Macomb Journal
The News
The news during the past week has been of a very cheering character. – Matters at Vicksburg are in such a shape that a very few days must witness its downfall. The army at that point is represented to be in good spirits and health, and anxious for the ball to open. Farragut’s fleet, with the exceptions of the Mississippi, had passed Port Hudson and arrived at Vicksburg. The rebel communications with the Red River region has been cut off. – The news from the Rappahannock is to the effect that the rebels are falling back from Fredericksburg, and being massed in the vicinity of Richmond. – The rebel loss in the late Cavalry engagement was about 500.
Gen. Burnside has been assigned to the Department of the Ohio, with his headquarters at Cincinnatti.
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Come to Grief.
The editor of the Eagle has at last succeeded in suffering martyrdom. – Ever since the war broke out the Eagle has been panting for notoriety. It has preached treason in every possible shape, in hopes that the Government would suppress it, and thus add another to the list of “blessed martyrs” and secure its Copperhead editor a chance to make a show of himself as a victim of the Lincoln despotism. But thus far all efforts in that direction have been in vain. Uncle Sam has found plenty of larger game to bring down, consequently the Eagle’s desire to rise into notice and to share with Mahoney the sympathies of the Copperhead fraternity, has been ungratified. But Abbott is determined not to be satisfied without some one will kick him, and being a member of the Presbyterian Church, he proceeds to make himself a nuisance to that extent that the Church kicks him out, whereupon he turns around and announces himself through the Eagle as a “blessed martyr,” and calls upon the unterrified to fall down and worship him, and we suppose they will do it. Had the Government laid its hand upon Abbott and put him in a “Lincoln Bastile” for a few weeks, it would have entitled him to a nomination for Congress at least. But the martyrdom in the present case being less in degree, we suppose a nomination for Pound Master will be a suitable reward. We understand that the charge upon which Abbott was tried before the Church was for slandering another member of the Church, but judging from the Eagle, it was for being a Democrat. We know nothing of the merits of the case, but the only wonder we can see in the matter is that the Church had not turned him out long ago, for as a general thing Copperheadism and Presbyterianism don’t mix well together anyhow. But in Abbott’s case policies had nothing to do with it, for there were too many other charges that could be substituted to require a resort to political prejudice.
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A Panic.
Quite a panic has been caused among the speculators in gold by the recent decline in the price of gold. In New York yesterday, gold went down to 35 per cent. This is caused by the strong confidence of the people in the ability of the Government to put down rebellion. The panic is of course confined to those who have been speculating upon the country’s troubles, and the masses will have but little pity if they should get their fingers badly burnt.
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The Definition of a Copperhead. – At a dinner party given in New York, in 1775, says the Evening Post, a gentleman of considerable notoriety as a wit, was asked, “Pray, what is a Tory?” He replied, A “Tory is a creature whose head is in England, while his body is in America, and I think the two parts ought to be joined by stretching the neck.” We have still persons among us not unlike this description of the Tory, whose heads are in Richmond, while their bodies are in New York, and though we might not recommend the old revolutionary wit’s plan of bringing the two parts together by stretching the intervening membranes, we should certainly not object to seeing the body sent where the head is.
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Musical Convention. – There is to be a Grand Musical Convention, held at the Universalist Church, in this city, commencing on Tuesday, the 7th of April, and continue three days to close with a Grand Concert. The Convention will be held under the direction of Mr. L. B. Miller, of Galesburg, assisted by Miss Libbie E. Tucker, Pianist. Arrangements have been made to entertain as guests all singers from abroad. Let the lovers of music be on hand as the occasion will be an interesting one.
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Brighter Prospects.
The prospects of a speedy downfall of the rebellion and the restoration of peace to our distracted nation were never brighter than at present time. – The disposal of our forces in the field is of such a character that failure when an advance is commenced can hardly occur. The rebels are becoming completely disheartened – they see that every month that passes only leaves their cause more hopeless, while the Government is daily becoming stronger. But the most cheering prospect of all is, the great uprising of the Union people all over the North. Great Union meetings are being held in all parts of the North, irrespective of party, and a strong determination is evinced by the people to maintain the Government at all hazzards. Immediately after the fall of Fort Sumter, the people of the North were united in favor of a vigorous prosecution of the war. Then came the great reaction, and for a time it seemed that Copperheadism was the order of the day. Now again the people are united, and the Government should improve the opportunity to crush out the rebellion. There has been a great change for the better in the last month. The patriotic masses are rising in their power, and are determined to crush out rebels in the South and their more guilty sympathizers in the North. – Thank God, there is patriotism and virtue enough left in the people yet to save the country and punish traitors.
