The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1877-09-27
Thursday. September az, 1877!
Belligerent Non-COmbatants.

The following is from the pen of Henry
Watterson, of the Louisville C0nTer-Jour.
nal, who was the temporary chairman of
the st. Louis convention, and who is
acknowledged to be one of the ablest men
Of the day-who, at least, has a correct
idea of justice, and heart beating right.
at all times, for the best interest of one
common country and that country the
United States. We like the noble senti-
ment he expresses and give them in full,
as follows:
That was good story, and not an in
appropriate one, told by President Hayes
in front Of the Gait House, the other day.
Some one said to Gen, Scott that when the
arms of the Union were successful there
would be peace and content everywhere,
but the old veteran had passed through
too much gunpowder smoke not to know
the fury that would seize those who had
never smelt it, and who would go on the
rampage after the battle was over. For
some time after the war" said the old
soldier, 1T will be necessary TO keep down
the belligerent non.combatants of the
country"
We have all seen that. We have seen
it everywhere and on every hand. The
soldiers of the two armies had their fight
years ago. Since then these belligerent
non.combatants have been vigorously
shooting off their mouths and charging
their pens in the hope Of bringing down
some trophy that would fool some one into
the belief that they had achieved glory.
But they are being found out. The true
elements of manhood that gave character,
though on opposite sides, to the military
glory of the country, have come together.
They are not shaking hands across the
bloody chasm, for the chasm is too wide
to cover. They have not filed the chasm,
for it is too deep, But they have left the
old chasm, and have met on new and COM
mon ground-and the belligerent non-com-
batants who come between with their
bloody flags, and their pretentious invinci-
bility to EARNS, reason, feeling or good
sense, will be smashed.
The other day here lot of ex-confed-
crates marched down Nam street escort
ing Mr.. Hayes, In the evening a lot OF
ex.federals marched down the same street
escorung Wade Hampton. The design
was to give pointed significance to the
occasion; but the design was merely the
No one who witnessed these two incidents
discovered anything forced or formal about
them. Every one who witnessed them re-
garded them as perfectly natural features
of the occasions. But then there are still
a few Of these belligerent non-combatants
left 10 the country, who cannot fully realize
such things, even though they see them,
and their true meaning forces itself upon
their belicOse minds.
1t is fortunate thing for the country
that this race Of post GelLuDo warriors is
rapidly disappearing. They have beer
waving their plumes and avowing then
"sympathies" so theoretically for mum
Der of years that even those who Tough
the real battles had sort OF confused no
ton that, after all. perhaps 1t was the
"uUion sympathizer' and the southern
symDathizer" who got away with all the
glory. But at last the bloody shirt anC
the Bourbon banner, under which, re
spectiveiy the belligerent non-cOmbatant
ranged themselves, have gone down In tn
great crush Of people who have come to
gether on the platform Of the present t.
take a look at the prospects OF the future
A small but adventurous boy pushet
himself forward in the great crowd of Mon
day in front of the Gait House. Whe
the president appeared, big, rough fellow
crowded forward to welcome him. Th
little boy could not stand the pressure, an
he set up shout of despair. The sma
space III which he was confined was incoI
sistent with his previously expresse
opinion OF his own size and the amount {
room he deemed necessary for his comfOr
and he begged leave to withdraw. NJ
body else wanted to withdraw, and tn
withdrawal Of that small boy made hiI
for a moment bigger man than old Haye
Those nearest him had to give way, tn
next layer had to yield, and the next IT
cede, and the tidal wave crept on until tn
whole vast crowd was agitated from th
center. When sufficient room was cleare
the youth was lifted over the shoulders
strong men. All eyes were turned towar
him. When he reached the outer ranks
policeman kindly received him, and gent
placing him upon his feet, admonshe
him with tender and fatherly spank,
90 home and tell his mother she wante
him. Then the hapless yOungster WI
had created so much commOtiOn was fo
gotten, and the big crowd turned its after
ton to bigger and more earnest things.
That is about the fuss the belligeren
are now making in different parts of tn
country. They are so accustomed
crowding forward, that they fail to motto
what crush it is. They don't understau
the pressure, and they cry out for MOI
air Their little efforts to free themselve
str the great crowds fCm cent to eli
conference. For a moment all eyes tut
to them, as they scramble out. As the
disappear over the last stalwart shoulde
they are forgotten, and the crowd forget
in the absorbing attention given to Il
great occasion, that it ever was so move
Or, if the thought comes back, the crow
laughs that it was moved by so slight CT
Cumstance, in the presence Of crcuD
stances that involve the hopes and II
destines of forty millions of people.
The little belligerents are lying arour
loose all over the country They are
the north In the east and in the ives
The south is not altogether free from the
presence. Winfield Scott saw them in h
minds eye. Hayes has seen them ever
where in the last ten years, and in b
present progress he occasionally sees then
raising a commotion, just as everythiI
seems to be quoting down, and the speak,
about to commence, by crying out f
more room, and asking the people to i
them ever their heads so that they can z
out. The country has got out a new pr
gramme, and this sort of thing is not p
down. These things may have done ft
years ago, when the exhausted combatan
were standing off looking at each other
see which was the most Worsted. while Il
new belligerents on both sides walk
away with the spoils; but Just now the