The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1902-05-29
THE coPPERHEADs cF 1902.

The Department of Indiana, q. A. r.,
at its recent Annual Encampment, adopt
ed the following vigorous resolutions:
"Whereas certain citizens of the United
States are now criticising the conduct of
our comrades in-arms who are defending
the American flag and American institu-
tons in the Philippine Islands: and.
Whereas such conduct brings fresh to
our memory like criticism made by the
Copperheads If 1860 and 1865: and,
Whereas the veterans of the war for
the Union abhOr and despise all citizens
of the United States who refuse to sup
port our Government during war, and cam
not see wherein the Copperheads of 1898
to 1902 are less yenomous than their an
cestors: Therefore, be it
Resolved. That the survivors of the
war for the Union heartily approve the
conduct of the United States in the war
with Spain and the instruction in the
Philippine Islands, and that we hold in
seorn and contempt all citizens of the
United States who see fit to brand our sol
diers and their conduct as cruel and in
human
Such action by G. A. r. bodies is emf
nently right and proper. Every right
minded loyal citizen should Indignantly de-
nounce the effort being made to smrch the
the world. 1t requires but little thought
aud reasoning on the part of any man to
understand that the charges brought
against our soldiers in the Philippines are
malicious SANDERS utterly baseless of
truth. We all know the officers and sol
diers who are serving there, and calamity
maintaining the honor of the Flag and
the policy of the Government. For the
most part they are our own sons. They
are all Americans. They are flesh Of our
fiesh--bone and sinew are ours. They have
been brought up at the knees Of our wives,
taught in our schools and churches, re-
ccived from our own lips lessons as to
manhood. courage justice and mercy. 1t
is monstrous TO think FOR a moment that
these men should become the barbarians
that the Copperheads try to make out. 1t
is disgraceful to the last degree that they
Should be paraded to the world by our
own orators and editors as on a level with
brutal Cossacks, BashiBazouks and
MameIukcs.
We all know these attacks to be scoun-
drelly lies. which deserve the scorn and
denunciation OF all decent Americans.
Our soldiers in the Philippines are there
serving the country faithfully, CALAMITY
and patiently as we did in 1S6l-'G5. Pre-
cisely as we had then, they have difficult
ties, embarrassmcnts and desperate trials
that those Mt home know not Of. 1t is our
duty to STAN: by them as our loyal fathers
and mothers stood by us then. The Cop
perheads then charged rs with as foul
crimes AZ the modern C0pperhcads are al
lesing against our boys in the Philippines
But those who bred US knew us better.
and Loyalty supported us.
There is wicked cruelty in these at
tacks that is beyond characterization. The
highest reward of our boys in the Philip
pines is tic feeling that the people at
home understand and appreciate what
they are doing for the country. II was so
with us in 1876. and this feeling is part
of the lesson they have received from US
For this feeling of appreciation they arc
willing TO dare and do everything They
have really accomplished wonders. They
have encountered new and fntricd condi-
tons of appalling magnitude, and every
time met them with unfailing courage,
zeal. good sense and resourcefulness They
have done more for the real civilization of
the islands ia three years than Spain did
in four centuries. They have accomplish
ed incomparably more than any other
army entering an unknown and thckly
populated country ever did. There is no.
where the slightest stain on their uagnif-
cent soldiership. They are worthy sons Of
the men who put down the Great Rebel
lion. We should be immensely proud of
them and their great work.
The Copperheads who seek to befoul
their splendid record with manufactured
crimes and Fictitious outrages-who would
degrade the American soldier in the eyes
of the world. deserve the bitterest con
tempt of every risht-tiiuking American.