The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1865-05-22
Employment of Discharged Rebels.

There appears to be disposition ON the
part of some people in the north to object to
giving employment to discharged rebel SOL
dlers. They seem to fear that when good
Union men return from the armies the places
will / all filled and there will remain moth
ing tor them to do.
In regard to employment, we fancy that
the same principle will prevail hereafter that
has 90 erned such matters heretofore. Men
desiring to hire labor will seek to get the best
quality at the lowest price, without reference
| to the political principles or antecedents of
those whom they wish to employ. To a large
extent this will be the case; there will per-
haps be instances in which employers may
be disposed TO discriminate with reference to
those in their service.
While the laws Of political economy will
prevent, as q general thing, the hiring of lab
OF upon other conditions than those connected
with it's quality and price, we think that any
attempt to create i'll feeling towards these
discharged southern soldiers should be dis
couraged. The government has decided that
upon taking the oath of allegiance. these
men secure pardon for the past and all their
political rights in the future. Therefore be-
fore the law these men are precisely the
same as men who have never renounced their
allegiance to the federal authority If the
law holds these men to be guiltless, and, re-
fusing to punish them, places them upon a
perfect equality with other citizens. why
should they be judged and condemned soci
ally?
The only method by which this country
can ever resume it's unity and solidity is by
fusing the masses into single body. 1t must
be done by teaching our citizens that there
is mo north, no south, no east, no west" bu,
one people. animated by singleness of pur.
pose, aud inspired by sentiment which has
for its object. not sections or states. but the
whole country.
This attempt to discriminate between
northern and southern citizens, in whom the
law recognizes no difference,is not patriotism,
but sectionalism. 1t is q remnant of that
feeling which was Instrumental in producing
the late war. We blame the southern people
for their extreme devotion to states but il is
no worse to be devoted to state than it is to
limit our allegiance to what We call the north.
1t is no more reprehensible for a Virginian
to ignore everything outside of Virginia than
it ls for a northerner to ignore everything
outside of the north
But this question of labor has other than
its mere political aspects. 1t is to some ex-
tent one OF humanity. Thousands Of these
rebel soldiers were conscripted into the rebel
armies. and now have no homes. They are
as much the victims of the rebellion as refu-
gees or the freedmen. We collect tens of
thousands of dollars annually to support the
negroes in idleness but the instant these
homeless and unfortunate white men apply
for work, their application is TO be reiected.
1t Is not only time for the extinction of
eectionalsm which discriminates in favor of
one portion of the country; but it is also
time that We cease to give preference to the
negro over white men. Let US treat south.
ern white men at least as well as we ought TO
treat negroes if we. have work to be done
snd they wish to do it. let them have the op
portunity. Let the avenues 70 labor be
thrown wide open. and let the only requisite
for admit ance be the ability to perform wha.
is required.
1t Is fortunately the case that this country
is so large that the supply of labor cannot for
many years exceed the demand. There will