The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-07-12


here in the states which have been victorious
in the late civil war. See how it works
among that portion of the people on whom
fell the weight Of defeat. 1tsis moro than 2
year ssnce the war ended-more than Year
since: ALL resistance to the federal arms
eessed-more than q year since the defeated
people recognized and accepted the concius-
ions to which they had been forcsd-tnat no
state could of right, or did in fso1, cease 20 90
in the Unions Yet these eleven states, winch
are now in the Union, were always IN the
Union, conld not take thsmselves out of the
Union. have been for naors than twelve months
denied bv this olig2rchy all the constitution
Al rights of statss to be heard by their repre-.
representatives in the great council of the re-
public. All obligations to the Union they
are held liable to perform. They must obey
the fsderal constitution and laws, and pay the
federal taxes, yet the right Of representation
in the federal council, which the constitution
secures to ell, are denied 10 them. They are
treated, not ~ states Of the Union, but Is a
foreign conquered people, Whose lives, hber-
of the eonqueror. Is this constitutionAlf Is
it lswfnlf Is it just? Is il expsdient o
Is it in accordance with the will of tbs Amer
lean people? Remember the grievances
against which the old colonists protested as q
sufficient ground for their revolt-taxatlon
without representation This was the chief
ground-the most fragrant violation of the
principles of British law and eternal Justice.
They laid it down that Q tax is in its ma
ture a voluntary aid from the people to the
government, and could not be imposed with
out the consent of the people through their
representatives legally chosen. This viola.
ton of this principle they considered an out
rage worth fighting against. And yet we,
khas rlA sknrs ~ khosW ali af hAY PIN
ciples and their triumph-we who read their
declaration of independence and applaud it
we Americans infict on Americans the self
same wrong. / say s'we," for is not this still
q government of the people? Are not these
half dozen poteutates ct Washington. by
whose DEGREES these outrages are inflicted, the
creatures of the people and bound to do their
will? Citizens, the peoples liberties can
never suffer their rights can never be be-
traysd but by the default of the people them
selves.
Let but the people speak their voice will
roll like thunder all over the land. Who
shall say them nay? / hear it said that the
southern people ara not loyal. Loyal to what?
To the constitution? II is for the constitu-
ton they ask. Where else but in the consti-
tuition can they find any hope? They ask for
its protection as well as its obligations. That
it shall not only be sword with which they
are assailed, but shield by which they may
defended. Their conduct for the last twelve
months proves that they have, In good faith,
abandoned the theory of secession. They
pray for "Unlon," and Union is denied them.
How long is this to last? What was the DIV
il war for? That was the deliberate, solemn
declaration of the north. Ii was for that, to
save, restore, preserve the Union, they fought.
! For this purpose and no other, then, young
| men left the pillow and the bench and took up
| arms. For this they suffered and died
| Through all their long days of toll and dan
ger this was the prizs they sought to win
| They gained it. They conquered it. They
returned to their homes rejoicing that the
| Union their fathers bequeathed to them had
| been by their strong arm preserved. And
now they find they but grasped a shadow
| The reality is snatched from them. The Un-
| ion is not saved. The Union is not preserved.
The Union is prevented and delayed lest it's res
! toration may thwart the plans cross the spec
ulations of the honorable gentlemen in congress
| to whom civil war and disunion have been the
| source of profit and power they could not other
| wise attain to. They need guarantees /! Guar
anreer for what? That the south will hence
| forth be loyal and obedent to the constitution
and the laws that accord Herewith. What bet
ter guarantees can you have than they have given
you aud give ? Is not theiI defeat complete,
admitted crushing as it is? Is not this a guar
antee that they will never again take arms
against the omnipotent will which has ordained
that secession is impossible, and the Union shall
never be dissolved? Are not their ruined cities,
| their wasted fields, their desolate hearths, the
graves of their dead-father, son, brother hus-
band-the graves of their loved ones, on which
nature, higher, mightier, kindlier than mans
laws, viii dash the tear. Have we no guarantee
in this that these men are Americans, our own
orothers-defeated, but not yet Inundated, too
urOud tn false Ask soldiars-tha
who stood face to face with them in many a hot
and bloody fght-who met them on the lonely
picket, where kindred, ignoring the articles of
war, made them, for awhile, companions and
friends. Ask the generals who commanded our
victorious hosts-ask them if they would not
trust the word of those whom they had seen so
calamity defending theory with their lives
Ask Grant if he does not trust Lee. Take the
vote of the whole army and navy. The men who
who fought. not the men who talked ask them
if they trust the loyalty OF the men they fought,
vanquished and forgave and, my life for it, from
end to end of that glorious column of heroes will
| ring out faye, aye" Would to God it had been
| left to them-to the men who fought the quarrel
QUITO settle it, and / believe the 'Union'
| would be whole to-day. But the Union must be-
| 1t cannot be prevented. 1t cannot be retarded
| There is Union in the hearts of the people
| north, south, east and west They long for re-
Cancellation. They desire the society of one
| er submit to the tricks, stragems and nancy
res of faction that to enrich itself-retain power
would keep open, irritate and infame the
wounds of civil war, that only need time and
peace to heal and be forgotten. For remember,
time is running by-opportunities unused never
return. Still the people of the south trust the
| people of the north and west. They still hope
in their generousity-still hope in their just sec.
ond thoughts-their calm common sense Let
not reconciliation-true, real reconciliation-be
| delayed until that confidence is gone and replac-
! ed by the sullen submission of disappointment
and despair. l. too, trust in the people. They
are often abused and msled, lied to by factious
men and for factious ends. But it is by playing
on their noble instincts and generous impulses
they are betrayed
Misled by Faneys meteor ray,
l BY passion driven,
But still the light that led astray
| Was lit from Heaven.
Tell them but the truth-lay bare the deceit
show them that they are made the unconscious
instruments of wrong, and they will be quick to
resent the treachery to undo the mischief
it has caused. The republic is in danger The
historic danger of republics J The government
| has fallen from the hands of the many into the
hands of the few. From the many who are apa-
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