Columbia Democrat and Bloomsburg general advertiser. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1850-1866, 1862-12-27
Republicanism.

That which is known in this country as
Republican, m, is essentially barbarous,
unchrstian and hostile to the liberties OF
the people. In nothing docs the cnligh.
tened civilization of the age, make more
distinct, undeniable and benefcent manifcs-
tation Of itself, than in the amolioration Of
the horrors of war. The savage murders
his prisoners, appropriates or destroys pri-
vato property, slaughters women and
children. This is barbarism and these are
the practices of barbarism. The law of
nations condemns and discards them all I;
and the history Of modern Europe affords
30 example of the infraction of national law
in any OF these respects. But Republican
ism has freted and chafcd, aud clamored,
through the press and pulpit, by speech
and resolution, for the adoption of each
and all of these barbarous resorts. Priva-
teers were to be treated as pirates; COM
mandiHg officers were to be dismissed and
dlsgraced for guarding rebel property, and
last and most diabolical of all, negro slaves
melted to insurrection, were to beset with
torch and brand upon the people of the
disloyal States
We cannot be mistaken in the assump-
ton that the spirit of the Gospel inculcates
peace on earth and good will to men. -
Indeed, so strongly did Christ rcprobato
all the causes which lead to strife, that
there arc numerous Christian scots COM
posed ofintelligent and conscientious men,
who believe that war is wholly unjustifable,
and never to be resorted to for any purpose
No p0t1, however, in this country has
assumed this extreme ground. But the
Democratic party have maintained tn at
it was better to compromse--that is, to
agree with our adversary while we we're in
the way with him than to precipitate the
nation into bloodshed. And when war
had become an appalling fact, that party
maintained that it should be prosecuted
with the view of maintaining the entegrity
of the constitution, and for no other pur.
pose, aud not for one day longer than was
necessary to eff,ct this object. Because of
these mOrderate views, they were etigmati.
zod by the Republican as 'sympathzers with
the rebels. War-not for the constitution
and the Union-not for peace--but war,
bloody, dcvasting, cruel remorscless war
tor Its own sake, has been the ant-christ-
ain policy aud purpose of Repubicanism,
as avowed by the opponents we have named
before.
The liberties Of the Amcrcaa people are
contained in their Constitution. But Re.
publicanism, has been in haste to destroy
that repository of our freedom. 1t has
been most eager to impose an absolute des-
potism upon the people. 1t has muzzled
the press; it has silenced free speech; it
has stificd opinion; it has imprisoned the
citizen without cause and against law; it
has suspended the great Writ of Liberty.
Indeed, it has, for the time being subverted
and de stroyed the public liberty.
Therefore, it is that we have asserted
that Ropublicanism is essentially barbarous
unchristian and hostile to the liberties OF
the people. This is historyi and thus it
will be written. This is the deliberate and
intelligent judgement, not only of an i'm.
partial world, which is looking on with
amazement but of the majority of the
people Of the very States in whose name,
and By whose usurpod authority, these
barbarous, unchristain and despotic words
and deeds are being exemplifed.