Daily Democrat and news. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1859-1864, 1862-09-23

l.he;r eildsd walls and gorgeous torni-
Iture did not contrast more strongly Win
the ruAN soenes Of q artial lite thap dia
the glistenins pntrescene and tbie
,achncr Of Congressional virtue contrasy
With the sterlssg loyalty and noble SELF.
sacrifice of our countrys defenders. +!
listened 70 debates full Of bitterness ana
| strife.
Isaw in the camp = heartfelt homage
to our national fag-a stern dehsnce
Of those who dared to touch its sacred
fold With hostile hands. heard in the
Capitol threafs of mutilation of ito en-
blazonry-by striking down the life Of
Ststes. He who would rend our pation-
al standard BY dividing our Uaion, il .
traitor. * He who would put out one
giitteriDg star from its assure field, il >
traitor, too.
tue PRESENT CONDITION OF Qua 000~'
Let us now confront the facts OF our
condition. and they shall be stated IN
the langnsgc of those who brought TINS
ADMINISTRATION into power, and who are
now politically opposed to the members
of this convention. After the expendi.
ture of nearly one thousand millions OF
dollars, and the sacrifice OF more than
one hundred thousand northern lives,
in the language Of the Evening Post !:
What has been the result? Our
armies of the West, the noble victors Of
Fort Donelson and Shiloh, are scattered
80 ttat no man knows their where
abouts, while the foe they we're sent to
disperse is a hundred miles in their rear,
threatening the cities OF Tennessee and
Kentucky, and even advancing toward
one OF the princi pal commercial cities
of the Free States. There is no leader
ship, no unity Of command, apparently
no plan or concert at action in the en-.
tire region We have undertaken to hold
and defend. At the same time, our army
Of the East, numbering 100000 troope,
fully armed and equipped, and admirably
disciplined, after investing the capital
OF the enemy, has been driven back to
it's original position GU the Potomac,
decimated in numbers, and unprepared
to make signle vigorous movement In
advance"
And it adds:
Nov it is useless to shut your eyes
to the fact that this is . failure, dis
graceful, humi!iating and awful"
The Evening Journal, the accredited
organ Of the Secretary Of State, now ad-
mits the truths uttered in this hall,
when We assembled here in February,
1861; truths then derided and de-
uounced as absurd and reasonable. 1t
says;
"The war has been a stern school.
master to the people Of the loyal States.
We have learned the folly Of underrat-
ing our enemies. We have learned that
they are equally brave, equally hardy,
equally quick witted, equally endowed
with martial qualities with ourselves.
We have learned they are terribly in
earnest in their efforts to achieve their
ends"
| The New York Tribune declares that
"the country is in peril. Viewed from
the stand point Of the public estimation
Of the situation it is in extreme peril
The rebels seem to be pushing forward
their forces all along the border line
from the Atlantic to the Missouri. They
are threatening the Potomac and the
Ohio. They are striking at Washing
ton, Cincinnati and Louisville. This
simultaneous movement is both alarm
ing and encouraging. 1t is alarming
because through the timidity, despond.
ency, or folly Of the federal government,
it may become temporarily successful,
giving to the foe Judgement in some
portion of the free States which may
require weeks to break. up"
Bnt it is admitted by those who are
opposed to US, that debt and defeat are
not the heaviest calamities which weigh
US down. A virtuous people and pure
government can bear up against any
amount of outward pressure or physical
calamity, but when rottenness and cor.
ruption pervade the legislative hall OF
executive department, the heart of the
patriot faints and his arm withers. The
organ Of the Secretary Of State admits
"There have been mistakes. There
have been speculations. Weak men
have dis raced, and bad men have be.
trayed the government. Contractors
have fattened on fat jobs. Adventures
have found the war a-source Of private
gain. Moral desperadoes have focked
about. the national capital aud lain in
wait for prey. The scum Of the land
have gathered about the sources Of pow
er de6led them by it's reek and offensive
odor. There has been mismansgement
wherever great labor has been perform.
ed, and great responsibilities devolving.
Men-even Presidents and Cabinet
officers and Commanding Generate
have erred because they could not grasp
the full significance of the drama, and
because they were compelled to strike
out on untrodden paths. Evening
Journal.
Hear the voice Of a leading republican
orator:
81 declare it upon my responsibility
a. = Senator Of the United States" said
John p. Hale, "that the liberties of the
country are in greater danger TO- day
from the corruptions and from the prof
legacy practiced in the various depart
ments Of the government than they are
from the open enemy in the field"
The New York World exclaims in
agony of remorse:
ut is with dismay and unspeakable
shame that We, who have supported the
administration from the beginning OBJ.
serve its abuse Of it's power Of arrest