Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1862-04-02
Politics at Washington.

The telegraph reports that a caucus of
Democratic members of Congress was held
. few evenings since. in Washington. to
devise Taysand means for the resuscitation
of the Democratic party. c. L. Yallan-
dagham, of this State, was prominent in
the effort to ~re-organize. The caucus, it
Is said, agreed to oppose the Presidents
emancipation plan. and favor McCIellan's
war policy, which they claim IS for a short
and desperate conflict, an inference GER
tainly not deducible from McCloIlan's
military operations since he took COM
mand on the Potomac last summer, but
on the contrary the President has urged
prompt and-aeeisive action in carrying on
the war.
The resolves of the caucus to onpose
the Presidents emancipation policy show
how strongly its members are welded to
p~roslayGry prejudices, and reveals their
secret sympathy with traitors and rebels.
In spite Of all their efforts at concealment
There is not 4 rebel in all the South but
Is bitterly hostile to President Lincoln's
emancipation plan. for they well know
that the success of the measure, by max
ing Free States of Delaware, MARYLAND,
Virginia, Kentucky, Missouri and per-
haps Tennessee, would in a proportionate
ratio diminish p~ro-slavery influence and
its ability to dictate, brow-beat and rom
troll in affairs Of government. 1t seems
plain that the true policy of the loyal
portion Of the Union is not to be afraid
of hurting the institution Of slavery, as
though it were something very desirable
to preserve, or too sacred to touch; when
In fact, the very reverse of the proposition
is true, for it is neither to be desired as a
permanent feature of our institutions, or
30 virtuous and harmless that it can be
safely let alone. For, unguarded, it would
crawl forth like a serpent and quietly ex-
tend its loathsome coil about realms not
before defled by its-'slimy trail. We be-
heye the institutiOnswill receive a palsy
Ing blow in the progress of this war, and
when the conflict of arms has passed, slay-
ery.will writhe in its contracted and never
to be extended boundaries, like a serpent
with a broken back, merely ,,able TO wag
its head and project its forked sting, but
unable TO change its position, and henc,
forced to die in its track.
6 All who are in ~favor.of using every con-
Sitationalsmeans for the restriction of
slavery, and the final eradication of that
evil, cannot find fault. with any show OF
reason, with the Presidents very mild
and o~onciliatory plan. OF course those
who are opposed to taking any steps init
story 70 the abolition Of slavery, and of;
making this q truly free, ocean-bound
Republic, viii oppose any and every meas
ure looking to that end.
The action Of the Democratic Caucus,
at Washington, is putting a milestone
around the neck Of the already drowning
il not drowned, pro-slavery wing of the
Democracy, and there is not power
enough in Dixie to enable the few North
ern submarine divers who have COM
menced exploring the vast deep Of de
funot politicians, for the lost spirit of their
old party, to raise it to the surface, and
sustain it on the basis of the caucus plat
form.
In connection with this subject, it is
not inappropriate to allude to the position
Of Gov. Sprague, of Rhode Island, who
~as recently re-nominated by a Democrat
10 Convention in that State for Governor.
We publish his letter to the Convention.
accepting the nomination, on the fourth
page of this paper. He takes true Dem
ecratic ground, and the Democracy of
Rhode Island have no cause to be ashamed
Of their candidate.