Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1861-06-22
Now and Then

measures and principles. Let us take two
or three of the more obstrusive anomalies
of the present civil war in illustration TO
our argument.
Who expected for instance, to see, nine
ty days ago, such "Happy Family as
the political friends and antagonists of Mr.
Lincoln exhibit, at this time, in their
march, shoulder to shoulder, to fight for
the integrity of the Union.
Who ever expected to see the New York
Tribune, tho Republican organ, which, in
July 1854, published poem addressed to
the "Star Spangled Banner" commencing;
"Tear down the Haunting lie!
Half mast the starry fag!'
and vigorously cried out, "Let the Union
slide !" who ever expected to see it bat
tling side by side, as it does now, with
democratic journals for an "unbroken Un-
ion," denouncing all disunionists as "trai-
tors at heart," and applauding the order of
John A. Dix, the great Democratic leader
of New York, to shoot on the spot any
man who dares to haul down the American
flag.
Who would have anticipated thirty days
ago that President Lincoln, Cameron, and
the head Of the government, could admit a
negro to be property" in any sense,
North or South And yet, what hosannas
are still being sung by the Abolition Re-
publican party over the decision of General
Butler, at Fortress Monroe, which pro.
nounces the fugitive slaves of men in arms
against the federal government nothing but
"chattels,' goods, possessions, like bar
rel of -four or box of rifles, and as such
"contraband of war; forfeited by the en-.
emy
Who would think, judging from the sem
timents now held by the present head of
the National Administration, Abraham
Lincoln, that he on January ~, ls4s, as
may be seen by referring to Appendix Con.
Globe, lst Session 3Oth Congress, page "a,
had used tho following emphatic language
in advocacy of the right of secession and
revolution
"Any people, anywhere, being inclined
and having the power, have right to rise
up and shake off the existing government
and form new one that suits them better.
This is most valuable, most sacred
right-a right which we hope and believe,
is to liberate the world. Nor Is this right
confined to cases in which the whole people
of an existing government may choose to
exercise it. ANY portion of such people
that can, may revolutionize and make their
own Of so much of the territory as they
inhabit. More than this, majority of
any portion of such people may revolution
ize, putting down a minority, interminglcd
with, or near about them, who may oppose
their movements. 1t is quality of rev.
olutions not to 60 by old lines or old laws
but to break both and make new ones"
We do not state these things with view
to find fault with them, but merely to show
those Republicans hereabout who are so
ungenerous as to indulge in slang and
abuse of the Democratic party at this time,
charging them with sympathizing and en-
couraging the Secession movement of the
Southern States, of the record they them.
selves are possessed. We are not willing
that they should have full license to their
tongues, and lock upon ours. 1t looks
rather ominous to sec men who, only six
months back denounced the Democratic
Union men, calling them "Union Savers"
&c., and now claim to be the only simon
pure Union men themselves.
The Democratic party has always op.
posed secession. They did SO when Hart
ford Conventionists coneocted the first trea-
sonable scheme of secession in NewEngland
and threatened to bring the head of Pres
ident Madison to the block. They did it
when Massachusetts, voted herself out OF
the Union because of the annexation Of
Texas. And they did the same when
South Carolina and other Confederate States
raised the standard of rebellion against
tho laws of the Union. 1t has been our
effort, and of the party, to perpetuate this
glorious Union, with all its benefits and
blessings, in the true spirit which actuatcd
our fathers in its foundation The South.
ern States were loath to break the compact
with their brethren of the North They
had seen party rising to the height Of
power, which put forth as one of their
ruling principles the dogma that no South
ern man should be permitted to carry with
him into the common Territory of the
Union his slave property. They believed
that if this dogma was to rule, their rights
we're tramplcd upon. They had seen some
sixty members of Congress, of the Repub