Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-04-30
Party Divisions among the Rebels.

There Is little SAID IN rebel newspapers,
about party organizations. The Govern
ment of jeff. Davis is too near despotism
to permit that entire freedom of discussion
which characterizes the press of the
North, and which not unfrequently degen-
crates into unbridled license. Neverthe-
less, there are two parties in the South,
anu .hey call themselves by the old names
w mig and Democratic.
is Is little curious to observe how in
tnIs, as IN many other things. a precise
49, s:m PalI exists In the South, as far as
.ne ulhershce IN the amount of freedom
'Uieia'eo mere Will allow, to the condition
of parties at the North.
There is one party at the South CON-
cernlng whose fidelity to the ebelIiop
there Is no question. a Democrat there
Is just as much above suspicion of any
waVering in his loyslty to she rebel cause
as Is Republican at the North of q waot
OF attachment to the Union. On the other
hand the party at the South which is sus-
pected of lacking in zeal for the Govern
ment of JEFF. DAVIS IS the Wing party
Just as in the North, if there is a district
OF country where threats of resist
ence are made or open violence
is resorted to against the Gov
eminent of the Union, one knows
without asking that in that locality the
people vote the ticket labelled Democrat
ic, so, at the South, wherever Unionists
abound, and there is open Or secret hostil-
lty TO the authority of JEFF. DAVIS, re-
ference to the election returns OF former
years will almost invariably show that
such locality has been in the habit of Civ
ing Wing majorities.
The Richmond Examiner of the 10Th
inst. has quite a significant article on the
Wings of Virginia. While it disuaims
charging them generally with q want OF
fidelity to the rebel Government. it ac-
cuses their party of q tendency in that di-
rection. 1t says that Gas surely as the
sun shines in heaven" attempts to preiu-
dice the people against the war, and to
make them believe the Wing party if in
power could restore Z" the Old condition OF
things" are busily practised in the name
and in behalf OF the Wing party in the
holes and corners of Virginia" 1t cou-
tinues:
The practice, thus alluded to are of a character
so infamous that aoomM not conp0rt s0tm publlc
lO.
ever, when they will be brought to light and it be-
hooves the Wing party, as party, if it chooses TO
persist in maintaining its organization through ali
public tudes look well to the action of it's
secretly working agents and minions in this matter
If it neglect this timely supervision, it may find
itself some day covered with stains of infamy and
loads of odium which will forever exclude its mem.
bers from public favor and popular support
These remarks are made in no unfriendly suirit to
a single Wing candidate in the field for election
and without particle of hostility to the party itself
or to q single individual known to be a mt mber of
it. They are made in the spirit of friendly warning
and to prevent, as far as temperate eypostulation
do, the enactment in Virginia of great public
scandal and We accompany these remarks with
the declaration that the Democrats of Virginia
intend, in good faith, in the approaching election
to cast their votes for believed to be of the
most ability, and most suitable for public exige-
cies, with entire disregard to their past political
associations.
The superior pertinacity with which
tue whig element Ia the South clings to
the Union and the old condition of Things,
arises dou btless from the fact that it was
indoctrinated with the constitutional doc
trines OF Webster and Clay in opposition to
the State Rights theories which were always
promulgated by the Democratic party,
and which were potent in undermining
the loyalty of the people to the national
government, and paving the way for tho
secession movement journal