The record-union., 1899-04-26
THE MODERN coPPERHEAD.

On several occasions the news dis
patches have intimated that powerful
american influences at the East were
Rt work to discourage our soldiers in
the Philippines, cripple the operations
of the army and defeat the purposes
of the Government. In other words,
that modern copperheads have lifted
their venonmous crests to hiss at the
nation and undermine the executive
power. We were 10th to believe these
stories, but latterly expressions on the
part of certain members of so-called
anti-expansion organizations have in
clined US to receive the rumors with
some credit
This fear, for We confess that it is
with shame and fear that we are
brought to such belief, is augmented by
the fact that certain organizations are
open and aggressive at the East in the
cultivation. of an antagonistic spirit
concerning the occupation of the Phil
1ppines by the United States. These
organizations have set up a literary
- 49, SeAo, AicNC great NGdlLIl dL
and are doing their utmost to build up
sentiment that will be so strong as
no compel the Government to recall our
troops and abandon the Philippines to
Aguinaldo, and his Malay followers,
over whose heroism, woes and demands
TO be admitted to the iooting of Manila
these American sentimentalists shed
copious tears
We now have advices from General
Otis to the Washington authorities saw
ing that one of the regiments in Luzon
received kilograms recently reading:
Don't enlist, boys" signed Commit
tee" while some Of the dispatches had
no signatures. This, says the General,
is the extent of this treasonable per
1ormance so far as he has knowledge
OF 1t. That is true, but who is to say
how much of this unpatriotic literature
IS being sent to the troops by mail,
such as that which is flooding the coun-
try on this side of the water? Who
mas such interest in this work as to
expend large means to defeat the Gov
ernment?
1t IS first duty of the Washington
authorities to ascertain If any Ameri-
can is giving aid and comfort to the
enemy, either by direct contribution to
the arms Of Aguinaldo, or by discour-
aging our soldiers, which amounts to
the same thing. The Government ought
TO go to the bottom of this matter.
probe the doings of these domestic enc
ihies' mold forth the traitors, whoever
they may be, and mete out to them
the punishment due to the treasona Bile.
NO one would for moment contend
that there should be any limitations
upon free criticism upon the Cavern
inent and its administrators No one
would even suggest the idea Of de-
prlvlng any body Of citizens of the
flght to openly oppose the Government
po1cy Of retaining the Philippines nor
seek to put a bit in the mouth of anv
anu-expansionist as long as there is no
attempt to traitorously and treasonablv
defeat the Government by secretly or
openly giving aid and comfort to the
nations foes, or to compass the defeat
of our arms
but as far as the modern copperhead
is concerned-the man who would at
tain his ends in the blood of a BETRAYED
soldaery; who would give succor, ma
terla4 or moral. to the insurgents; who
would conspire to turn our soldiers
against the Government and stir up
olscontent and rebellion among them
there is no punishment that is ade-
quate' no condemnation too severe.