Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1863-09-26
The Falsehood Repeated.

The Falsehood Repeated.
Mondays Press contains all article headed
Harding, Vallandigham & Co.." in which
the writer makes an cxcruciating attempt to
impair the loyalty Of Senator Harding, our
friends, and our humble self. Although the
task is a commcndablc one for paper famed
for the strategic wisdom of the Press, we
cannot see that the writer has accomplished
anything moro than to case himself of huge
accumulation of liberated bile, and to be-
tray how deep man may dive to bring to
light his views of 'po!icy."
Senator Harding does not &C simply disap-
prove of the policy of Vallandigham." as
| the scribe of the Press atfirms, but condemns
it in the strongest of language, and on all
occasions. He did say that if he was COM
PEELED to choose between two traitors, for
Governor of Ohio, he would accept the one
who could do the least injury to the Govern
mcnt. No man will deny that reasonable
sentiments have been advocated and pub
lished, in times of national tranquility, by
the more rapid of Abolitionists, who now
support the Government as the only availa-
means of accomplishing their Interior and
fanatical ends. 1t was this kind of men
the covenant-with-hell and "tcar-down-
INTERCHANGEABLE abolitionists whom
Mr.. Harding alludcs; the very men who to-
day prefer to ''let the Union slide," than its
restoration with single slave.
| Between such men and Vallandigham, we
cannot see much real difference; both arc
for and against the Union, under certain con-
tingcncies. The latter would doubtless be
for Union, if the Government could be re-
committed to the control of the slave hold
ing oligarchy, and the former are only for
Union as long as the abolition of slavery is
a question to be decided at the point of the
bayonet. If they are successful, they arc
content; but if not, they, too, arc for south
ern independence, rather than the Union
should be restored with the status of the
slave unchanged.
We do not for moment believe the Adj
mnistration has, or will prosecute the war for
any other object than the restoration of the
Union. For this purpose. and solely as a
war measure, the President issued his proc
lamation of freedom to the slave. AS far as
it has been enforced, it has accomplished its
object-has weakened the enemy and contrib
uted to our success. The extreme lists have
aided the Government as the means of giving
slavery speedy overthrow.
1t may be affirmed that we should not
refer to the motives which induce this sup
port of the Government, but we believe that
the recently manifested desire of rebel States
to return to the Union justifes us in expect
ing trouble in that quarter, if they are admit
ted without the immediate freedom of their
slaves We must judge by former professions
as well as by present works.
Senator Harding uses no ambiguous Ian
guagein his endorsement and pledge of sup
port to the Administration. lie says that no
"will render the President his earnest sup.
port; and in giving it shall not stop to find
fault with slight or fanced errors, in such a
way as to render his support embarrassing"
Now can language be palmer! Allthe main
acts Of the Administration for the suppression
Of the rebellion, including the Emancipa-
ton proclamation as war measure. receive
his endorsement, notwithstanding the assump-
ton Of the Press to the contrary. lie only
disapproved Of the military arrest Of Vallan-
digham, because he believed that the howl Of
martyrdom which would sweep through the
land, and the lies which would accompany it,
would do more injury to the Union cause than
it was possible for him to do in harranguing
Copperhead assemblies. Whether the Sena-
tor erred in this or not, we leave the people
to judge.
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