The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1863-03-10
The Copperhead AgItators.

Vallandigham, BOBBY Brooks, Ben. Wood and
the rest of the oopperheads who have been
performing their antics in this city are mere
agitafors Not one of them has the brains, to
say nothing of the training and experience, re-
quisite for statesmen They are fit to be local
demagogues or ward politicians, but have no
capacity for national affairs. They remind US
of what Now Hampshire farmer said Of poor
Pierce, who proved SO miserable failure Is
President Frank PIERCE" said he twas great
man here in the Granite State; but when he was
spread over the whole Union he was SO mighty
thin there was nothing Of him." In the same
way there is nothing in such noisy men as Val
landigham, Brooks and Wood, when they at
tempt to discuss the affairs of the nation, rent,
as it is, by civil war. They are all froth, sound
and fury. Some Of them are counting martyrdom;
but we trust the government will not crafty
their aspirations. To arrest them would be to
ment which their infammatory appeals are in
tended to produce.
These politicians have not the sense to be
even sagacious revolutionists, much less states
men. They do not understand the country, nor
see the length of their noses before them.' Mr..
Lincoln and his administration are invested
with plenary powers to crush the rebellion in
short order: they are responsible to the people.
If they fail, the ballot box will dispose of them
next fall Any attempt to get rid Of them in a
summary fashion before that time would not
only fail. but give them immense strength, if it
did not result in shocking anarchy. Our free
institutions are self-regulating, and all will
come right in the end if the machinery be not
destroyed by violence. The anchor of hope is
to keep within the constitution and the
laws and to maintain order. If the forms
Of our system be departed from, and the de-
cisions of the people at the ballot box be an
ticipated by selfconstituted popular leaders,
confusion will be the inevitable result. In
Europe the people. have no remedy against
their wrongs but insurrection; for they have
not the ballot box, and it is always with them
question Of expediency resolving itself into
the probability of failure or chance Of success.
Here the case is different. The people have
the game In their own hands, and they are, In
point of fact, the sovereign in their collective
capacity. When any usurper interferes with
the peaceful exercise Of their right of suffrage,
by which they can regulate all things, then it
will be time enough for them to resort to the
ultima ratio regun.
1t was the great blunder of the rebel chief
tains that they adopted the vulgar method of
Europeans, and flew to arms, instead of awaiting
the tide Of events and the result OF the next
Presidential election Do the copperheads pro-
pose to follow their example, instead of pa
tiently biding their time and exercising their
power at the ballot box? If they do let them
mark the consequences. If the administration
abuses its trust the more certain will be its
overthrow and the greater its fall. And when
it is finally removed from power by the voice
of the people, constitutionally expressed, then
terrible day of reckoning will come, and
condign punishment will be melted out for
every transgression by the hand Of memorable
justice, under the forms and sanctions Of law.