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Letter to Editor
June 27, 1865
The Evening Argus
Rock Island, Rock Island County County, Illinois
What is this article about?
In a letter dated June 25, 1865, from Berlin, L. Shaw withdraws a previously submitted article about a soldiers' reception and dinner, citing abolitionists' secession from the union due to fanaticism and their refusal to collaborate with Democrats, leading to disorganization and political interference.
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OCR Quality
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Full Text
NO CELEBRATION AT BERLIN.
Berlin, June 25, 1865.
Col. Danforth, Sir—I sent an article to you for publication concerning a soldiers' reception and free dinner, to be given at Berlin, which you very kindly published and for which I am under many obligations to you; but I hereby withdraw the same, on account of the abolition party seceding from the union and for no other reason than abolition fanaticism. The abolitionists in this vicinity have carried politics to such an extent that there cannot be a public matter of any kind spoken of which will take among them without it is headed with abolitionism or gotten up by their set. The reception dinner was spoken of by myself and others, several times, but no one would take hold of it until Mr. Wm. Rhodenbaugh (a soldier from the memorable old 27th who served out his three years and has marked on his discharge papers 16 battles in which he took part), in connection with myself, set ourselves to work and called a meeting. The abs didn't come because, as they said, we were "copperheads." We then called another meeting and just enough abs attended to appoint one for themselves. Seeing that the democrats were bound to give the soldiers a dinner (which the abs were not willing to do) they thought it would look bad for them not to do anything, so, being the strongest, they gathered together (in the dark, of course) and laid their treacherous plans to set aside all that had been done, saying, at the same time, that "they guessed they could do something without the Shaws or any other copperheads at the head of it." Well, what did it amount to? Why, they held their meeting, all the abs went, of course, and there they quarrelled and parleyed for a long time and done little or nothing in the form of business, simply because they had not sense enough to do business. I would just say that if they must call us "copperheads," that "the Shaws" and others referred to, don't ask any boot of the abs who would not come to a meeting called by the Shaws and others for the benefit of the soldiers,
L. SHAW.
Berlin, June 25, 1865.
Col. Danforth, Sir—I sent an article to you for publication concerning a soldiers' reception and free dinner, to be given at Berlin, which you very kindly published and for which I am under many obligations to you; but I hereby withdraw the same, on account of the abolition party seceding from the union and for no other reason than abolition fanaticism. The abolitionists in this vicinity have carried politics to such an extent that there cannot be a public matter of any kind spoken of which will take among them without it is headed with abolitionism or gotten up by their set. The reception dinner was spoken of by myself and others, several times, but no one would take hold of it until Mr. Wm. Rhodenbaugh (a soldier from the memorable old 27th who served out his three years and has marked on his discharge papers 16 battles in which he took part), in connection with myself, set ourselves to work and called a meeting. The abs didn't come because, as they said, we were "copperheads." We then called another meeting and just enough abs attended to appoint one for themselves. Seeing that the democrats were bound to give the soldiers a dinner (which the abs were not willing to do) they thought it would look bad for them not to do anything, so, being the strongest, they gathered together (in the dark, of course) and laid their treacherous plans to set aside all that had been done, saying, at the same time, that "they guessed they could do something without the Shaws or any other copperheads at the head of it." Well, what did it amount to? Why, they held their meeting, all the abs went, of course, and there they quarrelled and parleyed for a long time and done little or nothing in the form of business, simply because they had not sense enough to do business. I would just say that if they must call us "copperheads," that "the Shaws" and others referred to, don't ask any boot of the abs who would not come to a meeting called by the Shaws and others for the benefit of the soldiers,
L. SHAW.
What sub-type of article is it?
Political
Persuasive
Provocative
What themes does it cover?
Politics
Military War
What keywords are associated?
Soldiers Reception
Abolitionists
Democrats
Copperheads
Civil War Veterans
Political Fanaticism
Berlin Celebration
What entities or persons were involved?
L. Shaw
Col. Danforth
Letter to Editor Details
Author
L. Shaw
Recipient
Col. Danforth
Main Argument
the article on the soldiers' reception and dinner is withdrawn because abolitionists seceded from the joint effort due to political fanaticism, refused to cooperate with democrats labeled as 'copperheads,' and disorganized the event through their interference.
Notable Details
Mr. Wm. Rhodenbaugh, Soldier From 27th Regiment, 16 Battles
Abolitionists Called 'Abs'
Democrats Called 'Copperheads'
Meetings Held But Abolitionists Quarreled And Accomplished Little