The Cairo bulletin. [volume] (Cairo, Ill.) 1872-1878, 1876-03-26
THE RECORD ar ,ou.N

"'''h ~ Logan becomes the subject OF
newspaper discussion. the Democratic
papers charging that he was sccessionist
AT the commencement OF the war. and
the Republican papers declaring that he
has been Union man from his cradleup.
Now. il is q wcll-known fact in
southern Illinois, and Senator .ogan will
not deny this. that when the war bcgan
his sympathies were with the South.
Among his neighbors he declared. with
great vigor of voice and gesture.
That he would never favor the
id Abolition crusade, that his body
would he found across The pathway of
the army OF subjugation. IN the house
Of representatives at Washington. he
made speech, after Il number of states
hal seceedcd, in which, while he weakly
comhattcd the doctrine o, secession. he
opposed the idea OF coercion. There can
be no doubt of the truth of all this.
The fact is, the Logan of that day was
leader of the anti-cocrcion party of
Southern Illinois and those who know
declare that Hon. VIM. j. Allen. who
has been denounced as a rebel by
Senator Logan. sought at that time to
modify the hot-blooded Logan's indis-
Greet outspoken 5outhernism into Cons,i-
tutional Unionism. term then in vogue.
and which meant verbal resistance TO seces.
sion and the enforcement of the laws. but
deprecated war of subjugation and the
sudden liberation of four millions OF
slaves-an idea that ii>t cnougn force
should be used 10 compel obedience to
the laws, and which found expression in
the Democratic battlc-cry OF the "Con-
'stitution as 1.-THE Union rs ii was
Many good men--patrioticm men whose
devotion to the country was after
wards proved by the sacrifice OF their
lives i'll its cause, stood, at that time, with
Mr. Logan in opposition TO coercion,
and preferred to see the lnlon divided
for the time being TO seeing It's States
drenchcd with iratcrnal blood. President
Lincoln was one of these. and Douylas
of arms was heard in the land, and seces-
sion bullets had crushed through Union
brains; when the stars and bars were
Haunted with lsolcncc in the face of the
North and the rebel yell rang
Its defiance across the border. Logan
with thousands of other Democrats |
with whom he had acted, tossed to the |
winds the reiinements of the nice argu-
ments that were bcisg used by them to
prove war OF coercion unconstitutional,
and gushcd out in patriotic resentment
against the leaders of the Southern move
ment. lie ceased to talk constitutional
treason--even forgot In some measure his
hatred of the negro aud OF the Aboli-
tionists-and became vigorous advo-
cate of subjugation. He expressed his
opinions on the subject with characters
tic volubili'y, interlarding his patriotic
sentences with hearty oaths. lie took
up the sword, and made splendid sol
ticr.
We know that the Senator is sensitive
upon the subject OF his political record.
We. have an impression that he has even |
taught himself to believe that he never
was Southern sympathi.cr-that he al
ways was hater OF slavery and lover
of New England politics. But he is mis-
taken. lie was at one time all that the
southern leaders desired him to be. but
he became afterwards strong Union
man, and by his unionism, which has
been as ieryont As his anti-war Democracy
ever was, he gained the rcspect
OF the country, an honorable
record as Il soldier and lucrative
and honorable civil offices. la the
Logan OF to-day we recognize patriotic
gentleman. lie is a very distinguished
representative of the strongest phase of
unionism; but we cannot close our eyes
10 his past conduct. We do not believe
he is wise in doing so. At the time he
was talking treason in this part of the
State ana seeking to arouse the people
into resistance to the government, he was
young and indiscrect States-Richts
Democrat lie was then also very I'M
pulsive, and had not as he will now
surely admit, superabundance of either
common senseor information. He be-
came patriotic is he became wiser--as he
became aware of the fact that in adyo.
cacy of the Union, by voice and sword.
there was for him more of honorable
famc and money, than in the pursuit of
the wicked dclusion of the slavcholding
and slavcry-doiending enemies of the
,hloh ut the south with whom he was
at one time in perfect political accord.