The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-08-15
WORDS OF WARNING.
Extract from recent speech by Gen. John
Logan.]


/ When that great warrior who led OF
hosts to victory; who sprang, like thou
sands of others, from the ranks OF pri
vate life !; who came, like Cinc;nnatus
from his pillow, and carried in his hant
the pregnant destinies of nations life
who rallied under his standard the in
vinclble citizen soldiery of the North
and with them bearded the lion in his
den: who, upon every field, proved him.
self hero, and fitted to lead to victory
the men who had sacrificed everything
in life-family, home and friends-fo,
principle; illustrated in his genius the
characters of citizen and soldier, of war
rior and statesman-equally fitted to
mark out campaign and to preside at
the head Of the nation; when the then
General-in- Chief of the armies received
the sword Of the rebellion at Appomat-
tox, and the nation went into mourning
for those who had given up their lives
in behalf Of the conquered peace, only
one bright ray Illuminated the nations
grief at her irreparable loss of life, and
this was visible in the feeling that the
question had been forever settled, and
the heritage OF a glorious nation had
been transmitted to posterity by the
blood OF her gallant sons. At least on
satisfaction came out of the great wall of
sorrow, which found vent in the belief
that these men had not died in vain.
But, my friends, in less than fifteen
years from the event at Appomattox, we
are again confronted with an enemy, who,
although clad in different garments, bears
the old-time face and whispers in our
ears, "These men have died in vain |"
estates rights" died, but the youngest
brother has been born, and I wish to
raise voice of warning to any man loyal
to his country, who may hear me, and
charge him not to be deceived by the
name of this brother, who has been
christened "home rule" for after all the
terrible sacrifices of blood and treasure
through which our country has passed,
in preservation of it's national integrity
and Its national life, we are confronted
with the fact that We have conquered
peace, but have failed to consummate
conviction of error upon the part of
the erring. We have taught the re-
bellious boy to fear, but have failed to
make him love his parents. A nations
life depends upon the affections of it's
people. Do the rebellious subjects so
love the country that the line which our
gallant soldiers endeavored to wash out
with their own best blood has become
invisible? No! It is as plainly drawn
to-day by people who have educated
themselves into the feelings of seper
ate and distinct nationality, as it was
when, under the fimsy pretext of form
ing Southern republic, there appeared
the bold outlines of Southern empire.
The new dogma of home rule" is fast
wiping out the results which our friends,
whose names we venerate to-day, gave
their lives to secure. The Union re-
mains intact, but the doctrine of equal
rights before the law is melting away in
many States. like the dew before the
sun. Equal rights there be-
long only to those who waged terrible
and bloody war against this Govern
ment, however it may be denied, or
however speciously the endeavor may
be to cover it up. Practically there ex-
lists in these States but one set of men
who are allowed to exercise any political
rights. Does this point to national
safety2 My friends, venture the as
sertion that, in the history of the world,
all the people who have ever
taken up arms in rebellion against their
governments, and have suffered defeat
in their plans, there cannot be found
one instance in which the magnanimity
of our Government toward it's traitors is
paralleled. Go over the records of the
centuries which have flown upon the
wings of time to the realms of the past,
and say If it has not been universally
deemed necessary to the lives of nations
that the takers Of the sword should per-
ish by the sword. All history confirms
the wisdom of punishment, and all ex-
perience confirms the mercy of rigid ex-
ample. But what have we seen in our
own case. Have we reduced the re-
bellious States to the condition of con-
quered provinces, and held them in ter
ritorial dependence until their loyalty to
the nation was assured? Have we exc
cuted the leaders of the rebellion, and
banished those lesser culprits who stood
in the light of accessories? Not at all.
We FASTENED at once to welcome them
back to all the privileges of citizenship
under nation which they reviled.
More than this, we passed the control
Of their own States over to them, and
with it the charge of the nations wards,
which had been rescued from bondage to
freedom. We put the innocent children
in bed with the wolf, who was wearing
the grandmothers night-cap. More
than this, we invited our erring friends
to seats in the national council, to make
laws for the country they despised.
Upon every breeze was heard the words
g Cancellation, forgiveness and, to
such an extent did our magnanimity go,
hat the people have been on the verge OF
declaring at the ballot-box that the men
who had been powerless to destroy were
The most potent to save, and that the