Our Country Before Party

19 taken advantage of the absence of over one hundred thousand patriot soldiers to steal into power, are disgracing our State by their treasonable acts. I desire to thank these brave officers, who, knowing no party .save that for the Union, have adopted these resolutions, which meet my most hearty approval. Any man, or set of men, who, in times like these, when our Government is engaged in a deadly struggle for its existence, a struggle which involves not only the fate of free government in our own country,- but for all the world, would attempt to disgrace and prostitute the name of Democrat by organizing a party under that name to oppose the Government and divide and distract the people of the loyal States, are traitors, and much meaner than those in arms, who boldly and directly seek the destruction of the Government, for these pretended Democrats sneakingly and indirectly seek the same end by exciting prejudice against the Government and division among the people. Let these traitors of the Indiana Legislature, and the Copperheads, Butternuts, and K. G. C.’s throughout the State, who are giving aid, comfort and encouragement to armed treason in the South, read in the odium that has followed the memory of the Blue Light Federalists and Hartford Conventionists of 1812, something of the execration and detestation that will follow their memory down the stream of time. I join with my fellow soldiers' of the Union everywhere in warning these traitors at home that when we have crushed armed treason at the South and restored the sovereignty of the Government over .these misguided States, (which, under God, we surely will do,) we will upon our return, while our hands are in, also exterminate treason at the North, by arms, if deed be, and seal, by the blood of traitors, wherever found, the permanent peace of our country and the perpetuity of free government to all future generations. R. H. Milroy. We, the undersigned, Indiana officers at this place, most cordially subscribe to the sentiments expressed in the above letter of General Milroy. Mark L. Demotte, Captain and A. Q. M. Daniel Meeker, Division Surgeon. John 0. Or yens, A. D. C. Z. Baird, Captain and A. D. CThe brave soldiers of Ohio are responding to the soldiers of Indiana and Illinois ; and from our whole army there is but one sentiment of detestation for those men who talk peace, when they know there can be no peace until the rebel armies are conquered and destroyed. The people will soon respond to the sentiment which comes from the army, and the sympathisers with the rebels will find -themselves in the position of the cow-boys of the Revolution. The gallant and noble Ohio boys, now facing the enemy, and willing to endure all to save their country, say in their address to the people of Ohio, and which ought to be read by every man in the nation, as follows : Battle Field of Stone River, February 1. To the People of Ohio: The Ohio soldiers of the western army, your friends, brothers, and sons, address you from this field of renown in urgent entreaty, upon matters of such grave import to them and to the country, as to demand your calm and patient audience. Exiles from home for long, weary months, away from the petty strife of local politics, and the influence of selfish demagogues and party leaders, with the pure and steadfast faith in the holy cause of defending our Government, which brought us into the field, and has sustained us in perils, hardships, toils and exposures, which have scarcely a parallel in history, we feel none of the acrimonious bitterness that now enters into the ignoble contentions of home politics, and calmly view the condition of the country from that only true stand-point, the soldier’s and patriot’s devotion to the great Republic— once blessed of all nations. We ask, what means this wild, shameless party strife at home ? why any opposition to this wat of self-preservation ? why any but political demagogues should wish a severance of the Republic? wherefore a foolish cry for a cessation of hostilities on our part, to give time to the traitor rebels to strengthen their defences and discipline their armies? why should the brave, true men of

RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTM4ODY=