Gallipolis journal. [volume] (Gallipolis, Ohio) 1837-1919, 1863-04-23
From the Philadelphia Press.
LETTER FROM OCCASIONAL"
WAsH1MaroN. April Is. 1868.

4
WAsHIMeroN, April IS. 1863.
The leaders Of the Democracy are
in the position Of men who can neither
defend themselves nor retreat. They
have taken one step too far, and they
are near the precipice. They commit
ted great crime 10 the beginning.
and they act with the desperation oI
men who continue In crime, with a
wild hope of making consistency a sue
cess. They have gone so far in op-
position to the Republic that its life
will be their death. They have fu-
ture in anything but triumph. Our
armies may be defeated-they will be
the honored guests Of our conquerors.
The enemy may sack our cities--rebel
soldiers will keep away the sword and
torch. Europe may intervene--they
will be honored in every aristocratic
court. These States may become the
possessions of Southern ruler--they
will become his suzerains. Anarchy.
conquest, subjugatiou, defeat, humilis-
tion, division, civil war-all present q
refuge or a hope. This was not what
they contemplated when they arrayed
themselves against the country. | can
very easily imagine what counsels ani-
mated these men when they looked out
upon the nation and determined to
make its grief their glory. can
imagine men of lofty ambition. shrewd
conception, barren virtue, and the insa-
tiate love Of fame, rejected by the peo-
pie and anxious to rise. / can
imagine men who look upon otoriety
as fame, failing to become Caesars,
content themselves with initiating
Erostratus. II they cannot rule an en-
pire they will ruin it. If they cannot
be an example they will be warning.
The Democratic leaders did not antici-
pate their present position. Such men
are towards, and they never advance
until the guns Of the enemy open upon
their rear. The conspirstor always
wears his dagger under his cloak
He smiles until the murder is done,
and he smiles when it's accomplished.
He calculates every contingency bat
detection, and when detected, he has
no resource but to throw away all arti-
fee, and attempt. by sadacity, what
he could not obtain by secrecy and
fraud. This is the position OF the
Democratic leaders. When they knelt
at the feet OF Lord Lyons, they never
dreamed that the nation would take
part in the interview. When they met
IN secret places. and plotted treason.
they had no anticipation that the veil
would be lifted, and the people per-
mitted TO see and hear. They would
have gone in secret continuing 10 meet
Lord Lyons; continuing to plot and
contrive, and take reasonable oaths
upon the Book Of God. until the time
came to strike. They would have
been complaissnt and loyal and demon
stratiye; their devotion would have
been a ceaseless cry; they would have
deceived the country. Deceit failed.
and now we have audacity. The tsc-
tics have been changed; the aim is
what it was in the beginning. They
have taken the one step too many, and
they must go. on. They must over
throw or be overthrow. Before, the
alternative Of probable triumph was q
certain immunity. Now that the peo- |
pie see what they have seen, the alter
native will be something more terrible.
They may regret their error; they may
in secret weep and wall and gnssh
their teeth. They must 60 on. They
have committed that offence which, in |
gospel of patriotism, is the unpardon-
able sin; and when our trials are over,
and the day Of judgment comes, they
will be punished with the contempt
Of 3 proud and mighty people. Their
conspiracy has been exposed; and
while repentance would be confession.
will only make their fate
more just and terrible. Let the loyal
people take advantage Of their confu-
sion and madness, and, by remaining
.rue 10 one another hasten the happy
lay. ocoAsIoEAL.
DKVxIoPnxEr or TIE TRATHoR CASE.