The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1868-09-03
them in their former rights, and let them
sit down again in the shadow of the old

sit down again in the shadow of the old
flag.
She was pledged to do this before all
the nations of the earth, and they believ-
ed that she would keep her faith. They
expected that she would reach out her
great arm and gather erring ones to her
bosom with tender pity, saying, "These
my children were dead and are alive
again, they were lost and are found"
But she forgot her promises; forgot
that the mercifu shall obtain mercy; and
instead of pursuing course plainly indi-
Gated by the voice of humanity, by the
precepts of our religion, aud winning the
hearts of the people, by kindness, and
clemency back to their old love, their old
allegiance, she adopted accla, cruel poll
cy that widened the breach, defeated the
end and object of the war, and closed ev-
cry avenue to reconciliation and peace.
And, now, when the land is wasted and
the people beggarei-whcn they sit in
sack cloth and ashes in the midst cf their
ruined hopes, in the desolation of their
ruined homes; when delicate women and
little children are perishing for bread
and strong men dying in despair, con-
gress proposes to send hordes of half saw
age men, low and brutal by nature, coarse
and degraded by circumstances, armed
with weapons and invested with power to
rule and reign over their former masters.
The spirit of war followed our first pa.
rents from the garden of Eden. 1t has
left the imprint of its bloody hand on ev-
cry nation through all ages, over the
whole earth. The victor has always spoil.
ed the vanquished. But it was reserved
for a christian land, in the broad light oil
the nineteenth century, to impose on a
conquered and kindred people, oppression,
outrage, cruelty that has no name in hu.
man language, no parallel in the world s
history.
Union White Boys in Blue: As free
men, citizens of this great republic, you
have sacred trust to keep, holy duty to
perform, for which you are responsible to
God, and to posterity. The dark cloud
lowering in our politica! horizon is omin-
Gus of ruin to your highest interests, to
your fOndest hopes. Let 70 man deceive
you, let no siron voice lull you into idle
security. There is danger. Watch! And
while this banner expresses to you the SEN
timents cf the donors, let it remind you
that "eternal vigilance is the prico of lib
erty."
Your organization proposes to interposc
its strong arms and bravo hearts peaceably
between mad radical legislation and suf
fering humanity proposes to bind togeth
er again the severed links of our dear OLD
Union; to lift up the bowed heads
strengthen the weak hands, and bring
peace and comfort to the perishlng.
We trust and believe that you will bear
this banner forth in the cause of truth
mercy, human rights, till its broad folds
are upborne by shouts of victory-not on
a blood-stained battlefield, amidst the roa,
of cannon, the groans of the dying, bu
on that holiest of holy ground, where free
men seal their principles and opinions will
their votes There let it wave over tht
grapdest triumph ever won by good ant
true men over powers of darkness, brute
force and moral madness
And that God may lead ycu forward
with sinsleness of purpose and purity o
intention to this great end, should be th,
prayer Of every man who loves his coun
try, loves his fellowman and expects t.
render to God an account of his steward
shin,