Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1863-03-24
The Copperhead Explanation Of the Popular
Reaction Against the Northern Allies OF
Jeff DAVIS.


Reaction Against the Northern Allies OF
jeff DAVIS.
1t i. amusing to see the defces Of The Demo
Gratis, who have been making such vigorous eli
forts to cripple the Administration and break
down tue military power Of the Gyerameat, to
explain away the popular reaction against their
pernicous ard disoyal doctrines. They discoy-
er unmistakablc evidence that the people Of the
North have at present no purpose Of abandon
ng any administration, be it Republican or
Democratic, to the tender mereies Of jeff. Da-
viz, and they are now making themselves very
busy in accounting for it. And they have at
last made the very brilliant discovery that il all
comes from belief On the part Of the people
that the Administration has abandoned It's
emancipation policy and has returned to the
Democratic method Of 50 lighting treason as
not to hurt slavery
If the papers who pretend to find the cause
Of this uprising OF the people in any changed
policy Of the Government, were really honest in
their statements, it would hardly be worth while
to disturb them, or anybody who might be de-
lnded by th If teachings, by any allusion to the
facts as they actually exist. But uasmuch as
it is apparent tina; these papers are oaly thus
cunnngly endeayorng to raise expectations o.
a change # policy in the conduct Of the war,
for the sole purpose, by and by, Of assaling
tho Administration more bitterly than ever for
not having changed its policy, we deem il worth
while to expose the cheat The Government ~
not changing its policy, and is not desIrous Of
obtaining support by false pretencos, and this
last device Of the enemy should Dot be allowed
to deceive anybo ly, either Republicans or Dem
ocrats
The war has been from the outsc. war
against treason, and for thesupprosson Of rebel
lion II has had no other end. The Govern.
ment has never at any time, proposed to itself
any other end. The means TO be employed to
reach that end have changed to some extent, as
the exigences # the casl have seemed to re.
quro. At first, and through what we then be-
lleyed to be, and now believe to have been a
most unfortunately mistaken policy, every pre-
caution seemed to be taken to prevent slavery
from receiving any damage in the progress o.
the war But gradually the Government was
brought to see that it must look at slavery as il
did at every other ally Of treason ana must dea
with it as the military necessities Of the silua
ton demanded This changed policy finally
eliminated in the emancipation proclamation
Of January FIRST AMI since that time tn,
course Of the Administr ton has been entirely
consistent in dealing with Slavery and negroe
as the exigencies Of the military position may
require them TO be dealt with. Negroes ar,
employed in the federal service whenever anC
however they can be made most useful, just 81
white persons are. The slaves Of rebels whetc
ever they are reached by the Union armies ar,
made free. Negro regiments are being organ
lied, and some Of those in Gen Hunters De
: partmcn are doing good service in the field
and have settled the question as to their capac
ity and disposition to fight In Gen. Banks
Department colored regiments have been tor d
long time organized and in service, and Gen
i llman of New York, is jus. starting ioI
New Orleans for the very purpose OF raising a
negro brigade under directions of the Govern.
ment at Washington. In short there never
has been a moment snc) the war commenced
when not only the Government but the people
were SO ready to understand and believe tha
a colorei person was able and willing and ough
to be used 10 supporttho Government and strik,
at treason, as now, and they begin to see that il
is not only wicked, nut foolish, 10 allow an,
prejudice against color to prevent the nation
ayaling ITSELF Of this agency in erushin.
treason The policy0t tho Administration il
tins respect Is alsht-iorward aud progressive
and thus far 1t has not shown the least symptom
taking a single step backward
! The Democrats who are siding in this popula
Reaction, have nowhere assumed or pretende
that they were Influenced by any change of pol
icy Of the Government They expressly say
when they make any allusion to the policy q
>. the war, that the Government must be sustain
h ed, whether men agree or disagree with it o
u questions Of details that in the contest wit
treason there can be but two sides, the Govern
mont and traitors, and it is for all men to sl
= on which side they will stand And it is thi
h issue, squarely presented to the people, an ssu
!, that cannot well be bluked, which has led $
+. many Of the best Democrats in the country I
y denouuce the coppcrheads, and refuse to civ
aid or comfort to treason by any larthe
alliance with them. They have not given u
.. their Democracy, but they have declared tina
it is the genuine and pltrotic kind, aud not tn
,. spurious and copperhead yariety,-the Democ
d racy of Jackson, and not of Calhoun, the De
mocNcy of Douglas, and not of Breckenridge
, a Democracy that can approve or disapproyo o
emancipation, conlisoaton, and arbitrary ar
rests, and yet stand fast by the Gov ernmen
urge vigorous prosecution of the war, en-
courage soldiers in the field, give gcnerou
support to laws enacted for the purpose Of fill
Ing up the armies, cheoriully pay taxes to saw
the lille of the nation, and despise and denounc,
, treason in the South as well as in the North.
: IL the copperheads were only attempting t.
find comfort for themselves in their explanation