2

Is It True.

A correspondent of the St. Louis Republican writes from Cairo on the 24th, as follows:
The expedition on the City of Alton, on its return, stopped at Thebes, formerly the county sent of this (Alexander) county, and arrested Judge L. L. Lightner, one of the oldest and most respectable citizens of the county, and several other gentlemen. They were released after taking the usual oath of allegiance. Judge Lightner is an old man, and it was necessary to carry him to the boat. He is a sound Union man, and his loyalty has never been questioned by any decent man. For many years he has held offices of honor and trust in the county, and up to a late period, was collector of the port at Cairo.

It seems that the "spotting" business was performed by a man named Clark, now in the army, who had a private cause of quarrel with certain citizens of Thebes, and furnished a list of their names as secessionists. This man Clark, some time since, endeavored to raise a company at Thebes, but could get no one to join him, on account of his personal unpopularity. The people of Thebes formed a company, pledged to sustain the Union and to enlist for the war if necessary, whereas "Captain" Clark took offense, and took this mode of venting his petty spite. It is, to say the least, a shame that respectable and loyal citizens should be placed under suspicion, and unwarrantably arrested, on the mere say so of some individual who has a private grudge to gratify. Is there anything left of the constitution of the state of Illinois, or of that other instrument, for which we are supposed to be fighting, the constitution of the United States?

In times of public trouble rascals are apt to vent their malice upon honest men, under color of a loyalty which they would throw off at any moment, if it would pay. It behooves the military authorities about Cairo to look well after such people, and see that they are meted their reward for their malicious efforts.