The Emporia news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1859-1881, 1863-06-20
CoPPERHEADIsM.

the standard bearers of that political organ
izalion which calls itself Democracy" but
which is better known by its more fit name,
"Copperheadism." They claim to be good
citizens. and loyal to the Government; and
they defend their practices as ''the exercise
Of the rights of characterization of speech
and of opinion" For expressing his "opin-
IONS" Mr.. Valandgham has been tried By
court martial and sentenced to confinement
in Secessia. Aud this is denounced by his
friends as military tyranny" and "despot-
ISM"
A peace meeting held at New York on the
Sd instant, where cheers were given for
Nc Clellan and Burnside, and groans for
Burnside and Lincoln, and which was man
ipulated and Congratulated by Fernando
Wood, announced its platform in series of
resolutions, reported by the telegraph as
follows:
1.-The resolutions declare fealty to the
! Constitution and to the sovereignty of the
! people; that, under the Constitution, there IS
no pOa02r to coerce States, or any of them,
By military authority; the war is contrary
TO the Constitution, and should be put an
end TO; that it attempts to do away with
provisions Of the Constitution, which points
out how crimes are to punished that are
! high handed violations of sworn duties of
rulers; that the claim of dctatorial, unlim-
tied military power, and trial Of citizens By
court martial, are naOnStrOUS, erecrd6Le; that
the dogma of unlimited submission to the
| Executive branch of the GOVERNMENT is
unworthy of American citizens; that we
protest against the cowardly, despotic, in
! human, accursed act of the Punishment of
! VaLandighana;; that we recommend sus-
pension of hostlities, and the holding of a
! ConVentio1a to settle the manner Of a con-
StructiOn of the contending sections, and
appointing a State Committee for calling
future Convention of the Peace Democ-
racv."
John Van Buren,, too, gives $50 to the
Utica Convention, hoping that the volun-
teers will v0te for Mcclellan, "a retired pat
riot, whom the mass of the people respect
and admire, and whom the soldiers love-
So far as any of these persons are indi-
vidually concerned, we do not care straw.
Valandigham may be as wise as Jeff. Da-
Wis, and pious as Stonewall Jackson. But
! the views of his party do concern US.
whether advocated In New York or in the
West.
At first. we find these "Peace Demo
crats'' protesting to be the guardians of the
Constitution. How did they propose to
guard it? By changing it so as to make it
the servant of slavery. and securing to pro-
slavery leaders and factions command of
the General Government The truth is, it
is not America they love. but the South.
They are the guardians, not of the Consti-
tuition, but Of the institution they wish may
control it-slavery,
Well, the war began. They predicted
financial distress, military disaster, and the
irretrievable loss of the gallant South-the
last especially grievous to them. The war
goes well enough Except where Buell., and
=, Mcclellan, and Halleck have controlled IT'D;
the country was never more prosperous;
and so far from losing the South, We may
safely say hat Missouri, Maryland and Lou,
island were never so decent, peaceful and
sensible as they have now become under a
little wholesome military ''despotism."
These fell predictions. born of their foul
maledictions on the patriotic and courageous
people of the North who dared to meet the
chivalry on their chosen field, and defend
} the integrity of the country and preserve the
honor and interests OF the nation, even il
rebels should perish and Democracy stink
These ill-omened fears were but wishes in
disguise. Democratic organizations sought
4 to prevent enlistnents; Democratic advisers
encouraged desections; Democratic soldiers
r deserted 10 the enemy; Democratic mob'
+ hurrahed for JEFF Davis; Democratic faces
grew joyous at Federal reverses; Demo
n cratic leaders plotted treason (Vallandighan
$ accidentally let it out of the bag that WooC
had been conspiriDg with the RichmqnC
traitors); and Democratic meetings groar
the President Democratic action every
where aids and abets the rebels. 1t Away.
clears" that it will succeed in what it i
! endeayoring to effect.
5 We now enjoy its latest manifesto of falls
professions It's declaration of ''loyalty Il
: to the Constitution is stupidity ridiculous
, It is not funny enough to laugh at, no
d wicked enough to rail at. If true. it is well
: if not true, it sounds we'll
= It next denies any constitutional .''powe
r to coerce States by military authority'-a
= IN which wa may briefly renlv that the Con