The Fargo forum and daily republican. [volume] (Fargo, N.D.) 1894-1957, 1917-09-27
LINCOLN AND AGITAToRs.

self on a point that is very much
alive in the United States during
the present crisis. 1t is that Of pre-
tended loyalty. while at the same
time the pretenders bitterly
criticize their government.
In the Civil war, America had its
copperheads, and finally enough OF
them got together in a Democratic
convention at Albany to adopt
resolutions pledging support to the
administration. and following such
pledge of loyalty with an extended
criticism Of the administration.
Must shoot a simple minded SOL
der boy who deserts, while l must
not touch a hair OF willy agitator
who induces him to desert. asks
President Lincoln. This is none the
less injurious when effected by get
ing a father. or brother. or friend in
to a public meeting, and there work.
ing upon his feelings till he is
persuaded to write the soldier boy
that he is fighting for a bad cause.
for a wicked administration Of a
contemplate government. too weak
to arrest and punish him If he should
desert.
The meat of President Lincoln's
answer, found in Nicolay Hays work
on Lincoln. Answer to Mr.. Corning
and Others, follows:
THE resolutions, as I understand
them, are receivable into two
propositions-first, the expression Of
a purpose to sustain the cause of
the Union. to secure peace through
victory, and to support the admins
tration in every constitutional and
lawful measure, and, secondly,
a declaration of censure upon the
administration for supposed I'M
constitutional action. such as making
military arrests. And from the two
propositions a third is deduced.
which is that the gentlemen compos-
ing the meeting are resolved on do
ing their part to maintain our COM
mon government and country, despite
the folly or wickedness. as they may
conceive. of any administration.
90" The rebellion thus begun
soon ran into the present civil war;
and in certain respects, it began on
very unequal terms between the
parties. The insurgents had been
preparing for it for more than thirty
years, while the government had
taken no steps to resist them. The
! former had carefully considered all
the means which could be turned to
their account. Their SYM
I pathizers pervaded all departments
of the government and nearly all
(. communities Of people. From this
( material, under cover Of liberty OF
I speech, liberty Of the press, and
'habeas corpus, they hoped to keep
on foot amongst us a most efficient
corps Of spies, informers, supplierz
and aiders and abettors Of their
cause in a thousand ways.
a." The man who stands by
and says nothing when the peril of
I his government is discussed, cannot
be misunderstood. If not hindered,
he Is sure to help the enemy; much
I more If he talks ambIguously-talks
Of his country with butts, and Ifs
and 'ands'. ." It is asserted in
+ substance, that Mr.. Vallandighan
was. by a military commander, seized
and tried for no other reason than
words addressed to a public meeting
In criticism of the course of the
administration, and in condemnation
OF the military orders of the general.
Mr.. Vallandigham avows his
hostility to the war on the part of
the Union; and his arrest was made
because he was laboring, with some
effect, to prevent the raising of
troops, to encourage assertions from
the army, and to leave the rebellion
without adequate military force to
suppress it. understand the
meeting whose resolution / am con-
sidering to be in favor of suppress
ing the rebellion by military force
by armies. a" Must | shoot q.
simple minded soldier boy who
deserts, while ! must not touch a
hair of a willy agitator who induces
him to desert. This is none the less
injurious when effected by getting a
father, or brother, or friend into a.
public meeting, and there working
upon his feelings till he is persuaded
10 write the soldier boy that he is
lighting in bad cause. for a wicked
administration of contemplate
government, too weak to arrest and
punish him if he should desert.
think that in such case, to silence
the agitator and save the boy is not
only constitutional. but withal a
great mercy.
Nor am able to appreci-
ate the danger apprehendeG by the
meeting. that the American people
will by means OF military arrests
during the rebellion lose the right
Of public discussion. the liberty Of
speech and the press. the laws OF