The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-15
The Contest One of Peace and Not Of War


From the Charleston 6. c. Courier 7th.
The contest in which we are now engage,
is one which should command the modera
ton and the judgement of the Southern PEG
ple. Sine the close Of the war there has
been but ouo disposition on the part oithesC
states and people. These soIemnly pledged
their faith to obedience 70 law, to a recognI
lion Of the integrity Of The government, and
! to the restoration Of peace and harmony be.
tween the sections. And this faith has been
| Kept. IUE WAR mas SETTLED IFS o#N Is.
! Sues. Am THESE SHOULD GE ALLOWED 10
! RgsF. VINES THE Souru sHtAIuED THE
| SWORD, IT .sEAlLD rr TIE sDAHHAEp. III
| appeal Was for civil law, for fraternity and
peace. And upon that platform il now
stands. All that il has ever asked, and all
that II now urges is equality in the Union,
an equaity'ot right as well rs an equality
Of burden. The democratic and republican
parties arr both parties 10 the Mon. There
* no longer any contest IN the field. The
issue is Of law, Of o der and good govern.
mrut, and is to be decided by the American
people at the ballotbox. Upon that issue
depends whether these states Of the southare
for four long and weary years, 70 be cDntin-
ued under radical supremacy and their in.
.tIutIons dedicated to misrule, anarchy and
subsection, or whether by the triumph Of
the democracy, their overthrow govern.
ments are to b. restored and their acCus.
toned voters are to be reiustated in their
rights as American citizens. The present
issue has nothing to do with the past war.
That was on the part Of tie southern people
FOR a separate independence. The appeal
was to battle. This has decided that ques
ton, and in that decision the south has
pledged its aCquiesccnco. On the part Of
the north the contest WAS declared to be for
the supremacy alone Of the Union. The
radical party seek to convert its results into
suhIugatiOn and despUasm. The democrat.
jc party is therefore party Of the Union.
1t is the common unity Of the men Of the
north and Of the south, Of the east and ofthc
west, who are anxious to preserve liberty by
maintaining the Union in its vitality, By
the full scope of the constitution. In brief,
the whole question is whether the destinics
Of the country and the rights Of the people
are to be secured by the constitution, or
whether these are to be dependent upon tho
will of "A faction who have ayuwrdiy 20
camped "Outsidc of the constitution" This
is the point around which the political con.
iIict ycrgos. And this is the precise rOint
upon which the radical party is vulnerable,
and therefore which II seeks to evade.
Hence we find they are endeavDring to place
the issue upon the ground that the success
Of the democratic party will be the revival
Of what they term the "lost cause and the
installation into power Of what the south
fought for. And this is the powerful appeal
which the Tribune and Chronicle and other
radical papers are daily making to the pref.
udices and passions Of the northern people.
II IS important that our orators and speak.
crs should not by their imprudence, give
the democratic party any burden to bear
The contest must in the main be fought and
decided in the north. 1t is by these at the
halIot.box that it will be adjudged. We
should not aid the radical party by either
revIyIng the issues Of concluded war, to
which we have given our adhesion, or BY
stirring up the embcrs Of buried past
This is actually playing into the hands of
radical designs and hazardiug the great
cause of constitutional liberty, so necessary
for the security of our homes and the prespr.
walton of the freedom Of our race. THERE
Is no PURPOSE oN THE rAtr on ANY PORTION
or THE SOUTHERN PEOPLE OR OF THEIR REP.
REsENrATIyEs TO DO OTHERWISE THAN MAIN
TAIS, As CITIZENS OF TUG UNITED STATES,
THE SUPREMACY or THE Law, AND or THE ~.
TEGRIrY or THE WHOLE COUNTRY. AND OF
TINS WE SPEAK ADysEDLY, As HoEN AND
D. 1J,4t H.