Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1863-02-16
onsrntions of the Copperhends.


Operations of the COpperheNds.
We watch eagerly for news from the war,
and wait impatenty while it fails to come.
There is another movement in the country,
closely connected with the war, and operating
with all its force to make the war a failure.
1t deserves more attention than it gets. We
mean the copperhead movement, which is
quite as malignant and disloyal as the treason
of South Carolina, and good dealmeaner and
more sneaking. The copperheads of Illinois,
Indiana and New Jersey are taking measures to
hold a convention, to which they invite the
indictments Of Kentucky. Their aim is to
get up an agitation in aid OF the rebels, by
demanding" an armistice. OF course they
will not ''demand" it of the rebels; they do
not say precisely how the armistice is to be
secured; but their aim is to persuade as many
people as possible that the rebels are ill-used
persons, who would be patriotic and Union
loving, but that our government will not allow
them to cultivate peace, patriotism, and Union.
In the Illinois legislature, where the cop
perheads have majority, they have forced
through their reasonable resolutions, and
also voted to hold session of the legislature
in june when the result of their proposed
''peace conference" will be reported. The re-
publicans have resolved that they will not
again act in the legislature until the copper
heads withdraw their reasonable measures.
This leaves both branches without a quorum
The rebels have friends in the legislature of
New York who would act in the same way if
they could; but, fortunately, they are power
less, and their Disappointing rascality, at the
opening of the legislature, has turned public
sentiment against them so strongly that they
are not likely to be capable of similar mischief
for long time. Fernando Wood may be the
autocrat of rowdyIsm and political villainy in
New York city; but his attempts to break
loose from that ''pent up Utica" and rule the
whole state, is bafied by power which he
can neither resist nor conciliate, and which
he seems unable to comprehend. Moreover,
reaction against apprehension has begun,
and the shrewd democratic leaders in New
York feel its influence.
The hard-shell democrats of Connecticut
are used by the magnates of the party else
r,r-e,li hin a PGiiiz;iiI sfFiIe, ana
they seem content to be patronized where
Others are taken into close confidence and
consultation. Hence these Connecticut DEM
ocrats, with all their smartness and skill in
partizan blackguardism, are never masters OF
'the situation" at the outset OF a reaction
like that which is now felt in New York. At
the present time they are as extreme in their
zeal for the copperhead policy as if it were al
ready triumphant; and they are preparing to
contest the coming state election on a plat
form that will arouse the admiration and per-
haps excite the envy of Vallandigham him
self. 1t is not certain that they could Just now
be induced to proceed with more moderation,
for the leaders who now control the party, with
out being as capable as Vallandigham, are even
worse than he in disloyalty.
1t is the aim of these hardshell leaders in
Connecticut to nominate ex-Gov. Thomas H.
Seymour for another election. They can not
select better representative of their views
and feelings. In doctrine and sympathy he is
as much a South Carolinian as any OF
the fast fellows of the Palmetto regi-
ment with whom he associated so close
ly during his campaign in Mexico. Many
will remember the letter full of disloy-
atty, in which he refused to act on a commit
tee to aid in raising troops. He recently
expressed his sentiments in speech, in which
ne said that 'if the recent political demon
STATIONS in the north meant anything, they
meant that the liberty of the people was about
10 assert itself against horrid tyranny. If
not at the ballot-box' THESE were his words
then some other qcay.'" We quote from
the Hartford Press. Who can doubt the
fitness of this man to be copperhead can
didate? The traitors at Richmond talk in
the same way about the "horrid tyrrany" and
are trying that ''some other way" Why
does he not join them? Men who talk as he
does have reason to be violent against Gar
bitrary arrests" He is fit to have the leading
place in disloyal association, but he mayno
get it. There is another hard-shen democrat
in Hartford, quite as eligible and far more
capable than Seymour. This mans name has
not yet been mentioned in connection with the
nomination; but it would not surprise us to
see him get it,