The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-06-25
Mark IVAN on the Reliable Coatrabana

From b. sarl's Monthly for July.
Ma. President Ayp GrsrLEMES: j..
10Y painful duty to mar these festivities with
TIE announcement Of the death Of one VIII,
was dear to US sIi--Our tried and mobile
friend the Reliable Coutraband." To the
world az large this event will bring no sor.
row, ioE the world mover cOmpreheuded him,
never knew him as wo did never had such
cause to love him; but unto as the calamity
brings Vulnerable auguish--for it hera!ds
TIE loss OF one whose great heart beat for
u7 alone, whose tIrcIe.s tongue vibrated in
our interest only whose forvent fancy
wrought rs miracles solely for our enrich.
men' and reuowu.
DO that time what did he not DO for u.s.
"Aen mRrvels lauguished and sensation
.rpa'g4e5 grew tame, who was il that laid
ao"n the shovel and the hoe and came with
meaning on his wings? The Reliable Con.
U''"hl. When armies lied in panic and
"'''."F, ana the great cause seemed lost be
yoA4 al hope OF succor, who was il that
turned the TIDE OF war and gave victory to
NE V2nquished' The Reliable Contrlband.
" non despair hung its shadows about the
hearts OF the people, and sorrow sat on every
acc Who Was It that bravcd every danger to
Lrn3 cheerful G1l incomprchenslble news
rom the front? The Reliable Coutrabaad
" mo- took Richmond the first time? The
reliable CoEtraband. Who took it the sec.
oonI umet The Reliable Contraband -
no took It er9y time until the last, and
'AeH ieIt the bitterness of hearing nation
applaud the man more who took if once
man the greater man who had taken il six
WAe' before? The reliable Contrabaud.-
" hen we needed bIoodlcss victory to
"hom did we look to win it? The Reliable
NOhTaOand. When we needed news To
maze the peoples bowels ycarn, and their
hHotied aud combined locks to stand on end
a&e 1u,.s upon the fretf1l porcupine to
whom did we look to fetch it? The Reliable
,'utraband When we needed am sort or
description Of news, upon d,iy sort or de
scrIpton of subject, who was it that stood
Always ready to stea, horse aud bring that
news along? The Reliable Contraband.
Ny friends, be was the faithfulest vassal
mat ever fought, bled and lied in the gIori
Cu3 ranks Of journalism Thunder and
"shtnnR never stopped him annihilated
railroads never delayed him; telegraph new.
eF overlook him military secrecy never
crippled bis knowledge; strategic feints new
er confused his Judgment; cannon balls
couldn't Kill him clairvo7auce couldn't find
HIM; Satan himself couldn't catch him. His
Information comprised all knowledge, posi-.
bic and impossible; his Imagination was
utterly boundless: his capacity for makipg
mighty statements, and so back them up as
to make an inch Of truth cover an acre O,
ground, without appearing to stretch or tear
was thing that appalled, even the most un
lmDressable with its awful grandeur.
The Reliable Contraband is no more =
Born Of the war, aud a necessity ofthe war
and Of the war only, he watched its PROGRESSES
took notes of its successes snd reverses
manufactured and recorded the most thrill
ing features of its daily history, and then
whsn 1t died, his great mission was fulfilled
his occupation gone, and be died likewise.
No Journalist here present can lay bis haul
upon his heart and cay he had not cause I;
love lbls faithful creature, over whose IN
sentlent form we drop these unavailing
ttears-'or no journalist among US all can Ia,
h's hand upon bis heart and say ,A2, be ev
er lied with such pathos, such JUNCTION, sucF
exquisite symmetry, such sublimity Of con
,lgPnlon' as when he did it through and b.
'4e inspiration Of this really gifted marve
u LAendaclty, the lamented Reliable Con
"aoehh' Peace to his ashes