The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1868-08-05
The Tventy.Third Resolution.


Ohio; Gov Wells, to be voted for in Virgin.
ia, is from Michigan.
The Twenty.Third Resolution.
The lVAig says that Gen. Singleton was
the author Of the twenty.third resolution,
| adopted at a democratic mass convention
held at Springfield on the 18th Of June,
1868. That resolution declared that the
democracy Of Illinois were Opposed to the
further offensive prosecution Of the war.
We do not know whether the Wig is cor.
rect IN this statement or not Gen. Single.
ton himself is under the impression that the
| twenty.third resolution was written by the
present editor Of the Herad Whether he !
| IS right IN this or not, we do not know. We !
| do not remember to have written, though We
remember distinctly that we endorsed it
then, as we endorse it now. The war, on
the part of the federal government, was
commenced as u defensive wRr--a war TO
defend the Union. Armies were enlisted to
defend the government from destruction at
the hands Of the rebels. The soldiers who
volunteered, did so 70 fight 10 defense Of the
Union, and not to destroy it. In the spring
OF 1868, it became evident that the politi
clans Of the radical party were not prose.
cutting the war as war Of deicuse-were
not calling for soldiers to fight in defense of
the Union, but to drive the southern states
out Of it. When that fact became apparent.
volunteering ceased-the people would not !
volunteer to night against the Union. When |
the prosecution Of the war became offensive
to the people-when they were called upon
to take up arms TO drive the southern states
out OF the Union, they refused to volunteer,
and the radical leaders we're compelled to
resort to the drafting process to iii up the
ranks. The soldiers in the field had not
seen that the object Of the radical leaders
was to drive the southern states out Of the
| Union, but the great mass Of the people Mt
home saw II, and refused TO be- used rs in.
struments and machines to bring about that
result 1t WAS at this stage of the proceed
| ings that the democracy of Illinois met in
| mass convention at Springfield, on the l7th
Of june 1863, and adopted the twentv.third
| resolution, declaring against the further of.
fenslve prosecution Of the war. The demo-
cracy were not opposed to the prosecution
OF q defensive war--a war to defend the
Union, maintain the constitution and enforce
the laws. But they were opposed to the
prosecution Of war for the purpose of
driving the southern states out of the Union.
Were the democracy right in asserting that
the radical leaders had changed the object
OF the war Were they right in saying that
the radical leaders were prosecuting the |
war to drive the southern states ont Of the |
mon When the war was ended did not
the radical leaders declare that they had
succeeded in driving those s'n,aa out3 And
RtyS i6cm '5dt, from hat 'da.y eit9rts 70
Were not the mass Of the people of all par.
ties right in refusing to volunteer in a war
that was " be fought to drive those states
out Of the Union? Gould the radical leaders
have got soldiers otherwise than by couscrip-
ton for any such purpose? Did not the fact
that the people refused TO volunteer from
that time on till the war ended, prove that
the people were Opposed to the further Of
ensiye prosecution Of tue war p And was
it not an offensive prosecution Of the war;
after it became war on the part of the
'adical leaders to drive the southern states
,ut of the Union2 The Whig will assail
ien. Singleton in vain for opposing the
further offensive prosecution of the war
when it became so far as the radical leaders !
we're concerned, a war TO drive the southern
states out of the Union. Gen. Singleton
was opposed to driving them out, either by
var or by Legislation quincy H1a'd.
Colfax as q Know Nothing. 5
The radical newspapers pretend to dis. :
'redit the fact that Schuyler Colfax, the I
lump OF the bondholding ticket nominated c
1t Chicago, belonged to knowuothing
L.. ,