The Cass County Republican. [volume] (Dowagiac, Mich.) 18??-1880, 1862-05-22
The Democratic Address.--Resuscitati
of the Party.


Fourteen democratic members OIL
the present House of Representative
six of them from Ohio, none rom
New York or New England-have IS
sued an "Address to the Democracy
of the United States" urging reor-
panization and refrigeration of their
party. This address is significant,
both in what it says and what it o,nits
to say. Aside from the mumbling
over of old party catch words and
phrases, this address is mainly remark
able on these grounds
/. Though issued in the midst of the
most tremendous civil conflictthe world
has ever known, by men who profess
to be loyal to the Union and its Gov
eminent, it contains not one word of
rebuke or apprehension for the conspir-
ators and traitors who are trying to
disrupt and destroy the Republic.
III. Though the National arms have
been gloriously upborne through a
series of conflicts extending through
the last fous months, and though the
recovery of such cities as Newburn,
New Orleans and Nashville, with such
forts as Macon, Pulaski, Phillip, Jack
son, &C., the repulse of Generals John
ston and Beauregard, at Shiloh, aud
the flight of the other rebel Grand
Army facing Mcclellan. in Virginia,
give promise of an early collapse of the
rebellion, not one word of congratula-
ton on this unbroken series of triumphs
rs uttered in the Address; and its whole
tone gives evidence tibet these victories
are regarded rather as impediments
than facilities to that Reconstruction"
which these gentlemen contemplate.
III. The Administration is arraigned
throughout for its more energetic efforts
to counterfeit the desperate tactics of
the traitors in the very spirit of a sharp
pettifogger defending particular hard
case under indictment for felony. No
allowance is made for the extraordin-
airy perjls and utterly reckless machin-
atoms which the Administration were
suddenly compelled to confront-the
very ground under their feet thorough
ly honey, combed with the most malig-
nant treason-but they are arraigned
and berated as though the JEFF. Davis
rebellion had been a casual riot al
atheater or a confagra,ion, which a
few buckets of water, well distributed,
would have sufficed to dispense.
~. From beginning to end, the pur-
pose of the authors of this Address is
to convince their followers that If
THEY had been Kept IN po,cer, there
aceuld haze been no rebellion. To es-
tabish this impression, they find it nee.
essary to suppress the fact that the
Democratic party acds divided IN 1860
By ats Southern leaders on purpose to
haze Lincoln elected, and thus afford
a pretect, Tor, as Rhett SAYS, an sop
portunity'') for their meditated treason.
In short, wherever the Address ven.
lures to state truth, it suppresses so
much that is material to clear under
standing of that truth that what re-
mains has all the effect of falsehood.
V. Though very much is concealed,
or blindly stated, there is one point on
which this Address is perfectly frank
the entire devotion OF its signers to the
re-establishment of the Slave Power.
Not content with proclaiming what it
calls ''non interference with Slavery i'm
State and Territory, or az the District
of Columbia" it announces as arulinp
purpose of its party ''to kill Abolition"
and "to this end cordially invite the CO.
operation of all men of every party
who are opposed to the fell spirit of
Abolition" In other words, this Ad-
dress makes the preservation and per.
petuation Of the Internal system which
is now aiming its dagger at the heart
of the Nation chief end of the Dem.
ocraiic party, and in perfect consisten-
ey proposes to regard all as Democrats
who will aid in that undertaking.
VII. This Address brands as libel
Gus and false the charge that 'sthe
Democratic party is opposed to grant
ing aid and support to the Federal
Government in maintaining its safety,
integrity, and constitutional suprema-
cy." But look at facts. A Democratic
Legislature has been in session i'm Del.
aware, and has adjourned without Civ.
ing any support whatever to the Fede-
raj Government, even to the extent of
levying and collecting the small Direct
Tax imposed by Congress at its last
session. And of the sixteen Demo
cratic Governors of States one wear
ago, eleven are now open, fagitious
rebels, another died a rebel, and the
thirteenth is Beriah Magoffin. Does it
become party with such record to
repel charges of disloyalty as libelous
and false?'' M
The authors of this Address distinct
" arraign the Republicans as respon-
sible for the Rebellion This charge
they support in this way. After seven
or eight States had seeded and begun
to seize the arsenals, minis and sub
treasures of the Union, Mr.. Crittenden
proposed Compromise involving a
division of the Federal Territories be-
tween Slavery and Free Labor. This
was very old proposition-it was dis
tinctly made in ls47 by Gen. Bust of
s. c.. Tin the House, as a rider to the
Oregon billy and voted down by ia to
s2-every Wing from the Free States
and every Democrat but five from
those States voting against the unani-
nous South not to extend the Missouri
line to the Pacific, there being then
about seventy-fve Democrats from
Free States in the House. In other
words, the Democrats from Free States.
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