The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-09-25

panoply Of its same protection around him
when abroad-alike in the courts OF kings
and the hamlets of their subjects.
Secret political organizations sprung up,
ha wing for their opsn and avowed object the
destruction of this glorious and God given
Union. With uoh purpose, through the SIN
lister operations of their organic atoms, nearly
all the Offices in our national capital, and many
| in our state, were filled with men VINO labor
ed to overthrow the government. Before the
cation was aware of danger every vessei OF
| mar was sent to foreign seas, far beyond the
| wach of recall. The few arms and munitions
of war within the loyal north were trans
ferred to the disloyal south Our nationa
| treasury was depleted and our army scattered
| and when this work of destruction was wei
| nigh completed, our mighty nation hke
camp surprised at midnight, suddenly awoke
| to Just sense of danger. The alarm was
sounded: Every man to his post by iand'
| and ell hands on deck at sea"
| At dawn of day there stood mignty iepei
army, well equipped, we'll armed ana orl''o
ready and waiting to blot from the pages Oh
history the very msmbrance OF sef-goV
erning people-an army like that assemoiea
by satan to destroy the heave My hostsIan
army determined to prove to the worlu 'na'
our government was lie, and republican IN
situations failure, and that a government OF
the people cannot endure. In that darA snu
terrible hour, when the sun hid bis lace IN
bushes, the moon looked down and weptoh
outraged humanity, and the stars went out IN
| sorrow for the ingratitude OF people "ho
were rebellious while making and administer
ing their own laws and debating laws to the
, nation, that God, who is the dispenser OF ali
good honoring and blessing the nobly lnau
| gurated mission of our country, gave US tne
immortal Lincoln the incarnste and sane
t titled servitor of liberty. The voice OF the
n L whN,.
| raliying his honored compeers, TO arms -
Beat back the traitorous foeW And to that
mighty tongue, whose eloquence had tor
wears moved and thrilled the senate, did the
, people respond.
!, The camp was thoroug hly aroused to
o sense of danger The pillow was left IN the
;. furrow. the mechanic left his work chop, the
4 merchant his etore, the woodmsn dropped his
o AK the doctor and lawyer elosed their ofnces'
: the professor dotted his g0wD,and each shoul-
r dered his musket and unsheathed his sword
e TO protect the flag, and as with steady tread
! | each marched to the field he took solemn
Q oath that by his own strong right arm, by the
| memory of the fathers, aud by the blessing
i of God, that flag should still float like flame
y in the sky, and whenever, on land or sea, the
| oppressed shall see it, he shall bless 1t; and
alike whether it float alott in holiday trl-
umph on the summer breeze,or be dimiy seen
= amid the CLUBS of war, it shall ever float the
q pride and Joy Of the American heart. Thus
you went forward when your country was TO
be vindicated and glory to be ach-
| ieved, and after many years OF hard
a service, sleepless nights, cold and wet
marches, and leaving halt your numbers to
fill bloody graves, or to walk the streets with
out an arm or leg, or otherwise manned, TO
II | drag out miserable existence, you returned
| with victory and peace.
This, my fellow soldiers, was in part the
IL result of q neglected ballot box instead OF
choosing for our rulers honest, upright and
:, capable men, whose actions were guided by
y the welfare of their country. We have too
Is frequently honored those who labored for self
J. interest. and had no sympathy with the peo'
e Pile To prevent recurrence IN the future
this army has been ENLISTED. The ground We
e stand upon towers transcendently above all
i party considerations. We think this govern
ment only safe in the hand of those who
e have barred their breast sgaint the storm and
u struggled for national existence, as
4 our fathers aid in lI76 when they
a proclaimed liberty throughout the land
and to all the inhabitants therot. =
e Men neglected their business gave their
h means, rlsked their lives, and, what is infin.
q itely above all else, left their families depend
n ent. How many cases of this kind can you
a. recall to mind? How often has the poor sol
10 der toiled on day and night to fight for oar
q cause, thinking Of the dear ones suffering at
l. home? Divorced by military necessity FROM
70 wife and family. and espoused to country, be
3, pressed on, saying "Come what may, life or
If death, we will save the Union and will never
IS give ground sill victory-oomplete, overwhel-
n ming and glorious shall perch upon all cur
e banners" Well have our battles been fou ght
/, until this gigantic treason has been crushed
r out, and the jubiaut shout of victory has
lt gone up from all our charging columns.
D. Think vau,my friend, this government safe
z in the hands eff such men? Most assuredly
Of it IL safe in the hands Of none other. Place
e, soldiers, and only soldiers an office and treat
lr | son will hide It's repulsive head, no more 10
ID be seen and felt in this land. How many
Of poor manned soldiers do you see without N
u ployment, trying to get position where they
1T may be able to earn their bread without be-
lie ing compelled to perform manual labor, VIII ilst
he large, healthy and stout men, who never
Is heard a gun fire, are usurping all the Offices
III of profit. 4 soldier can scarcely get employ
I'd ment-there seems tn be conspiracy sgainst
Z him. To remedy this evil Is part Of the
g business Of this order, but not its entire mis-
90 sion.
ct will now call your attention to the gre d
D. and main object of this order: The protection
b. and educaticg of the families Of deceased sol.
10 diers. OF the many hundreds of thousands
to who went to the field thousands never return.
4
,e martyred patriots, who paid the forfeit
he of their hearts blood on the field of bat
a. tie, or lie buried in the vicinity Of some
general hospital. The majority of these
ii departed patriots have families at home who
depended entirely upon their earnings for
t. support. 1t is the duty of the people to feed
IT cIothe and educate them. The poor farmer,
ii mechanic, or day laborer, as the may be
RS is induced by the fair promises of his rich
of neighbor to leave his wife and children, as.
le iured BY him that they shall want for moth.
eng during his absence. Inspired with the
re love of patriotism, he trusts mother, wife
y sister and children to the care of his rich
friends, to meet the enemy on the open field
O. For time his family are meagerly supplied
or They read of the terrible slaughter aud learn
to that be is among the peaceful dead Thei,
only hope taken from them. they appeal 70
g. the landlord for assistance but il is stu born
ly refused them. They reduced to beg.
IN gary and the result is that perhaps the moth.
,e err soon follows the husband to the unknown
IL regions, and the children are made servants
ID ofthose who treat them worse than the south.
n. | ern traitor treats the slave. This il but q