Who can doubt that the old fire of the old Revolution still burns in the hearts of the people? From Maine to Minnesota, the sons of ’76 are rising as one man, with a prayer to the God of battles on their lips, and a clear eye on the barrels of their rifles. The changers of money have forgotten their calling, and opened their coffers to their country’s call. The bulls and bears of Wall street have ceased worrying each other, and all fallen to worrying the enemies of their flag. Political parties have vanished in the twinkling of an eye. Miracles are wrought every hour, and yet we have ceased to be astonished. Pro patria is on every lip. The Stars and Stripes float on every corner, and in every eye. The hatred of treason burns deep in every heart. America is safe in the hands of her mighty people. Thank God for giving us a Constitution and a government which makes such MEN!
The traitors and ingrates have sneered their last at the Puritans. They have called us psalm-singing cowards the last time for one century. They have sworn that a Yankee would sell his soul twenty times for twenty dollars—they swear it no more. They have boasted their ability to drive us, one man for five, on any field, in any kind of fight. They boast it no more forever. They are now going to meet the despised and insulted Northerners where blood will flow, and blood will tell. Let us see who will be the last in putting the harness off. History shows not the page where the hated Puritans turned their backs on the foe. It is recorded of them that they always rejoiced greatly when they beheld the enemy. It is recorded that they cleared England of traitors and the Netherlands of Spaniards. It is recorded that they delivered New England and New York of red-coats, and sent a Rhode Island blacksmith to deliver South Carolina of tories. It is recorded that they fear God, but fear no-man—that they endure much for the sake of peace and good will towards all the world, but that when their minds are made up, their prayers offered to the Almighty and their enemies shown them in battle array, like giants of old they crush everything in their path. Through what discouragements, and against what odds, they conquered In Kansas we need not tell. We need not recall these things; they are patent to all the world. It only remains for the parricides, to test again the integrity the blood which has wrought these things. They will learn a lesson by experience which history has failed to teach them.
Chicago Daily Tribune, Chicago, IL