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Infamous Abolition Outrage!
Within the past six months we have had to record outrages on popular rights, in almost every phase, by the minions of abolitionism, but the most daring and gross one which has yet been perpetrated, upon free speech, at least, disgraced the town of Lincoln, Logan county, last evening.
Mr. CHARLES A. KEYES, democratic candidate for the assembly, for [unknown] and Logan, was advertised to speak in Lincoln, last evening. An immense audience, male and female, assembled to hear him. He appeared upon the stand, and he had scarcely proceeded with his remarks two minutes, before he was interrupted by the cries, hisses and threats of personal violence of a company of soldiers, a portion of them armed, under the command of their captain, (the miscreant's name we have not learned.) Every effort, by cries, howls, hisses and personal abuse, was made by these men, except to lay their cowardly hands upon the resolute and determined democratic speaker, to drown his voice and prevent him from being heard; which conduct was continued throughout the speech, with occasional threats of violence. Mr. Keyes stood his ground, and concluded his remarks, when cries of "arrest him," "make him take the oath," "don't let him out," rung out on all sides, but not a coward of the miscreant crew ventured to initiate the work of personal violence.
So gross was this outrage so infamous was the conduct of these men, that they were deterred from further prosecuting, their infamous work with other democratic speakers, who were allowed to speak without interruption.
Now, the field officers of the regiment, which is located at Lincoln, were in the town, and must have known of the villainy which was going on in the court-house. Prominent, abolition leaders, including Mr. Sam, Parks, were present, and made no real effort to put a stop to the outrage.
In making this attempt on Mr. Keyes, these scoundrels "woke up the wrong passenger." He is not the man to submit tamely to infringement of his rights, personal or political, and the democracy of the district are well represented by him, in his determination to vindicate their rights, to "the bitter end."
We shall, probably, get a detailed account of this infamous abolition effort to brow-beat and terrify their opponents. These creatures may as well understand, at once, that such efforts will be resisted by democrats, if need be, by the strong arm of physical power. The Illinois democracy know their rights and have the capacity and will to maintain them.
Such outrages as we have recorded are a disgrace to the state and to the nation. The spirit which instigates them is what the people are now moving to crush out, and to drive from power those who, in official, or in private position, permit and foster them.
We want to know the scoundrel captain's name who led this outrage. We demand of Gov. Yates, a free people's servant, deputed to see that the laws are faithfully executed, and that no man, however humble, shall be shorn of his legal rights, and especially of the freeman's right of free speech, to bring the perpetrators of this outrage to punishment. It is the public right to demand it, and it is his duty to vindicate their right of redress.
Illinois freemen can see in this gross infamy at Lincoln where abolitionism is leading the country. Let them not fail, on the 4th November, to do their duty, and assist in saying the country from the reign of terror which threatens it, and that despotism which is the inevitable end of such outrages perpetrated with impunity.