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Extracts from Army Correspondence.
The large number of letters received from the Army makes it impossible for us to publish one half of them. We shall, however, from week to week, publish short extracts, showing the sentiments and views of the soldiers, the first extract we publish this week is from an officer of the 78th Regiment who is well known in this city.
Long before you get this, you will doubtless have heard by telegraph the result of the expedition sent out from here against Van Dorn. We were again very fortunate in being left behind, for had we gone it would have been under Gilbert, and we, like all the rest, would have been compelled to leave our tents behind, and it rains all the time, and is mud, mud everywhere. Oh, it is awful weather to soldier without tents or rubber blankets – the men are never dry from one week’s end to another, and then it is so cold that they must suffer intolerably. Even here, where we have tents and fires, more than half our men are sick from the effects of the bad weather; but how [obscured] march all day until they are half dead, and then lay down in the mud, without shelter, and be rained on all night. – People at home know very little of the hardships of soldiers. And yet, the hardest part of it all is, after willingly and patriotically suffering thus, to know that there are so many left at home who are using all their energies to undo what we do, to neutralize all our efforts and render abortive all our labor and suffering. You may depend upon it, a day of retribution is coming. There is not a Democrat in the army of the Cumberland, that I have seen or heard of, but what would gladly hold an expedition [obscured] to go back and clean out the whole litter of vipers that thus seek to plant their venomous fangs in the heart of the Republic. In our Regiment, Democrats are quite as bitter in their denunciations of these home-traitors as are Republicans, and scorn their efforts to carry the north-west out of the Union as much as the rest of us.
From the 16th Regiment.
The following is from a soldier of the 16th Regiment:
People of Illinois, who proclaimed at the commencement of this campaign that the Union must be preserved intact, and have sent forth your sons to do battle for its perpetuation, and have poured out your treasure as copiously as the blood of your braves flowed at Donelson, Shiloh, Corinth, Stone Prairie, the appeal to you for support, and to cheer up our struggling soldiers, and to leave those copperheads in our rear, so that they cannot barter away our rights as freemen and not make political Capital at the expense of our men now doing battle for their country.
But the rift that so long seemed to dampen the ardor of the people is fast disappearing, and the soldiers of the army of the Cumberland are highly gratified and encouraged to receive so many tokens of sympathy and esteem for their past conduct, from the people and loyal press of their country. Your large Union Meetings held all over the North, and the language of your newspapers, tell us plainly that we shall be supported, and our petitions shall not be in vain.
After this outburst of enthusiasm of the cowardly knaves and copperheads of the North who have prayed for English intervention, and French mediation, and whose only employment is the abuse of the Administration and the soldiers composing the Union army, should crawl back to the foul holes of pollution, and there eke out their miserable existence.
Captain Rowe returned from a visit on leave of absence granted on account of a wound received in a skirmish in November last with John Morgan’s men at this post. The Capt. is now well and ready to meet the foe at close quarters. With the Captain came a great many nice presents of socks and various other substantial articles from the good folks of Macomb and Colchester, and for which they will accept a soldier’s thanks; for they came at a time they were badly needed.
The following extract is from a letter from a private soldier of the 119th Reg. Illinois, stationed at Humboldt, Tennessee. The letter was written in reply to a letter asking the opinion of the soldiers in regard to the Proclamation and the prosecution of the war. – He says:
“I received a letter the other day from near home, which I thought was badly tinctured, but written in a sly manner, rather, I think, to find out my views in regard to the Proclamation. – I gave him my opinion very plainly. I am for the prosecution of the war, as long as a rebel is to be found, let it cost what it may, and if necessary arm the slaves as fast as we can get them, and I believe this is now necessary. I wish we had one hundred thousand of them in the field to-day. I am for the Union right or wrong, and if necessary am ready to die for it.”
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Railrod Accident.
