The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1866-07-02

why should soldiers not have a candi
date of their own, in this district, in
whom they have confidence? They
have done so elsewhere, why not
here?
Is it true that soldiers forfeited their
political rights by saving the country,
by pouring out their. blood all over
the rebel land; that now they are to
be treated, as certain men in the rear
said they were, " hirelings,' and, as
Southern traitors called them, Lin
coin dogs?' Ifthey should consult their
own welfare, and even dare to lead off
in movement that will secure them
their best interests, no imported
rebel has right to call in question:
their action. IF the men who fought
the war to a successful close cannot
now be trusted, who are there in all
this land who may be? But to return
to the letter. No hope was expressed
that soldiers would receive aid from a
class of men who cried out not an
other man, nor another dollar to sup
port an unholy war; while the brave
boys in the field were pleading for
help. No hope was expressed that
soldiers would receive help from those
who " declared the war failure, and
the rebellion a success, and de-
nounced them as Lincoln hirelings"
and heaped every manner of abuse
upon them while fighting for a govern
ment rebels were seeking to destroy,
and in whose sympathy those men
who thus denounced the soldiers
were acting Bowles, Milligan and
Horsey for instance. No hope was
expressed that soldiers would receive
help from a class of men who con-
spired to murder their families, butch
er their fathers and mothers, and
make our fair State field of blood
and carnage, while the comrades of
soldiers lay bleeding and dying on
many a sanguinary field. No hope
was expressed that soldiers would re
ceive help from class of men who
conspired against the life of Governor
Morton, who did more for them, and
was more highly honored by the gal
liant boys from all States, than any
other Governor in the Union. No
hope was entertained or expressed,
that soldiers would receive help from
class of men who had secretly plot
ted to seize the State Arsenal, and
drive the legally elected officers from
the State Capital, and thus inaugurate
rebellion in our own proud and glOr
ious State. No hope was expressed
that soldiers would receive help from
class of men whose minions had
murdered enrolling officers, discour-
aged enlistments, induced soldiers to
desert their flag in the hour of her
need, and [ now appeal to every can
did soldier, if he has eng hope of as
sistance from any of the above uamed
classes of men? aa
But, in this letter, hope aoos ex-
pressed that those who encouraged
enlistments, and aided the soldiers by
a thousand acts of kindness, would
continue to help.them. Soldiers, was
it not a reasonable hope? Who will
you trust? Those who were your
friends or your enemies? Those men,
who now hypocritically profess friend
ship for the soldier-desire to be
HELPED THEMSELVES, after
which they profess that they will help
the soldiers? If, when the soldier
was not able to help himself; if, when
he was for hundreds of days success
sively fighting the rebels in Southern
bitches, those men cried out, Ye
Lincoln hirelings,. you are not to
have another man nor another dollar,
are not their professions of love for
the soldier now as false as the heart
of the blacklist hearted traitor that
ever murdered or poisoned a Union
soldier picket, while protesting to ex-
tend the Inequalities of his table to
him? Answer me this question, you
yearling imported rebel, before you
ESSAY to speak in the inter
ests of soldiers you have de-
nounced as ladies wardrobe thieves, y
or before you seek to warn
them against one who sacrificed his
home and his property to assist in the
salvation of a government that you
hoped would be rent in twain, but did