Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1861-08-15

ces both acts equally guilty. To defeat the
Democratic partyi thus pronounced as grave
crime as rebellion, and the destruction of
the country. That is the true Democratic
idea, strong in death.
To the Democratic party belongs the eter-
nal infamy of introducing treachery into the
Administration, compared with which that
of Benedict Arnold was, yenia treachery
entirely unparalleled in history, which pre-
pared the South for revolt, by placing the
arms, forts and money ofthe Government
in its power, and b. stripping the Nation of
its means ofdefenso; which sont its ships to
distant seas, its army to distant posts under
command of traitors, to be delivered up to
the rebellion, and which kept the Govern
ment helpless and inactive before the rebel
lion until it spread into war which covers
half the nation and yet q Democratic Con-
vention has the assurance to say that that
party is not responsible for the war.
The second resolution declares that the war
should not be waged for conquest or subju-
cation. What are we to do with the rebels
five do not subjugate them? Are not our
soldiers to shoot them in battle? That is
pretty effectual conquest Are they not To-
compel them to lay down their arms and
submit to the laws2 That is effectual SUBJ
jugation. If there is any thing short of this
| W w uohVt VIC llhC " huOW WudU IL
is and we suspect that the Democratic Con-
vention, in its anxiety to use words without
meaning, talked twaddle.
The third resolution recommends to the
Legislatures of the several States to call
National Convention to settle our difficulties
and restore the Union. The Government is
engaged in war for its preservation. The
whole South is in arms threatening our safety,
and yet the Democratic Convention of Ohio
proposes to open communications with the
enemy outside the authority of the Govern
ment, and to bring delegates from an enemy
in arms and assuming to be separate and
hostile nation into Convention to dictate
terms to this Government. We see no NOR
al difference between this proposition and
any other holding communication with an
enemy in war, although it is an offense pun
ishable with death by the laws Of war
The resolution charging corruption and
extravaganza upon the War Departments
of the State and National Governments, has
yet to be sustained by evidence. The charge
Of favorltism is positively untrue, unless it
means favoritism to Democrats. In regard
to our State administration. especially, there
has never been an instance in this Govern.
lnent in which the. opposition have been
treated SO generously. in the dispensing of
appointments This is the case also in the
National Government, and if there is cor
ruption and extravaganza, the Democrats
have had their full share in it, To charge
tavoritlsm upon the State administration
after its apparent ignoring of all party lines
IN its war appointments, is mean return
for Its generosity to Democrats, and it shows
the difficulty the Convention had in making
out case tor party issue.
The resolution thanking the volunteers
and complaining ofincompetent officers is not
partisan. Democrats have furnished their
full share of the incompetency.
I The resolution in regard to the suspension
OF hdoeds corpus is not only untrue and abb
surd as declaration of constitutional law,
, but it is contrary to the whole history of the
Democratic party. That party always de-
Tended Jackson for his exercise of this power.
1t assumes to be Jefferson, yet Jefferson sus-
I tanned General Wilkinson in exercising this
power, even in u case of comparatively so
slight public danger as the Burr project
Furthermore, Congress neverdid exercise the
power, and in the nature of things cannot.
me resolutions are cunningly devised to
I aid the enemy as much as possible, while pre-
' tending qualified support Of the Govern
ment in the war. They are evidence that
the Convention regarded the sentiment of
The people as. unanimous for sustaining the
Government and prosecuting the war to the
suppression OF the rebellion, therefore it
trimmed it's sails so as to catch the popular
breeze while trying to make head against it.
This Convention did not touch the issue
before the country. 1t assumed to be un-
A conscious that in the South more than two
hundred thousand men are in arms, and
q every able bodied man, black and white be.
ing pressed into the service, all systematic
q ally insigated by their leaders to the most
fanatlcal hate and ferocity against our whole
: people,
Do the members of that Convention SUD.
pose that it through their treachery the
North should be crippled in its means of
! prosecuting the war, and subjected to sue
cesSive disasters, their lives, families and
property would be spared? .IIGT"
The whole Of the Confederate States are
controlled by an absolute military dospotism,
f which holds every man and woman and
every article of property subject to its use,
f and every mans liberty subject to its COM
mand, Can we expect any milder treatment
than they give to their own people, ifthrough
I our own folly, we should allow ourselves to
). be placed in their power?
al The Democratic Convention is fooling with
: destruction that, if their policy should be
carried out, would engulf their persons, prop.
erty and homes, the same as those of loyal
citizens. There never was rebellion man
, aged with such absolute despotsm and such
unscrupulous devotion of every life and
everything to its service. There never was
r a rebellion, even servile one, instigated by
e such hate and ferocty. Its insolence rises in
e proportion to our weakness and Inadequate
e preparation. There is but one alternative
: we must conquer it, or it will conquer us.
: And when they conquer u.s. the homes and
{ property of Democrats viii share the gener-
/ al fate Invasions make no nice distinctions.
/ Democrats compose half the loyal armies.
: The Democratic Convention may assume
I that we are divided people,, but in ths
, Southern view we are one, and we are one
in the burthens, labors and consequent
ces of this war, and we shall be one people
in consigning to future and eternal infamy
y all who, whether avowedly or insidously, arc
J false to their country in this hour.