Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1874-10-07
A. G.. COOKS WAR RECORD,

The Columbus Democrat, IN its zeal
to serve aa anxious candidate, states
with apparent candor that Mr.. Cook
was a strong union man during the
war, &c. The assertion is Intended to
convey the Impression that he sustain
ed the government in its efforts to sup
press the rebellion and save the union,
aud for this reason invites criticism
of his war record, which OF herwise
might have been unnecessary.
We are not so far from Columbus
but that we know something of this
record during the war, and we should
feel guilty of base injustice to our
soldiers as we'll as to those who were
in fact 'strong union men" if we
should allow the above statement to go
unanswered.
Mr.. Cook was a "stroug union man"
In precisely the same sense that Sat.
Clark was ''strong union man., and
In no other. Although not SO COM
picuous as Clark, he occupied exactly
the same attitude towards the govern
ment His sympathies were all against
and not on the side Of the government
He denounced Mr.. Lincoln and found
fault with every measure employed by
him to save the country. He opposed
the law allowing soldiers to vote and
never during the whole struggle, as We
ever heard, opened his mouth at pub
lie meeting called to aid in recruiting
the army, or in strengthening the pa
trlotic sentiments of the people and
sending words of cheer to the boys at
the front. He endorsed the Ryan Ad-
dress which was as thoroughly hostile
to the cause of the union in language
and spirit as anything ever uttered by
Jeff. Davis. He denounced the elnan-
eipation proclamation. He endorsed,
If he did not help pass the resolution
Of the Democratic State convention in
1868, sympathizlng with Vallanaing-
ham who had at that time been sent
across our lines for giving aid and COM
fort to the enemy. He was delegate,
# We remember rightly, to the demo
cratic convention which met In Chlca-
&C in 1864 and joined in the disgrace
full and bitterly hostile denunciations
of everything and everybody Except
rebels, which transpired in that conven-
aon, and outside Of it, in the streets Of
Chicago. He thea declared in the
most solemn manner ''that the war to
suppress the rebellion is failure" and
demanded a cessation Of hostilities in
order that negotiations might be OPEN
Ed with traitors in arms and this with
II six or eight months prior to the
overthrow Of the rebellion.
These things are al SO. notorious
that we wonder the Democrat should
challenge their production. The peo-
PIE of this part of the state understand
the position of Mr.. Cook on war issues
as well as that of Mr.. Clark or any
ether so-called Copperhead It was
not eqaivocal. 1t was outspoken and
understood by all. lie aeas on the
after side oN through the var.
Not only was this SO, but sucn was
tae feeling among the soldiers and
others that in 1864 after the Mcclellan
campaign, the boys burned him in
eftigy In the village of Columbus as a
part of the jubilation on election eve
ming. If the Democrat has forgotten
this We have not and others have not.
They were talked about here as they
were In Columbia County freely and
often, and we are sure We are not mis-
taken IN the representation of his posi-
alon above given. We even heard
that lie refused to join or take any
part In the demonstrations of rejoicing
Which followed the surrender of Lees
army and the fall of Richmond. We
cannot youch for the truth of his but
are sure we heard SO more than once.
Ifthis is being "strong union man"
We rejoice that this class were not more
numerous. That sort of union men
were not the kind We longed for in
1924. 1t was not our union they
gIIoI uac not orrr oauco tbav enc