which he made at the time of his
nomination, aud in pursuance OF the princi-
pies upon which his nomination was received
from tue republican party-those of US who
agreed In that policy seeing that 1t was
threatened by those who assumed to be radi-
Gals, and dominated IN this state and other
states and threatened TO overthrow and des
troy that policy, have deemed IL i.n portant
that we should form an organization with the
explicit declaration of support TO the policy
of Andrew johnson IN the reconstruction of
the states.
Now, what was the policy announced by
the president, and what was the policy with
which the radicals antagonized that policy.
They said that the only loyal men IN the
south were the negroes, and that they shou Id
be admitted TO suffrage in preference to the
white population who were rebels and they
declared that the congress of the United
States had the right to determine vino should
be voters IN those states that had been as
they declared out of the Union. These raIl-
cal gentlemen veered round and assumed the
very ground once taken by the rebels that
those states were out Of the Union and, being
out, could only get back on conditions im-
posed by congress.
All good Union men OF whom | know any,
thing have claimed that those states never
were out of the Union, and that they have
oh tloi- 49,, r
the Union. This country mas poured out Its
blood, and expended its treasure to an am
ount almost iucafcuIable, to prevent those
states going out of the Union and in claim
Ing that such thing secession could not
be recognized by our gOvernment--that it
was suIcIde-that 1t was simply the act of
the government destroying its own lie for
the government to acknowledge that those
states could or had been out of the Union
But in order to give congress the power to
leglslete In the states upon subjects of that
character, the radicals had first to claim the
rebel doctrine that the states were out of the
Unlon-that they were reduced to territor-
ial condition and must be subject to condi-
tions to be re-admitted into the Union Just
as in the case of territories when admitted
under the laws of CON- ress.
Now, my friends, | need not tell you how
dangerous heresy this is. Those of you
who live in this devastated district OF Mis-
souri,, should know and feel that the reviving
of this old rebel doctrine is full of danger TO
our country. And the party which ia the
first to interpose as the first plank in its plat
form the old rebel doctrine of secession and
disunion is not the party to proclaim itself
the loyal party of Missouri, or any other
state. Applause. 1t is herasy fraught
with all the evils that tongue can tell Of
eyils which you, my friends, havet fel deep
ly. In the core of your hearts you have felt
them here In your own homes, and | need
not dilate upon them. No sophistry can
cover this doctrine. 1t is, stripped of this
sophistry which they attempted to throw
around 1t, the naked rebel doctrine of seoes-
sion which we have been fighting against tor
the last four years. and which we have
trsmpied under our feet together with the
rebel armies-and which, with the help Of
God, we will trampie under our feet, if it is
now sustained by the radicals of Missouri. -
Applause. No man can enlist under that
banner and bear it In triumph in this coun-
try. We have upon our sacred persons the
marks and injuries which this doctrine has
brought to US, and we see in the desolatlon
which has covered our land that all these in
Juries which beset US sprang from this doc
trine aud L tell these gentlemen thew can.
not proceed In this project any more than the
oos could IN theirs. They cannot make
'ns american people swallow this atrooious