The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-05-07
"Murder Will Out"


The copperhead papers have been accustom-
ed to draw a very nice distinction between
the Government and the Administration, and
have insisted that man might even at the
present juncture of public affairs, determined
" oppose the latter and yet be unconditional
ly loyal to the former. This has been favorite
dodge in order to justify their hostility to the
measures of the Administration. 80" say
they, "we go for the Government, we will up
hold it at all hazards, but the administration
is unworthy of support, and hostility to IL is
perfectly compatible with the highest type of
loyalty"
We have never seen the propriety Of this
fine drawn distinction, nor have we believed
that such a distinction was prompted by an
honest and patriotic heart. Those who have
made this distinction have done so not be-
cause they could see any practical difference,
but simply to cover up, by the use of mystified
langua ge, their innate, malignant and treason
able hate of every thing that savours of put
ting down rebellion and restoring the author
ity of the general Government. We discrimi-
nate between Democrats and Copperheads.
The former make party subordinae to the resto-
ration and preservation of the Union; the lat
ter make itsuperior and would not restore the
Union, but reconstruct it, and they would do
this only that their party ascendency may be
secured and perpetuated. To show that this
Judgment is not unjust, we give case in
point.
In the Argus Of yesterday morning we have
the following-the italics ours:
The abolitionists organized National Union
Leagne" on Monday evening. Its members are
pledged to an unconditional support of all the
measures of the Administration. constitutional
or unconstitutional, which is going much farther
than the New York League, for they put in the
word CONSTITUTIONAL before measures New
England abolitonists are thus little ahead of
their New York neighbors in serriie submission
to an administration.
In the following from the same article, the
italics are not ours:
But the most singular part of the business,
is the election of men to Offices in the 'league''
who declined to have nything to do with il, and
tcho do not agree 10 its pledge! They have put
quite number Of Democrats in Office in this
way.
Here we have the emphatic declaration that
quite a number of Democrats onot ageree to
the pledge of the Union League. Now what
is that pledge? Does it exhibit any ''servile
submission to an!administrationn Here it is,
and it speaks for itself:
We pledge ourselves to an unconditional 10y
atty 10 the Government Of the United States, to
an unconditional support Of all its measures TO
suppress the rebellion, and TO spare no endeavor
to maintain unimpaired the national unity, both
in principle and territorial boundary. The pri-
mary object of this League is. and shall be, to
bind together all loyal men, of all trades and
professions, in a common union, to maintain the
power, glory and integrity of the nation.
Here is the offensive ''servile submission"
to which Democrats says the Argus = "do
not agree! Not word is said about the
administration no pledge is made to sup
port 1t, but an unconditional pledge is made
to support the Government of the United
State, to support its measures and to maintain
the national unity, both in principle and terri
torial boundary. To this the Argus does not
agree; it denounces it as ''servile submission
to an administration" and yet scouts the idea
that even practically, the administration and
the government are identical. or that a man
consistency with the most unquestioned 10y
atty to the latter. What does this prove, if
not that the pretended distinction drawn be-
tween the government and the administration
is subterfuge, a sham, mere trick Of latent
treason? What is it but a plain, undenable
admission that there is no such difference prac-
ticaly, and that the government cannot be
supported, its measures endorsed, its authori-
ty upheld and the Union restored, except as
the most cordial and unfaltering support is
given to those who administer the govern
ment?
The truth is--divested of all false drapery-
simply this: the Copperheads are opposed to
the government ITSELF A free, popular gov
eminent, in which every man shall be the po-
litical equal of every other man, is opposed
to their instincts opposed to their party policy,
opposed to their restoration to power. They
are from instinct and in purpose aristocrats.
They are the enemies of liberty, except the
liberty of the few to enslave the many, and for
such liberty they would destroy the Uuion;
for such liberty they would subvert the Con-
stitution Their pretended respect for either
the Union or the Constitution is a sham, de-
ception, miserable cheat