The Rock Island Argus., 1880-10-21
W3u the Rebels Rule If Gen. Hancock
Is Elected2
New York Sun

No, Never!
What is the use in writing or talkins
and saying nothing2
What is the use of q public journal in 4
political canvass that discusses everything
save the real, live issues before the peo
pie, but never touches upon them, or only
handles them as if they were thin-sheleo
eggs and easily to be broken.
Life is too short to be thus wasted
and such an occupation would be toe
meaningless for us. We have felt from
the beginning an irresistible impulse tc
handle this Hancock and Garfield cam
paign without gloves, to deal with 1t with
the utmost frankness aud fullnessof speech
Hitherto what we are now saying might
have seemed to some premature; now all
must coneede il isiopportune.
The greatest fact IN tbs history of this
country next to its first settlement and to
the Revolutionary war. is the war of the
Rebellion. The parties engaged in that
war on one side were called Unionists. and
on the other Rebels. On the part of the
Upiouists the war was waged for all that
is sacred and dear to man; for all that is
com prised in the vast and hallowed word
Liberty: and for Government pledged to
the support of Liberty and Equal Rights;
while the Rebellion was indissoubiy wed
ded TO human Slavery.
The Uuionists. thank God. conquered
and they a0i1 foreuer hereafter control and
conduct the american Government
We not only recognlze this truth, but
we rejoice and glory in it.
We ourselves helped to dig deep and to
lay in principles the foundations OF the Re-
publican party; and SC FAR as those princi-
pies touch upon human liberty.ge are still
In cordial accord with them land we support
Gen. Hancock, the loyal soldier, who
fought on the side Of the Union, who never
uttered or entertained a rebel sentiment,
as their truest aud best representative IN
the present campaign for president. Ii
we thought that in his victory 6isunlon
and rebellion would triumph, We would
oppose him as earnestly as We now sup
port him. We 90 further, and say it we
beloved that disuDion and rebellion would
triumph in his election, We would sooner
see him shot than elected.
But the election of Gen. Hancock will
not and cannot be rebel triumph. The
former rebels may be encouraged under il
to repentance, and to bring forth works
meet for repentance; but that the unre-
rentant and persistent deYotees of the
Lost Cause viii swell into new and danger
infuencs under it, is utterly untrue; and
if we believed 1t to be true, we would
oppose Gen. Hancock's election as strenu-
ously as we now advocate il.
What If the south should be solid for
Hancock? Would not the Republicans
like to haze the south solid for Garfield
They would give million dollars for it to-
day.
Gen. Grant himself was the man to &c
south and tender. in person, the FIRST
fiattering solicitations 10 the old rebels. il
the beginning of the caDpaign, this very
year.
The truth il, the rebellion is dead; and
it can have no resurrection, not particls
more under Hancock than under the
Republicans. It deserved to die and to
have no resurrection.
Now. Independents and Democrats. do
not be frightened by bugbearl Vote
for Hancock, for L,berty, for Union. for
Free Government
Hancock's administration will tie as free
from the rule OF rebels as from them
rule of the Gear OF all the Russia