The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-10-09
Out Of the Ranks.

zen. DENTON makes IL point 10 snow the
good record of those soldiers that he claims
are supporting himself That, indeed, is not
point at all. The four years during which
the nation struggled for its life served to draw
clearly and distinctly the lines of demarcation
between men and parties. In the army of
the Union, battling for the preservation of
the Government, were men of all party ante
| cedents, Democrats, Republicans and Wings.
In the Union army at home, supporting the
army in the field and Strengthening the Ad-
ministration, were men of like previous dis
similarity of political faith and creed. But
the war served TO cancel all differences and
mold Union men in the army and at home
into unity of spirit and action. there were
two parties during the war. with principles
reaching back of beyond it. but owing their
organization to the pendency of the war.
The differences between those parties were
| we'll defined. The Union party was the one,
the reorganized Democracy of yALIAsDIG-
HAN, which eliminated legitimately in the
Chicago convention, platform and candidates,
was the other. Each party has made unmis-
takably its record, and shown the spirit vitali-
zing and controlling it. The VALLAxpIGHAx
Democracy was thoroughly infused with the
slave spirit and found in Southern rebels It's
| friends. 1t denounced the Administration
and the war, was opposed to coercion, cried
failure, and sought to dishearten the Union
soldiery. The Government triumphed de-
spite this opposition. The veterans Of the
nation put down the rebellion and whipped out
the Southern Confederacy. Whenever an oc-
casion was offered they showed their hostility
to the Peace Democracy. They voted. -
they fought. in solid columns against it.
| I he stnie of arms Is over but the prlnei-
plies at issue still remain. The Union men at
home and in the army are not willing to trust
in the work of reconstruction and reorganiza-
ton party and set of men who proved re-
creant and untrustworthy IN time of war.
They think the mission of the great loyal,
liberty loving, rebel hating, Union party, not
yet accomplished. They must still guard and
labor against Southern treason and Northern
Copperheadism. The brave boys who fought
the battles of the Republic come home now
and march on with the Union men of the
loyal States to the completion of the great
work of restoring and maintaining the Union,
and to the perpetuation of the great princi-
Piles by which they were governed. and which
are necessary in the work of reconstruction
| if the victory that loyal men have won shall
be made enduring.
Taught the true animus of the VALIASDrG-
HAM Democracy as well as of the Southern
rebels. and its antagonism to Liberty and the
perpetuation of our free Government and in
stitutions. the mass of the Nations Soldier
heroes expect to keep together in the march
to final enduring peace, they expect to guard
loyalty, to spurn Southern treason aud North
ern Copperheadism, and have the work of re-
construction consummated on the bread basis
of Freedom, Justice, and Loyalty. To this
result move onward the army of the ''boys in
blue" Some good soldiers like BENTON have
struggled from the ranks. They must not ex-
pect their comrades and the whole army to
follow their demoralizing example. They
viii be disappointed if they do. The boys
will keep together and BENroS, and his few
fellow soldiers, despite their good record,
must s'falI i'm and ''keep STEP to the music
of the Union, or they will earn for them
selves as their honors, only the designation Of
''stragglers.