Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1863-08-26
THE DEMOCRACY AND THE WAR.

it,with the view of inviting the attention of the
public to some of its salient points. 1t is
document which lays bare to the gaze of patri-
otic citizens all the sophistry with which De-
mocratc politicians seek TO surround northern
treason, and all the pernicious errors of the
Democratic policy at this time and in this
State. We could not have wished for a better
opportunity OF showing to independent men
The dangerous tendency of all the teachings
and course of that party. We have said that
this address does not in any way, shape or
| form attempt TO sustain the war. Let us IL
lustrate its general spirit.
The writer of this address gives his idea of
the results of the war thus far in the few words
which we subjoin
"A great public debt and a conscription bur
| den the people. The strength and wealth of
| the nation are turned from productive indus
| try and consumed in the destructive arts OF
war; Our victories fail TO win peace. Through
| out the land arbitrary power encroaches upon
| civil liberty"
| Here all that is looked upon is gloomy and
| revolving. The burthens OF the war and its
disasters alike magnified, and from the
| picture which the address holds up to the
view of the people of Pennsy lvanil every
| gleam of sunshine is excluded. Debt ,conscrip-
tion, slaughter, prolonged war and despotie
usurpation, all cOmmingie in one unrelieved
mass The committee might have deepened
the horror somewhat by Introducing the afro
cities of the New York riots and the san
culinary scenes brought about by copperhead
riots in Pennsylvania and the west, to resist
the arrest of deserters and the enforcement of
the draft, but that was, no doubt deemed
impoltic.
The splendid achievements of our brave
soldiers extort from this Democratic commit
tee this miserable tribute sour victories ia il
to win peace" Not word of admiration for
the heroism of those who have borne our flag
soproudIy through battle and storm; no phrase
OF sympathy for the wounded and suffering; no
praise of the gallant dead words to soothe
the feelings of the wounded. Peace, then, was
the only object, according to til is address, worth
striving for, and have not peace, the-
care not a rush for the glories of the war.
There is it is true, in the outset of the docu-
ment an expression of thanks to God, s'and
gratitude to the skill and valor which, by His
inv AIDED commonwealth But this is all, and
it stands alone in peculiar manner, as
though 10 show that the only achievements of
our soldiers which this Democratic Committee |
could approve OF or sustain, were those ac- |
complshed in the free States to resist inva- |
sion, but not because of their agency IN the |
suppression OF the rebellion. This distinction 1
is very import ant one, and is everywhere
now made by the Democratic politicians.
1t was for this reason that the Democratic |
Governors of New Jersey and New York were
SO ready to send militia from their States to
defend Pennsy lvania against invasion. As
long as the rebels should be upon northern
soil they were willing TO fight them, since
thereby the scene of war was transferred to
the free States, the South was relieved and
the rebellion could not possibly be put down.
Every copperhead, almost, would be ready to
defend any free State under such circumstan-
ces, and it must have been remarked by the
obscrvanr public that, during the several inva-
sons of the free States, the most rabd and
notorious copperheads were willing to aid in
the military movements for defence, because
thereby they would obtain reputation for pa
triotism very chedply, which would enable
them all the better to resume their machina-
tions against the national authority.
1t is 10 wonder, then, that Col. Biddle's ad-
dress has no word of praise for the splendid
victories of our soldiers in this war. We
have reconquered the whole of the great
Mississippi river and hold it proudly, without
a single interruption at any point. That is of
no consequence to the Democratic State Com
mittee. Holding their sessions in Philadel-
phla, where they only manage to gather to-
gether a few eastern members, they ignore all
the vast interest of western Pennsy ylyania in
the commerce OF the Mississippi valley. The
coal of our western mines, which supplies the
industry of that valley with fuel, is of no mo-
ment to them. The boat building OF Pitts
burg has no value. Pittsbnrg, the eastern
head of the navigation Of the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi, is unfortunately Republican, which, in
Col. Biddle's vocabulary, is synonym for
ssabolition,'' and therefore, although our vic
tories have conquered the Mississippi, he
ignores the achievement.
Col. Biddle is equally oblivious on the sub
ject of the industry of the country, when he
says s.the strength and wealth of the nation
are turned from productive industry ,and con-
sumed in the destructive arts of wars Now
it is notorious that at no former period of our
history have the industrial arts been more {,
prosperous in the free States than they are
now, and have been during the war. Take |
any department of our industry and the fact