The Union. [volume] (Georgetown, Del.) 1863-1866, 1863-12-04
" knights of the Golden Circle Whose
great object is to aid the Rebels.

Knights of the Golden Circle Whose
great object is to aid the Rebels.
All the while, the Federal Government
has been literally engaged in fighting the
Rebels in the field with one hand-whilst
they were choking the Copperheads,
North, with the other. Yet these men
call themselves Union men.
Any one who can forget the sickening,
heart rending troubles in which we are
involved who can forget the imperative
claims which his country, and which pa
triotism impose upon him, to act upon the
dictates of partizanship; and to cavil over
measure which, rightly understood, can
affect traitors only, is himself, if not trail
tor, by overt acts, is, at least sympa-
thaizer with traitors, and with treason.
This "test oath " which was required
of those suspected of disloyalty, and SYM
patty with the Rebels, is such as any
truly honest, loyal man can take. 1t only
requires him to support the Constitution
Of the United States; and the Federal
Government in their efforts to suppress the
rebellion-and to hold no correspondence
with; and to give no aid to the Rebels.
But the leaders of the Democratic Party
could not take this oath without peyuring
/ -
themselves. Many Of them are Knights
Of the Gotden Ctrcte-and many of them
have sons, and brothers, and fathers in the
Rebel ranks, with whom they have been,
and now are in secret correspondence,
giving them not only, Important informa-
ton, but material aid, and assistance. Now,
because these miserable leaders cannot and
will not take this test oath for the reasons
above assign ,d-they, by mandate as
cruel, as it is inepudent, and tyranmicaI-
command these dependents, the rank and
file Of the Democratic Party-not to Uote
at dl-but to give up one of the dearest
rights of freemen-the electric franchise
/
to the treasoadbl. commands of their trail
tor-leaders.
1t seems to have been the Policy of the
Democratic Party, heretofore, to otelqhen-
ever they could get to do SO /; and as often in
The same day, as they possibly could; but
when they are called on to pledge them
selves to be true, honest loyal men, why
then, forsooth, they show the cLo0en FOOT
and refuse to vote at ALL lest they should
add the crime of perjury to disloyalty.
We do not mean to say, that every
Democrat is traitor-no, no such thing.
We believe there are thousands of mis-
guided men-who really desire to do right
yet are kept in Democratic traces, by
the exercise of the Democratic drill, and
the free use of the Democratic Party lash.
But this, we do mean to say, that every
rebel, and traitor is found in the Demo-
cratic ranks.
| We looked with pity, and disgust, upon
the masses of the unterrJfed democracy, on
the eleetion day They stood oh--like
men who had nothing to do-when their
country was calling on them loudly for
help Many of them seemed very restive
under the restraint imposed upon them
and fairly itched to be ailOa0ed to vote. So
affective was this restraint upon one very
clever sort Of man, who had been there
tofore, steady, temperate man, that he
got royalty drunk, and let things rip gen
orally. Instead of spurning with con-
tempt, this tyranny Of their party leaders,
!. and exercising, like men, the great privI-
lege, Of treemen-and voting Tor the man
Of their choice, they chose to acknowledge
. the slavery in which they are held.
: We have said before, and now repeat
. that the Policy of the Democratic Party
in commanding their dependents not t.
vote-is demoralizing in its character; anc
has virtually disbanded the Democrat,
= Party and so these traitorous, tyrannlca
: leaders will find, to their cost at the mex
. election; for, by that time the rebellion
II will have been crushed-some of the trai
tors called to suffer a traitors doom ant
. thousands of the honest portion of tn
= Democratic Party will manfully breal
=" their party letters, and show themselve
. to be, In deed, and in truth-Union men
by voting the Republican Union Ticket
=" So mote it be.