Rutland weekly herald. [volume] (Rutland, Vt.) 1859-1877, 1862-06-19
ARE THE NORTHERN DEMOCRA.
CY INNOCENT?


South raised the dagger to stab to the
heart this Republic, said in reply that
"We supposed the conservative men of
both the Wing and Democratic parties
would be with u.s. Exactly and still
the Northern Democrats plead innocence
to the. charge of being instrumental in
bringing on the war. 1t is too late to
shut the door after the horse is stolen,
but to the charge that is so often thrown
out that the Republicans have done it all,
We have few words to say. The reply
of this rebel officer leads us to make the
inquiry, why did the South suppose that
the conservative men of the whig and
democratic parties would be with them"
There must be some cause for this. 1t
is for the very reason that every demand
that has been made by the Southern
statesmen from the passage of the Fugi-
tive Slave Law down, has been acquiesced
in by the leading men and Journals of the
democratic party. This cannot be denied.
The Missouri Compromise-that sacred
compact which was supposed to have put
quietus to the question of slavery ex-
tension forever-was broken by the aid
Of northern democratic statesmen and
journals. Northern democratic congress-
men voted for the repeal of that measure,
thereby stirring up the strife which is
now upon us, and which was commenced
that fatal night that the vote was taken
to repeal the compromise. The Kansas
struggle was the commencement of the
open warfare. Democrats denounced
every means that was put forth by the
North to make it free State. They had
not word to say against the lawless
bands of desperadoes and scoundrels who
came in there from over the border to
murder peaceable citizens. and commit
outrages such as never were committed
before among any civilized people; but
on the other hand denounced those who
were driven to meet force by force and
protect themselves and families from the
lawless bands who infested that country,
as Black Republican Abolitionists, ne
gro worshipers, etc. Not word to utter
in condemnation of the sitting of the free.
dom of speech and of the press, and of the
ballot box. We need not enumerate-
indeed we cannot-the murders and acts
worse than were ever committed by the
most desperate savages that ever lived or
earth. They are too we'll known alrea
dy. The acts committed in that memora
BILE struggle have passed into history, ant
will remain an ineffacable blot upon tn
heretofore fair fame of this nation.
| During the memorable contest for Pres
ident in 1860, what was the character O
: these journals and statesmen The Soutl
threatened, that unless they could conque
the preiudices of the North against thu
further extension of slavery on this con
tinent, they would dissolve the Union
Did the northern leading democrats hav
anything to say in denunciation of these
threats? Not word. They gave tn
South to understand that the Republican
party was bent upon the abolition O
slave in the States where it now exists
And when they made these statements
they knew they were uttering false.aood
They knew also that every statement O
that kind had a direct tendency to fire the
f Southern heart against the North They
spread before the people statements tina
William Lloyd Garrison was one of tn
principal leaders of the Republican party
when they knew that Garrison and tn
, Republican party were as far apart in be
lief as Heaven is from the internal regions
, And after the war began to assume hug
dimensions, many-we will not say all
f for thank God there are some noble ex
) ceptions-of these same statesmen an;
4 journals have never given an uncCnditiol
al support to the government in its e
. deavors to crush out the rebellion. Va
, landigham, Richardson, Ben Wood. Voc
hees, and others Of the same stamp ha,
been trying to clog the way as much
they possibly could, backed up by mar
1t of the journals of the party to which the