Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1867-04-19
THzs zPROw-sTRLRe KNIGHTS ANT
THEIR CHA1EPTON-

prevented.
rHE zPRox-srRIEe KNIGHTS AM,
THEIR CTAHEPTON.
The Democratic press having ex-
hauS,ed its great talent for defamation
in an attempt to abuse and 'expose -
the Grand Army of the Republic. be-
nevolent aud fraternal organization Of
veteran soldiers honorably disoharg-
ed, it now naturally betakes itself to
the championship of another class Of
soldiers, F." not so fortunate in their
military record, and known as draft
sneaks, bounty Jumpers and deserters-
In other words, Democracy after un-
limited oalumniation of the true
knights who fought the battles of the
country at the front, turns and deYotes
itself to fulsome apology and even gIo-
rifcation Of the knights of the Golden
Circle aud Calico Apron Strings who
watched and waited for rebel vieto-
ries ia the rear This may be for the
best interests the party but will not
promote its good name. A traitor who
deserted his flag and went over to the
enemy, a coward who abandoned his
comrades in arms on the field of bat
tlu and lurked among the other don
ke.s ID charge of the QUartermaster,
womanish poItroon who left more man
ly natures 20 endure the hardships Of
the field while he sought band box
aud chimney-corner comforts in the
rear, a despicabIe knaYe who obtained
hu ndreds and even thousands of dol
lars IN greenbaeks for getting himself
booked upon the army records as a
substitute Gas though a thief and
traitor could be a substitute for a pat
riot D and then deserted to the enemy.
to practice the same trick on that side,
the base-hearted Ioafer who tried BY
bravado and conspiracy to thwart the
conscription, to inspire furloughed. OIL
diers with discomfort and by bar-roOn
seductions induce them TO desert and
lead them to ruin, or, meauer and more
contem ptable than all, the Wretched
sneak who, in the time of his country 5
exigency, when the flag which pro-
tected his home and fireside was insult
ed and assailed and brave men were
perishing for it on land and sea, desert. 4
ed the graves of his kindred, the land
of his birth, the country and the gov
ernment which confers the proudest
of any that ever f1ourished
under the canopy Of heaYen-deserted
these aud sought the protection of
semi hostile pOwer-alI such make
good Democrats and do as much as
any to elect Copperheads to office, but
If Is a most unwarrantable abuse of !
aud perversion Of the truth
to say that they are or even have been
patriots or soldiers Every true soldier
spurns them and scorns the imputatioD
Of ever having been their comrades"
He certainly kept no such fellowship
10 the army aud he does not desire it
now There is nothing in the disfran-
ohising clause of the suffrage amend
ment which would not then have re-
seived his heaF,iest commendation and
and afforded him the highest qratifca-
tiou.
Nor can any good citizen doubt that
f we bad had such law at the begin
ming of the war it would have been of
vast benefit That we ought to have
had such an ono is beyond all question,
and in the light of this fact the value
md propriety Of the disfranohising
clause of the amendment becomes
more than apparent. 1t is not an eu-
pest facto law in any sense of the
phrase, but is simply an additional
guard which experience has taught us
t is our plain duty to throw around
he ballot-box in order to preserve its
iafety in time Of war and respectable
y in time of peace. To vote should