Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1862-06-12
Testimony of a Democrat.


Testimony Of a Democrat.
Col. John w. Forney. writing from
Washington to his paper in Philadelphia.
the Press. takes review of Mr. Lincoln
and his Cabinet. The letter was written
several weeks ago but it is as true now as
il was then.
A little more than one year ago Abra.
ham Lincoln was inaugurated President Of
the United States. James Buchanan
found the Government healthy. rich. and
respected: he left it skeleton. its name
dishonored among the nations of the earth.
its treasury almost bankrupted. its arsen-
ais robbed. its forts stolen. and eleven
States in open revolt against its authority.
Tho faithless guardian. the ungrateful trus-
tee. retired to his home like q convict to
his dungeon. and the good man chosen to
succeed him entered the White House like
tho proprietor of great estate which had
been plundered and impoverished by rcck-
less servants. Wondrous have been tie
changes brought about thin little more
than twelve months. The retrospect is
we'll worth recalling in the M idst Of the
howl Of the armed BseckiBridgers in the
South and the reasonable Breckinridgers
in the North. The President himself. gen
orally regarded as The embodiment Of ultra
sectional opinions. during his canvass and
after his election. held strictly responsible
for the dogma that this Union must be-
come in time all free or all slave. pro-
nounced the keynote of national policy.
from re eastern portico Of the Capitol. on
the 4th of March. 1861. and from that
starting point to the present hour. has adj
bered with tenacious consistency to his
pledge. Even his most inscriptions re-
vilers yield to the general verdict in favor
of his integrity and patriotism Every
member Of his Cabinet has displayed ex-
traordnary ability and energy. They
skeleton left in their hands by James Bu-
chanan. The Secretary Of State. Mr. Sew
ard. taking time BY the forelock. antiei
pated our stupendoas International diff
cuities. and his diplomatic correspondence.
SO cheering TO his own coantrymen. has
extorted praise from the most uniriendly
foreign powers. The War Department.
under Gen. Cameron and Mr.. Stanton. has
called into the field such an army as the
world has never seen. The Secretary of
the Navy. Mr.. Wellcs. although bitterly
assaulted. has brought order out Of chaos.
recalled the ships sent to distant seas by
his predecessor. and has added facilities to
the arm Of the service which is constantly
proving its marvellous efficiency. In the
Of the chiefs Of the Admiralty frankly adj
mitted that our blockade was the most
thorough and complete in the history Of
war. The Treasury. under the fearless
management of Mr.. Chase. has supplied
the sinews Of war. created national cur
rency that is in itself an invaluable bless
ing. compensated the public creditors. and
provided means Tor the payment of the in
terest on the national debt.
In view Of these achievements. the ques-
ton map be proudly put. whether any 9TH
or statesmen could do better in the midst Of
such extraordinary results? Nor must it
be forgotten that these results nave been
attained in the face Of hostility or indiifer-
ence Of every nation on the earth. with the
single exception Of Russia. These nations
hailed the indications Of the downfall of
the American Government with undissem
bIed exultation. England. with indecent
haste. sought to thrust herself iato our
conflict. and in every way embarrassed the
Federal Government and aided the rebell-
ion; and France was only withheld from
the recognition Of the latter by the mod
Grafton and sagacity of President Lincoln
and his advisers. Now that the fact is es-
tabIished that nothing can retard triumph
ant conquest ofthe great treason that has
besct us, both Of these powers are being
educated and admonished by the successes
of our army and navy. and by the victori-
Gus experiment in those iron.clad engines
of death which promise to revolutionize
the xhole system of warfare. Nor is this
tho only lesson that has been set before
theu. The development of our financial
and military resources. to which reference
has been made. will teach them. as it has
our insurgent States. that we are possessed
Of enormous offensive and defensive capaci
tiles: and when these truths are added to
the consistency aud constitutional actor
of Congress and the executive against the
institution Of slavery. they will find here
an example and eloquent refutation OF ont
of the favorite cslumnies o: their states
mon and their newspapers. This rap'e
review Of the past year is due to historIca
Justice. to faithful public servants, and t
a self-sscri6cing and loyal people.
Imnortant fram Mexico-The French