The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1866-07-02
THE Duty OF ALL UNi0S-LGFISG
MEN TO SUPPORT THE
PRESIDENT.
An IriShman on the Crisis.

A. recent Union rueeting in Peoria, an
able and interesting speech was made BY w
W.O'Brien, which, had We space 10 spare, we
should be glad 70 publish in full, bus we @re
obliged 20 content ourselves VITA the follow
lag extract, in relation 70 President Johuson
and the duty of all Union men ID support his
restoration policy. Referring 20 Presiden,
johnson he said
lie: Us take retrospective glance over the
pats few years OF MS life; let Is look back TO
1861, when his own state had given $1,000
majority against the Union: when bis neigh
borS his friends and his old associates had
cast their fortunes 81 the feet Of the re5ell 5B;
when life, spd family, aud property snd all
were az stake; when the strongest u earthly
inducements were held out 10 tim 10 transfer
his allegiance from his country and lie flag.
even then. IN thai awful situation. neither the
knife Of the assassin, the torch OF The Iucsn-
diary, or the bloody hand Of treason and war
could swervs hia one jos % tale from tae
line OF his private aud paoiic dasy, a. d c4g.-
zen aud a. senator o. tue United States
But, amidst al tae dangers aud darkness
which the rebellion had thrown around him,
the pearl OF his Loyalty and hdeiIty g his
country. not only still preserved It's original
brightness, but snone UuE with more than ia
creaslug lustre.
Lat US follow hin through all the dSngsgs,
trials and srIbulatI0ns through waIoh he
passed from the breaking out Of h0stliitIs til!
by the providence OF God he was placed a;
tine head OF this g~eas nation. and who OF
those VINO now take such malicious delight
in maligning and vilifying his character will
stand up for . moment, and say that, even n
f.13f { III
self, Mr., johnson was not regarded as
amongst the fret. the irmest, the traest and
the mos. seltsacrfcing friends OF the Union.
But tn firmness and forsi:ude which he e1
hibited during the rebellion OF the souEherr
traitors does not compare with the sell sacri
fcIng devotion 20 the Union which he exhI0lg
ed in the noble stand (which he has taseE
against the revolutionary directory, which FOL
months has been plotting and conspIring
against the union of these states IN the Ia
tionai capitol. What president has ever gfv
en- the American people such proof of unset
ism h1eAty to the republic, a4cl heroic deter
msnatIon 10 stand on iall IN ehe defence o
public liberty, Is Andrew johnson Thi
name OF jackson has become immortalized, be
cause OK his determined opposition 10 the null
LITIGATION OF South Carolina sustained. a. b.
then wa=, by eYerysother state III the Union
Bus what shall future generations say Of An
drew Johnson, aud has determined aud fear
less opposition 80 revolution and treason
threatened as he was with impeachment an,
assassination, with both houses Of congress
and the legislature of every northern state il
the hands. and wholly under the control o
the revolutionisss? What shall be said O
him who, IN this situation, has stood UP Liz
a rDck in tue midst of she ocean aumoTei b,
the fury OF tue Wild waves that dash madl
against 10 only TO s~ broken ia pGeaes?
But there are et'li Stronger reasons wh
President johnson should be sustained. ]
little over year has srausps-sd since h. VS.
called upon TO discharge the du>ses Of pres
dent | know | need not mention. here 4,
muitilarious difficulties By which "a wa
then surrounded ; 10 il enough for Us 10 k.a,
that the wounds of the republic were st
bleeding; that the healing lniscsRoss OF 4
constitution SO long debarred from the sous
ern states had not yet reached or clroalas
amongst them; that Ii states were whul
destitute of postal arrangements. of civil la
OF courts of justice, and, in fact, without O.
of the means or agencies OF civil government
with THAR ordinances OF secession still
their statute books. with their contedera
asbs atii recognized by them, with ths
slave codes 40 they existed prior 10 tue WI
Where 10 there nay parallel in all history I
siia saaasse which has in che space of a si
ala ssaf marked his eiforta in restoring 10
esahsty peace. happiness and prosperity I
Theirs II ast sH armed seesl in oil the eoas
SER ssssss. Thsis ordinances Of sseessi