The night Express train which was due here at ten o’clock on Saturday night last, was thrown from the track by the breaking of an axle, near Malden Station. The Express and Mail car was thrown into a ditch where the water was about five feet deep. The mail agent, John M. Daly, was in the car and had a very narrow escape from drowning. The mail bags were completely submerged in the water and the matter was so badly saturated that much of it could not be identified and will be a loss to the owners. The accident was unavoidable and no blame is attached to the persons in charge of the train. Fortunately none of the passenger cars were thrown from the track.
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Fire. – On Monday last our citizens were startled by the cry of “Fire! Fire!” This cry, so uncommon in our streets, got up quite an excitement, and men could be seen running from every direction with buckets, axes, &c. The fire was in the dwelling house of John L. Henton, Esq., and caught between the ceiling and roof from an imperfect flue. A hole was cut through the roof, and the fire was speedily extinguished. Talk about fire companies, steam fire engines and hook and ladder companies, why, they are nowhere by the side of the Macomb volunteer fire extinguishers.
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Presbytery. – The Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church has been in session in this city for a few days past. We understand that the attendance was large and the utmost harmony prevailed during the entire session. The pulpits of the several churches were filled by delegates to the Presbytery on Sabbath.
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An Apology. – This week the Journal appears on paper much smaller than usual. The reduction however is only temporary. We ordered paper from Quincy on Saturday last, but for some reason it has failed to reach us, therefore we were obliged to purchase of the Eagle. We shall be all right next week.
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Temperance Association. – The McDonough County Good Templars Association will hold its next quarterly meeting at Campbell’s Hall, in this city, commencing on Wednesday, the 1st day of April, at 10 o’clock, a.m., and continuing two days. It is hoped that the different lodges in the county will be well represented. We understand that a public meeting will be held on one evening during the session.
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Circuit Court. – Circuit Court adjourned on Monday evening last, having conducted a large amount of business. The number of cases was small but many of them were of a pretty difficult character. Judge Higbee, however, is noted for transacting a large amount of business in a short space of time.
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SERVED HIM RIGHT. – The Superintendent of common Schools for Benton county, in this State, after due and public investigation, on the 7th inst., revoked the certificate of a teacher of Harrison township in that county, named Allen, for uttering and inculcating disloyal and traitorous sentiments among his pupils, and generally elsewhere. The charge was fully proved, and the Superintendent held that it was his duty to withdraw the certificate, which authorized the employment of the defendant as a teacher in the public schools of the county. We don’t know whether or not the decision is constitutional; but we are certain that it was sensible and patriotic. The disloyal should not only be spurned from our public schools but from every other public employment. If they want office let them go down to Dixie among other traitors. Burlington (Iowa) Hawkeye.
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Township Meetings.
The Unconditional Union men of each township are requested to meet at their respective voting places, on Saturday, March 28th, 1863, at 2 o’clock, p.m., for the purpose of nominating suitable candidates for town offices. It is hoped and expected that the voters of each township will be in attendance promptly at the hour named.
By Order of the Committee.
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Union Meeting at Bardolph.
We understand that there will be a Union Meeting held at Bardolph on Monday next, at one o’clock, p.m. – Rev. Mr. Worrell, of Prairie City, will address the meeting. This is a move in the right direction, and one that we [obscured] will be imitated in every township in the County. Let the Union men in the vicinity of Bardolph turn out in en masse. Mr. Worrell, we understand, is a fine speaker, and the occasion we doubt not will be of great interest.
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That Affray. – The Eagle in its account of the Chrisman affair last week, throws the whole blame upon the City Marshal. Any person unacquainted with the parties to read the Eagle account of the matter would get the idea that Chrisman was a perfect gentleman and the City Marshal a perfect ruffian. We don’t know but the Eagle will gain in the end by sustaining such men as Chrisman in resisting officers, but we don’t believe it. There is a strong disposition upon the part of many Democrats to make party matters of such occurrences, and to make the party responsible for such acts upon the part of Chrisman. But we are glad to know that the better portion of the party disclaim all such proceedings. The fact of the business is, that [obscured] moment it is understood by such men as Chrisman that there is a party ready to back them up right or wrong, that moment the peace of the city is at an end. There is no circumstances which we can conceive of that would justify a man of resisting a civil officer. If Chrisman was violating the laws of the city he ought to have admitted to arrest peaceably. If he was not guilty of violation he had a remedy without the use of deadly weapons. Every good citizen is in favor of enforcing the laws, whether against Democrats or Republicans.
The Eagle and The Journal 