The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-05-24

| and right to form a SOLDIERS Asso-
/ CATION. composed of all who have
received honorable discharges from
/ the army, that we may perpetuate |
friendships formed in the army, for a
! full interchange Of thoughts and feel
ings, and for consultation and dellb-
Grafton as to the course we should
pursue to maintain and uphold In time
+! of peace the liberty and unity OF the
Government for which we have fought.
I Resolued, That with thankfulness to
Almighty God, and honor to our army
and navy, we hail the return of peace,
the restoration of public tranquility,
and the maintenance of national life
and integrity. 81 dsu. 8TeH aa.
ResoLred, That having learned by
the teachings and experience Of the
past, and the suferings and conflicts
of the last five years, the value OF our
National Government we proclaim 10
all our undying attachment to the
| Union; and regarding the National
Government as the true embodiment
of civil and politicalIlife we say, fully
recognizing the import of that declar-
alton the :. = Union must and shall be
preserved. ~ aaa1 f5c ~
Resolred, That all efforts to awaken
Eprejudice between different sections
! and localities of our country are mis-
chieydus and wicked, and all persons
engaged therein are deserving public
disapprObation. fangn 8eIsfh0 sA
Resolusd, That while we discard any
and all political tenets in our AssOcia-
ton, we believe that tair share Of
public and official patronage should
be given to the men who have Inn
periled their health and life by doing
e duty at the front..o 81. .o.
Resolued, That we hold it to be the
duty of Congress to equalize bounties
and increase the pensions OF Just
| claimants on the Government.
{ / ResolUed, That we remember with
gratitude the many friends at home
who sympathized with us while in the
service of our country, speaking words
: of cheer, and encouraging us to hope
: and fight for the success that ulti-
+ mately crowned our efforts; and while
, we esteem it duty to compliment
and gratefully remember our true
e friends, we are equally bound to cen
j sure those who, while we were toiling
on the march or doing battle on the
field, encouraged the enemies of the
: Union, by declaring the war fail
t ure," the rebellion success, and
: openly advocated mo more men-no
9 more money" and who, when the
final victory was almost within our
reach, demanded cessation of hos
: tilities." These we censure as an
e acortky the respect and confidence OF
4 soldiers, and as deserving oar con-
:, tempt. Ia qG
u ResolUed, That we gratefully recog-
2. nize the noble work of the Indiana
" ows, orphans, and parents of our slain
/ comrades our heartfelt sympathies
!, and we pledge them our friendship
II and assistance. 81 vista
+ Resolred, That we regard the starry
l. alton and other cruelties inflicted
+: upon our soldiers while in rebel
= hands as cruel u1apr0Uoked borbdrisn,.
. and that the authors and infictors OF
those cruelties, as well as those in
f authority who had the power to pre-
vent them, not only as deserving the
a execration of all honest and humane
y people, but the severe and strict pen
v atty of the law; and in the name of
: orr slain and murdered countrymen.
S we call upon our national rulers to
: see that the guilty are justly punished
Resolred, That we do not regard
y the late war In the light of a contest
+ between political parties, each equally
y entitled to respect; but we do regard
it as. a contest for the life or death Of
the Nation: on the part of the insur-
;. gents reasonable effort to destroy
d the Government of our fathers. and
f on the part of the Government patri-
O otto and noble effort to suppress a
wicked rebellion and maintain the
national life.
r Resolced, That the members of Con-
q gress from, the States lately in rebel
y lion, having taken an oath to support
the Constitution of the United States,
yet planned, devised and labored for
the destruction of the Government,
! yet retained their seats that they might
e the more effectually accomplish their
r1inous work, have committed treason
of a high grade, which ought, in cur
Judgment, to forever disqualify them
: for seats In our National Legislature.
I Resol0ed, That we regard the culti-
walton of good feeling. between all parts
of our country as important and de-
sirable, yet we hold that self-respect-
5 just regard Tor the public safety, re-
quire that the leaders and prominent
actors In the rebellion be surrounded
by such civil disabilities as will effect
= mally prevent their doing harm in the
future.
a Resolued, That the Chairman of
n this meeting appoint a committee to
t. consider the propriety of erecting a
* monument to the memory of the fallen
. sons of Spencer who have laid down
y their lives in the contest of the Nation
: against treason.
), g ResolUed, That we hold a soldiers