Year: 1864

uere ~ nlstOIy COnuoSV0u
with Charleston, in Coles county, Illinois,
which may be now recalled with profit,
and which il would be well for those in
tenscly loyal journals who so zealously
decry the loyalty Of Illinois, and for the
government at Washington, to remember
aud which explains this recent trouble in
most satisfactory manner-which shows
that it springs from that same spirit
which has so literally filled our ranks
from that State-whch has so gallantly
fought those many battles for the Union.
Let us recall that history:


just about one year ago, while Judge
Constable was holding the Circuit Court
in Charleston, squad Of soldiers under
the command of n petty officer forced
their way into the courthouse, seized the
judge, and dragged him from the bench
without moments notice, and hurried
him across the line into Indiana, where he
was detained in prison for several weeks,
whence he was at last sent back to Hi
nois and taken before United States Dis
trict Judge Treat, on writ of hdbeas
corpus, who, after hearing all the cvi-
dence, decided that there was not the
least ground for the original arrest or for
his detention, and discharged him, after
animadverting severely upon this gross
outrage by the military upon the civil au-
thorities and the judicial tribunals of the
State.


1t was but natural that the citizens of
Coles county, Of all parties, should deeply
feel and resent the wanton indignity thus
offered to their neighbor and their Judge
for he is resident of Charleston. We
may well presume that this disgracoful
scene and outrage has been well remem-
bered by them, with the fixed determine
tion that it should never be re-enacted if
in their power TO prevent it. Now, again,
whilo Judge Constable is holding his
court MS before, another squad Of armed
soldiers break into the courthouse, with
no declared purpose, but, for aught that
appeared, with the design of again kid
mapping the Judge. Is it surprising that
resistance was made9 The same spirit
which prompts Illinoisans to hasten to
fill the ranks of the Union army to de-
fend and preserve the national Constitu-
tion would necessarily prompt them to de-
fend their own domestic institutions, their
courts of justice, against the repeated out
RACES of an armed and lawless soldiery.
A people who would tamelv submit to
such abuses would not show the alacrity
to risk their lives in their couutry's cause
which has been ever manifested in that
State. Who, then is responsible for this
breach of the peacel That question is
already answered.


Is it not too much to ask of brave men
that they even anticipate every call for
soldiers which this great emergency can
make upon them, and then demand that
they shall tamely submit to see their
Judges insulted and imprisoned, and their
judicial tribunals ruthlessly outraged and
Knocked? What must government OK
pect which allows, and even encourages,
its soldiers thus to trample down the
rights and Liberties of the citizens!


There may be bad men in Illinois;
there may be those there who sympathize
with the rebellion, and who would be
glad to see and produce n serious revolt
in the Northern States; and it is by such
conduct as this that such men are enabled
TO arouse the Indignation and work upon
the feelings of masses of loyal citizens,
and produce the calamitous results which
they desire. AS it was in the beginning
so it is now. The two extremes meet,
and thus they assist each other in their
common endeavors to destroy the Consti-
tuition and to overturn our government.
That the great mass of the citizens en-
gagged in this affair arc dcyotcdly loyal to
The Union, and jealous to suppress this
rebellion by force Of arms, no rational man
can doubt who is aware Of tho public SEN
timent in that State, or who has read the
testimony recorded in her gallant deeds.
These acts speak in louder, clearer, and
more convincing voice than the outcry of
all the abolition journals throughout the
land, who manifest such anxiety 10 con-
vince the world, and particularly the
South, that they have friends and sym
pathizers in the North, who, if they will
but hold out little longer will chectual-
ly enable them to accomplish their grand
object OF ,lisunion. These arc the pa
trlots who arrogate 10 themselves the spe
clal mission of saving the Union; who
with nnblushing cfIrontery decry the 10y
atty of half of Illinois. Out on such pa
triofisu, AZ " I'LL I'll r,L