The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1866-08-18
The Democracy's Appeal to the
Soldiers.
BY SPEAKER COLFAX,

They appeal now a great deal to the SOL
diers. They are much enamorcd of the sol
diers since the war is over During the war
they talked of - Lincoln's hrclings," or
ganizcd L" Sons Of Liberty" and encouraged
dcsertions from the Union army by their let
tiers to the soldiers that this was - a niger
war; but they were never known to be en-
thusiasic in favor Of enlistments, unless it
was to get themselves clear of draft. They
pronounced it decidedly unconstitutional for
soldiers to vote in the field but it is quite
constitutional for them to vote now; and
who more enamorcd Of them than they who,
for four years, reviled them and misrepre-
scented their holy cause? In the midst of
that great contest, when the nation was
bleeding at every pore, when her brave de-
Tenders fell thick and fast in the deadly
camp, by the rifle of the ambushed assassin,
on the picket line, and in the open, manly
strife Of the battlefield, there was great
cry went up from them for aid-aid in men
and money-for the endangered cause in its
darkest hour. From Chicago came then the
response Of the Democracy to that cry. 1t
was the Chicago platform. Loyal hearts
asked them for bread, and they gave them a
stone; and when our soldiers turned from
the darkness and anguish of the battle. field,
and looked to see how they were sustained
while they were pcrilling their lives for US in
toilsome march, malarious bivouac and
deadly strfc-while they were rottng amid
the filth and starvation Of Rebel prison
pens, or while their glaring eyes turned
hcavcnward from the death couch in the
hospital-when they asked, What news
from the North q there arose to their ears
the hiss Of the Chicago platform, ''your war
is Il failure-we demand an immediate cessa.
ton Of hostlitcs." But now, Suddenly they
manifest a great love for the soldiers votes
We must remain true to those great priuci-
pies for which those great sacrifices were
made. We cannot bat remember those
three hundred thousand graves, ridgcd all
over the South, where the warrior sleeps
waiting the morn of resurrection we rcmcm-
Der, too, how willingly they went forth to
perish for their country, and with these
things we also remember how their memories
are reyiled and their graves insutcd in that
traitorous land. There flowers are strcwn
by fair hands upon the graves Of the Rebel
dead, but the gates Of the cemeteries in which
sleep Union heroes are barred, that no lowly
colOrcd man, or the loyal Union man Of the
South may enter to lay his humble tribute
upon the namclcss crave of the dcspiscd
dead. Who thus dishonor our dead but the
men who now strike hands with the Dem
ocracy Of the North, and who sat in council
with them in the Philadelphia Convention.
# we forget all these things we arc dastards
and towards, worse even than the traitors
who lifted their hands against our nations
life. We cannot, the people cannot, the
brave returned soldiers cannot, and they will
pronounce such a verdict against them as
never before was pronounced against any
party. a few Sundays ago | went over to
Arlington flights, to the former home Of the
traitor Lee, and saw there the long lines of
graves Of Union soldiers. 1t was sad to look
upon them, especially those which covered
the unknown dead, and to think here lies
one who has given his all, his life, for his
and not even his name could be
known, that it might live in the grateful re,
membrance Of posterity." As | gazcd upon
those eleven thousand graves, which over
the undulating hillside lay regular as line
Of battle as if the dead had been mown
down by the destroying angel from their
places in the line, | heard from the Supcrin-
tendent Of the cemetery that Mrs. Lee de-
clared she would have her own again, but
she would not come back to live there until
every Yankee bone was taken away, and
swore then that if ever my voice and power
could keep that traitor family from trcading
on that sacred soil, hallowed by the graves Of
the patriot dead my voice should be against
it. | saw and copied from one of the head.
boards, near the grave Of an unknown sol.
dicr, the following beautiful tributc
Rest on, embalmed and sainted dead,
Dear as the blood We gave,
No traitors footsteps Ter shall tread,
The heritage o or your grave
Nor shall your glory be forgot,
While fame her record keeps,
For Honor mourns the hallowed spot
Where loyal Valor sleeps"
The silent admonitions from the quarter.
million graves of Union dead come to us
never to surrender the interests Of this great
land to the hands of the men against whom
they warred, and who shot them down. 1t
seems to me that argument is useless in
case like this. This treason tore from You
your husbands, fathers, brothers. sons it
tortured them with even fendish cruelty:
immured them in the filth of prison pens;
starved them to skeletons; consigned them
to untimely graves and yet these men
the leaders of that treason-comc back to
us and clamor about their rights. Every
religious creed in the civilized world declares
three things essential TO forgiveness for sin:
first, repentance, hearty and sincere second.
faith and fidelity to prove that repentance;
and third, good works as an evidence Of that
repentance. When | see these, my arms
will welcome back these men from the
South but while | see this spirit Of hate
existing, and while | see this naughty AFRO
vi L. q.