The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-01-18
Democratic Sentiment.

ther cnoice extracts to next week.
Democratic Sentiment.
When, IN April last the present civil
: war was initiated by the bombardment of
Fort Sumpter, and it became manifest that
a terri idle conflict alone could save the
Government, the loyal people and press,
and more particularly the republican and
abolition portion, manifested a deep anxiety
that all party differences should be drop
ped at the North, and that a united front
should be presented against the rebellion
The democracy accepted the proposition
with single reservation, and that was
expressed in the Crittenden resolution
that the war should be waged solely for
the maintenance of the Constitution and
the preservation of the Union. The Presi
dent and Secretaries Cameron, Smith and
Seward signiiied openly their approval of
such an announcement of the object of
the war, and Congress endorsed it by a
nearly unanimous vote.
On such a basis, (the democracy tacitly
! agreeing for the nonce to drop all discus
/ sion of the causes of the war, or 10 reproach
/ the party in power with needlessly bring
ing it on,) there could no longer have
been two parties in the North On the
question of supporting the government in
vigorous measures 10 suppress the rebel
/ lion And for while there we're no par
ties. 1t is true, the democracy, having
oh Eaan M ~ I'd lu,szi r.,
/ the constitution, could see no reason why
they should drop their organization and
( ignore all these other principles, having
no reference 10 the war, on which they
differed with their opponents; but they
held those in obeyance, and cordially sup
! ported both at the ballot box and on the
tented field, the war measures of the Ad-
| ministration.
! 1t is not to be disguised, however, that
at the very outbreak of the war, there was
a strong clement in the republican party
that secuted the tacit understanding as to
| the object Of the war to which we have
! alluded, and this element has been gain
! ing strength in that party, until at present
{ IL - ittit's iAS9N'Ca4 Az '-iN'.-NA
it Is dominant there or not This is the
abolition element that class of politicians
who desire TO make this war against
slavery-a war not to restore the constitu-
ton and the Union, but to break down
and reconstruct. In point of fact, so far
as disloyalty TO the present constitution
and Union are concerned, their objects are
identical with those of the secessionists.-
Both alike desire the destruction of the
present Constitution and Union-both
alike desire the erection on their ruin of
a new governmental fabric.
1t is rot surprising, therefore, in this
view of the case that the democratic party,
meeting in their customary State conven-
tons, should take occasion pointedly to
remind their political opponents of the
tacit understanding on which they agreed
to support the war measure of the Admin
istration, and to warn them that depart
ure from that basis may inyolve-not a
desertion Of the cause of the Constitution
and the Union on the part of the demo
cracy-nut at least vigorous effort, and
one they believe can easily be compassed,
Of wrestling from the hands OF those who
now hold the reins Of power the ability to
pervert this war from its legitimate objects,
and to substitute leaders who are attached
to the Union and will strive to uphold the
Constitution.
+ 1t is with such an understanding, that
we can appreciate the force of the resolu- !
tions recently adopted by the State Con-
vention of the democracy of Indiana The |
late elections have demonstrated beyond |
cayl that the democracy are largely in
the majority i'll that State; yet no State
not even Illinois-has exhibited more |
promptness and vigor in sending soldiers !
into the field to suppress the rebellion. |
Nevertheless, the conservative people of
that noble STATE have spoken with no
double tongue to our abolition would be |
rulers Those resolutions speak to tnem /
this pointed language:
That we have lost confidence in YOU
and believe the restoration of the demo
cracy to power alone can preserve the
Union that this war was caused by slavery
agitation, and that it can never end until
that agitation ceases that had you shown
the same anxiety to avoid this war year
ago that you recently exhibited to avoid a
war with England, peace and harmony
would now reign; that your Northern sec
tionalism and Southern secessionism are
twin herisies; that your propositions to free
the slaves, to arm the negroes, to subjugate
the South, to suppress free speech and
suspend the writ of habeas corpus in loyal
States, and the enormous frauds commit.
ted under your rule,-all 90 to demonstrate
your want of fealty to the Constitution as ,
it is, and your inability to conduct the
through its present difficulties.
Such is the language of Indana,-but
not of Indiana alone. About the same
time the democracy of New Hampshire 8
met in convention, and their resolu- ]
tons speak the same language-denounc- /,