The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1863-12-24
CHANGE OF FRNNT.


"The Democratic members of Congress held
a caucus this evening at the capitol. 1t was
fully attended. The future policy of the par
ty discussed, and a general unanimity ex-
pressed in favor of voting all the men and
means required for a vigorous prosecution of
the war. A committee was appointed to ar
range and report at a future meeting the time
and place for holding the National Democrat
ic Convention for the nomination of candi-
dates to be supported at the Presidential cleo
ton. The caucus then adjourned to next
Monday evening"
A number of Border State men, who have
not generally acted with the Democrats at
this session, were present and took part in
the proceedings.
Iii intended to place the party kfairly and
s"quarely upon a Wan platform, and it is un-
derstood that these Democrats who have thus
far acted upon the Peace platform, will give
in their adhesion to the War policy"
''Better late than never" says the old adj
age, and the Democratic leaders are apparent
ly impressed with the wisdom of the remark
and are going to put it to the test. The DEM
ocratic party has found that it is everywhere
i'll the minority on its peace platform. 1t has
found that the people of the Free States, in
spite of party fealty and partisan prejudice,
are true to the Government, the Union and
Constitution. The leaders of that party, them
selves, have little loyalty and less patriotism.
They found no difficulty in leading the masses
Of the Slaveholding States, (where there is
far less general information than at the North)
into rebellion and treason, and they undeubt-
edly expected to be able to do the same at
the North. The tyranny and oppression of
the administration was dwelt upon loud and
long during the late canvass, and all sorts of
horrors were held up as emanating from the
administration at Washington. 1t was the
same old story by which the people of the
slave States were dragged into the vortex of
d~isunion, and the same result would proba-
bly, nave followed, had there been the same
degree of intelligence to receive it. But for
tunately for the country, the people could not
be SO deceived. The very ~harangues of stump
speakers and newspaper writers gave the lie
to their declarations. The administration
exercised no unwarranted power, and COM
mitted no acts of oppression, and the people
could see and feel the faIsity of the state
ment.
1t will be noticed that this change of front
this placing the "Democratic party fairly
and squarely upon Il War platform'-occurs
in conjunction with the preliminary steps for
the nomination Of Presidential candidates for
President and Vice President. The change to
a war platform then is not the result of any
increase of loyalty Oh the part of the Demo-
cratic Leaders, but as a matter of policy, after
finding that the people could not be forced or
coaxed into a support Of the real principles OF
the party which it is therefore proposed to
cover up with this war platform. We do not
believe that the people of the country will be
deceived even by this s~pecious pretext, into a
support of a party that has shown itself SO
ready to consent to disunion aud q destruc-
ton of the Government and the country. 1t
was under a Democratic enthusiastically
the very officers of that administration-with
the knowledge and without the protest of the
northern portion of the Democratic party, that
the present rebellion was organized and in
augurated. And further, it was with the
knowledge and general approval of the north
ern leaders Of Democracy, that the attempt
at dissolution was made. There was hard
ly a Democratic stump speaker or editor, dur
ing the last Presidential Canvass, who did
not repeatedly and constantly threaten that
if the people dared to vote for and elect a Re-
publican President, war would be declared,
and the Union dissolved by the Southern
wing Of the Democratic party.
The people will hesitate long before they
will give the reins Of power again into such
dangerous hands, even though they are stretch
ed from a "War Platform"