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A Military Despotism.

About a year ago "his excellency" Richard Yates, governor of Illinois, and the present most obedient servant of the Washington oligarchy, thus "stirred up" a friend in a neighboring county:

"If I could see you I could produce proof to show that a military despotism is imminent. I had read of such things in history, often, but did not know it was so simple a process before. The secessionists of the north and south, AND THE RULING POWERS AT WASHINGTON, (not Mr. Lincoln, poor coward,) are preparing to overrule and override freedom, the spirit of the age and God himself."

Gov. Yates saw, or thought he saw, the present state of things a year ago. He had not wholly lost his manhood — his sense of duty to his neighbors, to his state, or the obligations of his official oath, to say nothing of his professed devotion to the constitutional and natural rights of Illinoisans. Gov. Yates then saw what we thought we then saw, the encroaching hand of military despotism. Since then it has, in most ignoble manner, been laid upon a free people — upon the people of the native state of our stupendous, patriotic and far-seeing executive. Never a word do we have from him on the subject. He has since got a new idea — God, freedom, the spirit of the age, and all that sort of thing, are secondary. Richard wants to be vice president. In the name of every thing impudently stupid, why he does not seek to be president we cannot divine — except in this: Abraham wants a renewal of his inglorious lease, and both chief and vice cannot be decently asked from the same state. We suggest that it be made a "military necessity," when, successful, we know our advice will be asked as to the make-up of the cabinet!

As we have the "despotism" so clearly foreshadowed by our excellent governor a year ago, and as he has clearly shown his acquiescence in the "logic of events," we insist that he shall not be marred in his aspirations to be second in the continuance of that "despotism," if he can maintain it against the wish of the serpent tribe which continually besets him — the "copperhead."

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