The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-04-23
lola REGISTER.
SUPPLEMENT.
ADDRESS TO SOLDIERS.

HEADQUARTERS U. L. ID.
CHICAGO, ILL.,. Oct. p, 1879.
To the surviving Soldiers and Sailors who served
In the war for the suppression of the Rebellion:
Comrades: In entering upon the dis.
charge of my duties as Commander-in-
Chief. l deem it proper to issue this adj
dress explaining the work to be done,
and invite your united cooperation.
When armed treason fired its challenge
of defiance at the national flag on Stump.
ter, the first feeling of every loyal heart
was that the insult must be promptly
punished, the supremacy of the General
Government asserted and resolutely
maintained at whatever cost.
Nor was it by any means because we
were mistaken as to the magnitude Of
the work to be done that we so readily
resorted to arms. Few were SD simple
as to imagine that the treason which
had been twenty years in preparation
could be overthrOwn in few months of
desultory skirmishing. But, realizing
that either the Rebellion or the nation
must 90 down, we resolved to meet
armed traitors anywhere, and fight them
wherever found, and never for moment
to cease our efforts until the last vestige
Of resistance, and the last shadow of Cal
hounism-that had rendered civil war
possible-were utterly and entirely
crushed out.
How we'll our work was done need not
here be discussed, since it is now mat
ter of history, and in that history the
champions of treason find nothing over
which to boast, nor the defenders of the
stars and stripes aught over which to
blush or be ashamed.
The fierce conflict over, we returned
to our homes and former occupations.
On our lips there was not whisper of
vengeance, nor in our hearts lingering
remnant of malice or ill-will. We asked
not the life or Punishment of single one
ofthe original plotters of rebellion, South
or North, nor even the confscation of
their goods. We were ready to forgive
and forget ALTO cover the past with
the charitable mantle of silence, until |
forgetfulness should forever hide the
crime. All we asked was that orr late
enemies should accept, without COM
plant, the situation resulting from the
resort to arms, and in good faith abide
by the decision that the principles for
which we fought, and which had, at such
fearful cost, been made triumphant, |
should never again be assailed or called |
in question. Believing that these results
would follow we sheathed our swords,
and the mightiest army of veterans the
world, ever saw disbanded The men
who on hundred bloody fields had prov
en- themselves without peers IS soldiers
now We'd with each other in dischargingl
the duties ofhonest, earnest, law-abiding,
peaceIoving citizens, Few of our num-
Der received, or desired, place or position
either at the hands of their fellow-citizens
or the Government saved by their SER
vices and personal sacrifices; but each
with zeal akin to that by which fields
are won addressed himself to securing a |
home and competency through the me-
dunn of untiring application. ~
With the return of peace and almost
universal amnesty there was large in
fux of naturalized or native-born citizens
from abroad-men who, during the dark
days of battle, lacked the disposition to
discharge the duties of citizen, or the |
courage to 60 where their hearts would
hare led them, into the ranks Of the reb-
els. These had temporarily sought under
foreign flag safety and repose "till the
storm of war had past" and now return
ing we're suddenly seized with an insat-
liable desire to rule the country they
had been unwilling to defend and unable
to ruin. They found awaiting them
here a large element, who, because less
wanting in courage, or more wanting in
1.-The Deedful," to render temporary ban
ishment advisable, had remained and
faced the music, but lodged the draft.
Those readily coalesced, forming an har-
monious whole-two hearts with but
single thought-and that was how they
might secure Office, and feed from the
treasury replenished by the loyal toilers.
They once had "a party" which now
was deemed dead-had gone down mid