The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-11-03
pailp ARGUS.
OFFICIAL CITY g. COUNTY PAPER
HOW E. H. JOHNSTON ABUSES OLD AND
CRIPPLED SOLDIERS.
How He Tried to Vindicate Hawlsy.

The efforts of one Z. II. Johnston, OF Port
Byron, radical candidate for State hepre
sentative, aad shoulder strapped and
epauetted stay -at-home soldier, to abuse
and inure both personally, in pocket and
character, brave private who fought at
the front for three years, and then came
home crippled tor life, is having the effect
to niure him in the estimation and votes of
every soldier and many strong republicans
who are knowing to the facts iR the case.
He begins his vndication, as he calls it,
BY saying that Democracy, if not dead,
should be; and if living, survives only
upon the slime of abuse and calumny"
How do the democrats who voted for this
same Johnston in 1861 like this kind of
talk? How does it sound in the ears of
democrats whom he is now asking to vote
for him
Again John says:
SIS it possible that r. 81. Webster can be
80 uukind, 80 ungrateful as not to appreciate
the efforts made by Mr.. Hawley for him in
aid of his claim for pension?
Ingratitude johnson is a pretty man to
talk about ingratitude. We ask every man
in the upper part of the county to remem-
Der his record. Did he not say tha. if there
was any money to be made out of the late
constitutional convention that he would
run independent? What did Hawley
do for Webster after three or four years, got
Dolt oS 81
could find time to vote away public lands,
vote TO relieve eastern sristocrats from tax
asien, but could not find time to introduce q
bill for the relief of a poor crippled soldier.
Bah out upon such hypocrisy Speaking
of his connection with Mr.. Webster, he says
he rery reluctantly took the case. Who ever
heard Of him being reluctant about taking a
case where there was q chance to make FIVE
cents Whew Reluctance, indeed The
reluctance that hog has for buttermilk-
(no disparagement to the hog intended).
Again, be says he has heard men of the
same regimen: say "Webster should no,
have pension. The government will be
defrauded if Webster gets pension"
Liar, and he knows it. Should not have
pension, indeed 1! If fighting at the front
as a private for three years, and coming
home crippled for life, ruined in health, and
mere wreck of the man he was when he
enlisted, doesn't entitle him to pension,
what in Gods name will2 The government
defrauded Good heavens The govern
mcnt defrauded out of sac dollars a month
When such q soldier as John ston could draw
$4,000 as captain OF the I26th, and no. doa
single days service during that particular
time, but be at home, reluctantly taking up
little petty cases. Bah Words are not
made that will express the contempt the
soldiers of the l26th have for such tra-
ducer Of an old crippled and broken-down
soldier.
Oh how he loved the brave Union de-
tenders Ask Abe Adams if he did not
keep him for weeks in the guard house for
refusing to do duty when he was too sick to
stand up. And when friends interceded,
did he not say, "Let him die, and go to he'll
for all care p. Out upon such specimen
of a man whose breath pollutes the free air
of heaven-who would let a poor sick boy
die in the guard house Soldiers of the
l26th, are you men and not pay him back
for these things, done when he was clothed
in little brief authority? viii you now
elevate him to the dignity of state repre-
sentative, to barter and trade away the great
interests of the state