The Portland daily press., 1862-07-15
The Doctors Disagree.

Ihe lIOct0fs D1sdSrces
The political ID. Ds, doctors of Democra-
cyl are far from agreeing in relation to their
pet schemes of fault-fnding, and the grounds
on which they assail the mode in which the
war is prosecuted for the suppression off re-
bellion and the restoration of the Union. Last
winter at Augusta, Mr. Gould labored through
seven mortal hours to oppose the majority of
the House of Representatives, contending at
all points that, under the "War power" of the
Government, the President could confiscate
slaves or anything else, and in fact, thathe could
do almost unlimited acts. So nearly omnip-
otent did the authority of the President APP
pear to Mr.. G., under the Var potver, that he
exclaimed, @Thank God that Abraham Lincoln
is an honest man ~ He was perfectly satisfied
with confscation of rebel property, slaves I'M
cluded, If it were done under the war pow
err" while he seemed to see only category of
horrors in doing the same thing by authority
of Congressional action.
Mr.. Bradbury of Eastport, was understood
to take the same view, for he emphatically en-
dorsed the entire speech ofMr. Gould, and thus
misrecollect, our esteemed fellow-citizen, Col
Sweat of this city, took very much the same
view, in the Senate.
But how does this "doctrine Of the fathers"
of the Maine Democracy stand in the blazing
light of Cooper Institute, under the illumina-
tons Of Fernando Wood and the Journal of
Commerce? Let one of the resolutions of than
recent great meeting, which the paper referred
to says "was without dispute one Of the grand
"est demonstrations ever made in the coun-
atry," answer:
Resolred, That in the proposition to erect a
War pouer above the Constitution for the
purpose of abolishing slavery by its means, we
find another plan to subyert the American sys-
tenn.
Thus differ those who talk so loud to prove
their loyalty, and their desires to put down re-
bellion, while finding fault with and carping at
almost every proposition or movement which
contemplates an effective blow. They would
encourage the President, support him in all
Constitutional measures to carry on the war,
but no matter rhdt he does, unless he will dis
criminate in favor of slavery and Shareholders,
and avoid collision with this Infamous system
of oppression, and put on rubbers every time
he kicks rebel, why then he don't act Con-
stitutionaiiyl We have no patience with such
quasi treason. They talk about "honest Old
Abe,r and extol him as against his Cabinet,
and prefer support Of him in his Constitution
al measures, but they mean anything but a
frank, manly and cordial support ola efficient
war policy. 1t is the sugar coating of rebel
restoratives-the kiss that DISCUSSES the knife
the velvety sheath Of a poisoned poignard,
We distrust all loyalty that begins or ends
with an "if"-we suspect all proflers OF aid to
the President, in an hour like the present, that
hinge ON "buts' and provisos. The country
demands the full heart of every Union-loving
man; no halfway or halfand-half sacrifices
Like woman's love, the country spurns all
reservations, and demands unconditional de-
votion, and regards all that falls short of this
as little better than open treason. He that is not
for the country-frst, last and all the time
beyond and independent of all condtions-is
opposed TO it.
In the remarks here submitted we express
no lack of confidence in the loyalty OF men
simply because they have their own peculiar
political notions, or because they have been
heretofore, or are now, democrats. No truer
men live than many who are found in the dem
ocratic rarfks, but their organizations are sadly
infected by reasonable atmosphere. God
forbid that we should utter a disparaging word
against men whose breasts are barred to the en-
emy's bayonets, and whose faces are blackened
with burning gunpowder and smeared with
blood. We are not the one to set any fires in
their rear. If they fight manfully in the field
we will fight as manfully to protect their hon
or and their good name. But for your mere
caucus warriors, the shallow-pated expound-
ers of Constitutional law, who win stop and
look up precedents before disarming rebel or
despoiling him of his property; who SO con-
descendingly propose to support the govern
ment If it will crawl on its knees before their
party gods; who profIer kid-glove support OF
the President if he will agree to steer the ship
Of State by their old faulty charts, and their
compass whose needle always points to the
Southern Cross instead of the North Star
with all such persons we have neither patience
nor sympathy. Let the country be sustained,
say We, though every party idol tumbles from
its pedestal, and though the last vestge of
negro-property be lost in eternal oblivion.