Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1862-05-23
WASHINGTON CoRRESPoNDENce
WASHINGTON, D. G. !
Nav 12. 1862. [

May IL, 1862.
The very decisive victories which the Union
troops have been winning for the past two
months, seem to have convinced the miser-
able old fossil Democrats that our country is
safe and that now is their time to make up
the slate for newsorder of things. To be
out of power is to them the gall of bitterness.
So we have had grand flourish of trumpets
and good deal of sounding brass, in an lad
dress of Democratic Member of Congress to
the Democracy Of the United States" This
address was published here in the National
zntelligencer, on the 9Th inst, and after
giving it careful reading, unhesitatlngly
say that it contains more unblusbing lies,
more audacious, gravel-eating, pro-slavery
babble, than any document Of similar length
and pretension to responsibility that has ever
been published. hope this assertion of mine
may attract attention to the address itself.
Meanwhile here are few specimen lies with
their contrasting truths attached.
"The bitter waters of secession flowed first
and are still fed from the unclean fountain of
abolitionism."
Now secession flowed first from the brain
of MIR. Calhoun, and is still fed from the well
fired Southern hearts of his disciples and by
shareholders generally, the only Northern
contribution to the "bitter waters" being
from the pro-slayery Democrats of the Val
landigham type.
"While the Democratic party was in power
it presented the government 10 all its vigor
and integrity, not by force and arms, but by
wisdom, sound policy and peace"
For ''dum-squizzle" read "permanence"
vro tho IF oIitOr NH
c,ipt had been mangled in printing. So in
the above extract for preserved read ''cor-
rupted" for wisdom. sound policy and peace
read political trickery, dishonesty and
voting for the regular nominee if it was Lu-
offer himself" For while the Democratic
party was IN power, so far from preserving
the government in all its vigor and integrity
it systematically corrupted it, until when re-
bellion broke out the ''vigor" of the govern
ment was represented by an imbecile old
man with majority Of traitors in his cabinet,
and the "force of the government was repre-
sented by few ships scattered to the ends of
the earth, by no army anu no resources to
create either. If this is preserving" the
government, why then the Democratic party
did preserve it without doubt. 1t will be q
discovery tomost people that the preserving"
was done by 'wisdom, sound policy and
peace" The process is better known as
theving, fraud and hishonor.
Compromise would have saved the Union
fifteen months ago."
Compromise would not have saved the
Union at any time, as the secession leaders
boldly avowed.
1.-THE party in power demand that all scru-
tiny into their public conduct shall be Withheld
lest the Administration be embarrassed"
The party in power invite the closest scru-
tiny, and themselves appoint committees to
investigate and bring to light all official mis-
conduct, incapacity and dishonesty, whether
in the civil, military or naval service, as the
record of the present Congress abundantly
shows. The intimation that the Administers
ton is embarrassed by such scrutiny is per.
equally contemplate as coarse trick, and a
base lie.
"Tks Democratic party as the only party
capable of carrying on the aoar. If success
then, in a military point of oie,o, be rega,d-
ed, the Democratic party alone can command
it,"
can only account for the exceeding stu
pidlty Of this statement by supposing that it
was written later in the evening, when the
gin-toddy had the best of the committee, and
on that supposition let it pass.
These FIVE are not the one-twenteth Of the
lies, direct and inferential, which this address
contains. 1t is an unpatriotic, disgusting
document, counseling no nobler purpose than
party organization and party drill; breathing
no loyalty to the Government, having no ap-
probation of the dam gers it has passed, and
no just estimate of the future difficulties to be
overcome, and no recognition of the cause OF
human freedom.
Not less pitiable is the position of the party
Of "nursing mothers" who call themselves
Conservatives, made up of old men who live
in the past, and young men who live in the
present. Their sole obj ct is to clog the
wheels Of progress Neither Democrats or
Conservatives care for The future. Had they
lived at the close of the Revolutionary war
they would have advoc, tied the restoration"
of the relations between Grea. Britain and the
Colonies upon the sole condition that Parlia-
ment should have repealed the Stamp Act.
1t is well that the programme of these
fools and blind" is thus early disclosed
They may embarrass but cannot prevent the
advance Of right The nations life has not
been saved on the battle field to be lost in
caucusses and at the ballot box.
10. W.