Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-12-24
Definite Issues for IsGl.


1t may be melancholy satisfaction to
know that since the open and bold pro-
mitigation by the President Of the Uni.
.ed States, Of the poliiicsl programme
marked ont by him for hi, own conduct
and his party, that political inesmay now
be framed without involving any ques.
ton of patriotism. We may take com.
fort in the belief that the utmost assur-
ance Of party cemag will not go
so far as TO charge that men may not
differ with the views laid down by Mr..
Lincoln in bis late Message, without in.
curing the ta;nt OF disloyalty to the ma.
tion or the laws. The dominant party in
the enjoyment Of all its Offices, cmolu.
ments and privileges will at least not ex-
act from its political antagonists, un-
questioning submission to the late anti
slavery programme. 1t will hardly add
to its demands that so many irregular
proceedings should be approved upon the
ground Of military necessity the further
demand that Mr.. Lincoln's avGwal of a
war not to end save with the entire abro
CATION Of slavery in the disanectel States,
should be endorsed, sanctioned. Whilst
it may vouch for its own consistency and
assert that il is fairly carrying out the
idea Of "An irrepressible conflict" enun-
ciatej by Mr.. Lincoln in his debate with
Mr.. Douglas in 1853, it can scarcely ex-
pect the Democracy to disown its life
long convictions and policy. and join it
in tender fellowship over this abolition
crusade /, mast be satisfied that the
Democracy cling to the idea Of q restored
Union and a preserved Constitution and
for these purposes stand by the nation
1t must not ask Of them to join in these
notions Of treating the Southern States
as mere conquered provinces to be re-or-
ganized according to the whim and cap.
rice Of the conqueror. 1t must not asl;
OF the Democracy to accept the idea that
a party who will have no Union save up
on their abolition plan, is animated by
any eleva ed or patriotic idea. 1t must
not endeavor to alarm the Democracy
from their high stand point by making
its revolutionary scheme test of fealty to
the goveroment.
The view expressed SO tersely by Gen.
Mcclellan, as to the purposes Of the war,
and which had been previously declared
in July, 1861, by Republican Congress,
will not be abandoned by great consti-
tutional partylat the bidding of restless
clique in Washington City, who are
themselves but the mere plastic organs Of
yet smaller clique in Massachusetts,
As long as there is life, strength anC
spirit in the Democratic party, it viii Dc
battle against the scheme to convert thi
tremendous struggle into an agency sub
, servient to the advancement of abolition
| ism. The masses of the nation do no
. believe in this crusade upon the industri
al system OF portion Of the country
, They do not believe in Mr.. Lincoln
/ idea of making one tenth of the peopl
| of State the arbiters of its politica
destiny. They do not believe in this set
tied purpose, as shown both by the Mes
sage of the President and the Report 0
the Secretary of War, of placing the ne
gro upon an equal footing with the whit
citizens or soldier in this country.
In short, and finally, they DO not re
cognizc or approve in any manner soever
the expressed policy of this administra
ton to prolong the war until the who'll
South is a6oktiOnized. We use this tern
advisedly; for it is not even the mere en-
frauchisement Of the slaves which vii
satisfy the insatiate demands of radical
ism, but the inhabitants of the conquer
ed country are required to take an oatl
to act as an abolition posse comitotuS il
enforcing the aoti-slavery DEGREES.
This paper has faithfully, zealously
and honestly stood by the Governmen
during the progress Of this war 1t ha
yielded neither to Establishments no.
threats. 1t will stand By tile Jrare SOL
diers acho are realty fighting for the On
ion, but it will not less fearlessly de
nounce all efforts to pervert the war To-
its original design. 1t will give no as
sent to the declared schemes of the Re
publican party, and to the utmost of IT.
ability it will steadily warn the pubIi'
agoinst the fatal consequences OF the pol
icy, which, long having been foreshad,
owed has at last been openly proclaimed
by the chief executive officer of the ma
tiOn qip4f0ler