The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1896-09-26
A PATRIOTIC APPEAL.
Gen. Sickles to the Old Soldiers
Of the Union.
He Calls on Them TO Put Patriotism
Above Party. and Stand Once More
for the Country's Peace, Well
fare and Honor.

armies, is made puDllc hereto-dhy:
Ny Dear Comrade: I ask you 70 con-
slider and reflect upon the sacred interests
involved In the present situation of our
public affairs. / know you love your coun-
try. You have given to IL the best proof
of devotion man can give-you have de-
Tended II in battle.
Let me urge you and every union veteran
10 lay aside party feeling now and unite
for national honor and for law and order,
as you did In 81 10 G5 against treason and
rebellion. The present crisis seems TO me
as vital to the welfare of the country as
that which called us to the field before.
Some of the principles for which We
then contended are again at stake Sec
tionalIsm, Reputation and mob rule are
threatened. Many Of us were obliged to
choose between our country and our par
ty In those days ! feel that this Is n
time when all true patriots should stand
together, preferring their country. its
honor. good faith and untarnished name
above all mere partisan considerations.
RevivinG Sectional Hate.
Mr.. Bryan and many of his supporters
are trying TO combine the Gouth and west
against the north and east This is sec
tionalism-of which the rebellion was the
offspring. VIII you follow these guides
into dangerous paths, or will you not
rather follow Washington in browning
upon the first dawning of every attempt
10 ALLEVIATE one portion of Ger country from
tne rest, OF 10 enltcDle the tleS WnlCn now
link together the various parts?" Section
alism has become hateful TO most OF our
old adversaries in the south. who have
outsrown the asperities Of the war. and
are now as loyal 10 their united country
as any of US. Union veterans who fought |
for one union, one constitution and one |
destiny. can never favor any candidate or
party seeking TO array one section of our |
common country against another.
Silver Means Reputation.
Mr.. Bryan proposes TO pay all the cred |
itOrs of our government In silver. This |
Is liquidation. 1t would dsgrad and dis
grace us as a nation in the eyes of the |
whole world. Among the creditors OF the
nation are the pensioners If you consent
TO pay in dehased silver the bondholder
who lent his money to the government to
arm and feed and clothe tts troops YOU
consent at the same time 20 a reduction |
of ona-half of the pensions awarded to |
the war veterans, and 10 the widows and
orphans Of those who are not living. All
the creditors of the government must
stand or fall together. Many of you are
pensioners, or the friends Of widows and
orphans who are pensioners. Many of
You have deposited your savings in savings
banks. Most of YOU are toilers at the
p!oT. or in the workshop. = dependent on
SINAI! salaries, in public or private en-
ploNroeEt. To all so situated the payment
OF wages and pensions and YOUR savings, in
silver, not rcaeemablc In gold, as proposed
by Mp. Bryan ana his hybrid allies, would
involve severe losses and hardship. The
COS: Of all the necessar!cs of life would
BE- doubled, while the value OF the money
In which wages ard pensions would be
paiI would be reduced nearly one-half |
On ne other hand the farmers would not
be 3'retited, because they must sell their
prc!Uct5 for money worth only little
cnore than half its present value, based on
a gold standard. Every producer and
every workman would thus suffer. All
business would be leranged. Employment
would be difficult to find Wages would
advance very slowly. IL at all.
Washington vs.. Bryan.
Mr. Bryan assails the Obligations Of pub
lie and private contracts. He would not
pay me public creditors in the money they
have the legal and moral right 10 demand
and receive. This would destroy the pub
lie credit Mr. Bryan says the government
has no use for "redit-which Is foolish.
Washington, in his farewell address to his
countrymen. admonshed us to Cherish |
public credit, as 2ery important source Of
strength and security" Mr. Bryan would
lespoil the citizen of his right to recover !
what is due to him from his neighbor, &C !
cording to the tenor OF an obligation law
fully made. This would destroy confidence =,
between man and man. Public credit and c
national honor are inseparable. When r
our people cease to feel a patriotic pride in
The honor of their country they will surely
VSS a Jt9t StHSf VI personal HOnOT-anQ
when both of these sentiments are lost,
he nation is lost 4;
The constitution of the United States
ieclares that the validity of the public L
ieSt of the United States, authorized by y
aw, including debts incurred in payment
II pensions and bounties for services in
insurrection or rebellion, shall |
lot be questioned This pledge to all the 9
world is consecrated by al! the sacrifices
md suffering of the secession war We
must make II good.
The Attack on the Supreme Court.
Mr.. Bryan threatens TO reorganize the
highest court in the land 60 that its de-
isions shall satisfy the demands Of the
'opulists II elected he would make the ,
judicial department of tie government |
bcdient to his will. He would destroy the
of the courts of justice. r
This would overturn the framework OF
'ur constitution. This would be revolu-
lon I
Mr.. Bryan proposes that silver shall be {
he money Of the country There is no
lation in which silver is the STANDARD of
'alue where the wages paid for labor
re more than a fraction OF the wages paid !
o the American workmen Nobody I'M r
erstands the evils Of a deprecated cur :
ency better than the veteran soldier and !
anor, because they were paid during the
var in Iaper money not then redeemable
n gold. This was the best our government
ou!d DO for us during the war, and we 8
made no complaint. Often this paper ,
money was worth less than 10 cents on the
ollar, while the cost OF everything you l
ought was double. but your pay was not I
a.,
An Enemy of Order.
Mr.. Bryan denies the authority of the
resident and the courts of the United '
states 20 interfere with mobs. They may I
With ipnpunity disturb the peace, destroy I
and life. interrupt uavel between ,
he states and obstruct the United States
nails and interstate as we'll as foreign G
commerce, but the government must look !
n. powerless. helpless, paralyzed This .
3 moi rule-anarchy. 1t Is impossible to ,
Xaggcrate the gravity OF this issue. 1t L
eally overshadows all others, because It i
ouches the foundations o. social order I
nd civilization. This new doctrine Is ,
worse Than the I'D secession heresy you
ut down with your bayoncts. Let us ST.
ence the new heresy with orr ballots
While many veterans may not agree with 7
ONE o' Mai McKinley's political views.
re are oil. hope. far more Q
widely separated from the ruin /.
US policy OF his adversary We
eel as Stephen A. Douglas felt at the be-
inning of the war. when he gave his sup
ort to Lincoln. saying: "fiive me a coun-