NEWS OF 150 YEARS AGO
November-December 1862
From The Missouri Democrat, Wednesday, December 10, 1862.
Military Arrest in Jerseyville, Ill.
[From the Alton Telegraph.]
We understand that there was quite a stir yesterday in Jerseyville, growing out of an attempt made by the commander of this post, to arrest the editor of the Jerseyville Democratic Union for disloyalty. This editor has for some months past been filling his paper with the vilest and most abusive epithets against the government, and denouncing the President as a worse traitor than Jeff. Davis.
Col. Hildebrandt—who by the way is a sound Democrat, of the Douglas stamp—has had his eye upon him for some time, and yesterday he dispatched a small posse of soldiers to arrest him and bring him to Alton. But we have been informed that, that valiant editor, considered in this instance that discretion was the better part of valor, gave them the slip, and the soldiers returned without being able to arrest him.
We are not fully advised as to the cause which will now be pursued in reference to the matter by the military, but we are satisfied that the authority of the Government will be vindicated by Col. Hildebrandt let the consequences be what it may. He has helped take care of rebels in Tennessee and will therefore know how to deal with them in Illinois.
We have been convinced for some time that this editor should either be confined in the Penitentiary or the insane asylum at Jacksonville, but it has not been so clear to our mind which of the two places he should grace with his presence.