Civilian & telegraph. [volume] (Cumberland, Md.) 1859-1875, 1862-03-06
The Contrast.

happy as they We're when the Democratic
Convention met at Charleston, in the n opth
of April, 1860 to nominate candidate for
the Presidency. Their cotton crops alone.
to say nothing about rice, tobacco and sugar.
amounted annually to largely upwards of
tro hundred millions Of dollars The great
western States were an inexhaustible granary
that supplied their people with bread and
meat, and the northern and eastern States
supplied them with all the implements of
industry in their agricultural pursuits, be-
sides furnishing an abundant supply of man
ufactures suitable to the wants of their
colored population, No people, in any age
or country, ever derived creator advantage
from an exchange of commodities with their
neighbors than the Southern planters; for,
notwithstanding they could have raised on
their own soil all the cereals and necessary
articles Of subsistence, yet they were not
slow to discover that their labor, cheap as it
was. could be turned to much more profit
able account by the cultivation of cotton and
the other productions that were peculiar to
their sunny fields. Nor were they alone in
their prosperity. The railroad thorough
fares leading from the West literally groaned
under the ceaselcss stream Of agricultural
produce and live stock, bound to an eastern
market; and the manufactures and work
shops Of the northern ard eastern States
were tasked to their full capacity to supply
the wants of the country. The horn of
plenty was poured out upon the people
throughout the land, and the cup of national
enjoyment was crowned with the blessings of
peace.
The convention met at Charleston and
landlords box was opened in their midst
The yell Of discord dispersed the assembly
that had professcdly met to deliberate for
the good of the people. The master spirits
withdrew, to meet at Richmond The more
numerous class adjourned to Baltimore,
where the two factions finally met in con-
ciave, and after paroxysm of rage that
lasted for five whole days and nights the
great Democratic party committed suicide :
From that day forth James Buchanan and
his Cabinet, who had been placed in power
by the voice OF the whole Democratic party
OF the country, openly espouscd the course
Of the Southern faction, and seemed to say
with Satan, after he had been expelled from
heaven, Evil be thou my good p Civi,
history presents no darker page than that
which records the acts Of the Buchanan adj
ministration, for several months prior to its
termination. The best apology that can be
offered for his treachcry and weakness is.
that the Southern faction had in fact placed
him in power by eflecting his nomination at
Cincinnati, and therefore he submitted to be
moulded by them as might best suit their
reasonable purposes. Any honest man of
ordinary capacity, placed in Mr.. Buchanan's I
position, would have saved this country from +
he present rebellion. If Mr.. Lincoln can +
'xtricato the government from the troubles d
brought upon it by the Buchanan admins "
ration and their allies from the cotton Con- o
ederacy, be will be entitled to the gratitude
Il the American people and command the Il
pplause of the civilized world in all future
ime. That he will do SO cannot admit of /
casonablc doubt; and every man who loves D
is country will cordially sustain him in the Z
fort. But this is said by the bye. Orr C,
purpose is to compare the present condition st
t the country with what it was when the III
tandard of rebellion was raised against the to
overnncnt. The conspirators began by ei
ssertng that we had no government; and til
he perjufrcd Infdcis who had pledged their OF
aths and their honor to maintain and sup at
ort It, took the most eilectual means they Ia
ould to destroy it. They attempted to JUS in
iy themselves by a great variety of lying
retexts. and it is very remarkable that the tn
lost unscrupulous liar among them never in
nd the impudcnce to assert that the govern dc
cnt ever had injured or oppressed any one st,
any time. They spoke of evils vet to
'mc. IA Crazy Rhett and drunken Kett
liked against the " despotism Of majo79tiss,"
IL that an aristocratc minority ought to r,
lie. Petty tyrant Hammond pronounced nj
cry white man who labored " mudSW' l.,
society. Whiskoy bloat Wigfal was a 81,
'uthcrn gentleman of the true type and
thing less than negro oligarchy would 90
ease his fastidious taste Fillibuster Slidel ~,
Id Judas lscariot Benjamin advocated the ~,
tension of the area of freedom by fitting Ok
It expeditions to Central America and %,
ealing land there, 10 be titled by negroes Ii,
dnappel in Africa. breckenridge was the i,
alous defender of the rights of the States v;
ID Brandy face Mason was a stickler for II
G doctrines contained in the resolutions of do
;. These scoundrels, and their associates 90,
the Sehatc of the United States, after vio- .oc
ing every rule Of decorum that ought to .oo
vern that august assemblage, resigned ;,n
,irEseats as members OF it, and openly HI
ned the standard Of rebellion raised against a.
, government they had falsely sworn to fin
,pert, and that had for SO long admitted 40