The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1867-02-25
Soldiers for Office.

The radical party allude to the soldiers as
if they were the sole friends and defenders
of the gallant men who smote the rebellion
till It died. They would have the men who
fought on the bloody fields from Manassas to
Pea Ridge, and from Gettysburg to Calves
ton, believe that all but themselves were, in
fact, the enemies of the soldiers, refusing
him the need Of gratitude his services SO
richly earned, denying him equalized boun-
ties, and shutting him out from all pupnc
places of preferment. The only way to test
profession il by looking carefully 10 see what
it produces. A pledge is best known by Its
results. Nobody cares for promises, however
honied in phrase, if they obstlnately refuse
to bear fruit.
Now what are the plain facts as between
these radical, professors and the soldiers
whose cause they assume to champion P
Since the war, one may get much more re-
liable notion of the value of their fine speeches
than could have been had during its continu-
ance. A gallant soldier was nominated for
governor of New York, and defeated by the
vote of the party led by the radicals. A
brave and accomplished commander, who
went into the war in Its opening season, and
did not come out till the echoes of the last
rebel shot were lost in the distance, was de-
feated by the radical party for the same Office
in Massachusetts,. In the western states
| there were similar instances, from Ohio to
Iowa. These facts signify that party feeling
| is stronger with radicals than gratitude to
| the brave men who followed the hag until it
was unfurled in triumph over every foot of
| the states in revolt
| In the distribution of offices by the Presi-
dent, the radical senate betrays its real tenn
per and feeling towards the soldiers as class.
Take several instances, which may be con-
veniently Jumped into one, for proof of the
charge. In the last week of January, some
| forty nominations to Office by the President
were rejected by the senate, thirteen of which
or about one-third-were cases of soldiers
| Among them were offices of high rank and
most illustrious services; men who enjoyed.
and still enjoy, the respect and affection OF
the men of their command. There was Maj
Gen. N. Martin Curtis, of New York, nom.
mated to the eollectorship of customs for the
distsiet Of Oswegatchie. There was Lieut.
Col. Atkinson, appointed collector of Gus
toms at Port Huron, Michigan. There was
Col Beaumont. of New Jersey; Gen. Thos
w. Eagan. of New York; Col. E. w. Pierce
of Massachusetts,; Captain Church Howe, o
the same state; and others from New York
and Ohio, ending with Major Gen. Couch, re
iected as collector of customs for this port
Now here is plain and open record. i
| is not possible to shut ones eyes to it when
presented. Thirteen deserving soldiers
MANNED and covered with glory. but fo
| whose willing sacrifices and exertions.-as
those of the other heroes, living and dead
with whom they co-operated-the senat,
might not now be passing ON Presidential
| appointments at all,-thirteen such rejecte,
by the senate in single week! Who then
is the friend of the soldier?' Who is hi
enemy? Who grudges him the very recog
milton which his fellow-citizens would deligh
|. on all possible occasions to tender him p
| Who puts him off when he asks for an equit
able adjustment of his bounties? The sol
: diers themselves are putting these question
now, and the senate will find they will hav
an answer. All the loud professions o
| friendship that tongue can utter will fail t
cover up acts OF mean hostility like these, s.
that they cannot be seen. Soldiers are re
jeeted for Office by the dozen. For what
! | Have they not done enough to entitle then
to at least some share of their rescued coun
try's favor? If it is for their political sent
ments that they are rejected, no further proc
could be asked that the action OF the senat
Is based on purely partisan grounds. Ifiti
| merely because the senate Is determined L
! reject all the Presidents nominations in
| body. then il conviets that branch of congress
OF a spirit OF obshnacy and selnshuess W hic 81
it is willing to indulge when the needs of tn,
country are most critical In either case
there is none of the iargeness of statesman
ship in such conduct, while the intense par
tisan feeling manifested deserves the over
whelming condemnation of the whole PEG
pie.
Until change in this respect is inangur
ated by the senate, and indeed by the radi
Gals of both houses let us hear nothing more
about their exclusive love for the Sela,era.-
| Their acuons neile ali their friendly profes
sions. Especially is itpresumptuous in then
to charge hostility to these gallant men OF
any other class of the people, while they arr
themselves voting them ont of office afte
Office to which the President, with generou,
gratitude on the countrv's behalf. sagaciOusl,
dominates them. The soldiers can see VIII,
are their friends, and who are not. The,
know whether the party of the constitution
and the Union IS for against them. A
for the radicals, they cannot but be satisfied
that their professions are hollow and thei
, gratitude founded in pure selfshness.-Bos
ton Post.