Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1863-04-16
The Intrigues of Democratic Politicians
with The British Minister.

Extract from Gen. B. F. Buffers speech in New
York city, April I'd
"You will observe, my friends, that in
the list of grievances with which | charge
England did not charge her with tamper.
ing with our leading politicians. Laugh.
ter So far as any evidence have !
don't know that she is guilty, but what
shall we say Of our leading politicians that
have tempered with hera [Laughter.]
have read of it with much surprise, ex-
cited more than by any other fact of this
war. had somehow, got an inkling Of
the various things that came up in previ-
Gus instances was not very much sur.
prised at that, but when read state
ment deliberately put forward that here
in New York, leading politicians consulted
with the British Minister as to how these
United States could be separated, every
drop of blood in my veins boiled, and
would like to have seen that leading poll
tican. Tremendous applause.1 / do not
know that Lord Lyons is to blame. l sup.
pose, sir, if a man comes to one Of your
clerks and offers to go into partnership
with him to rob your neighbours bank, and
he reports him to you, you don't blame the
clerk, but what do you do with the mar
who makes the offers Laughter. A voice
=" Hang him."] think we had better
take lesson from the action of Washing.
tons administration, when the French
minister, M. Genet, undertook even to ad
dress the people of the United States by
letter. Complaint was made to his gov
eminent, and he was recalled, and law
was passed preventing for all time any in
reference by foreign diplomatists with the
people of the United States; and again
| want to be understood-I Lave no evil
dence of any interference On the part of
Lord Lyons; but he says, both before and
after, leading politicians came to him and
desired that he would do, what I'd am
giving the substance and not words)-he
would request his government not to
Interfere. Why not? Because it would
sid the country not to interfere2 No!
because if you do, the country will spurn
it and be stronger than ever for crushing
this rebellion; and that shall be crushed
out. Mark again the insidious way in
which the point was put. They knew
how We felt because OF the action of EGG
land-they knew that the heart of this
people beat true to the constitution. and
that it could not brook any interference
on the part of England. What, then, did
these politicians dos They asked the
British Minister to use the influence of
British diplomacy to induce other nations
to Interfere, but to take care that Great
Britain should keep ont of sight, lest we
should see the Cat under the meal. laugh
ter. This is precisely the proposition
that they made. You observe that in
speaking of these men have up to this
moment used the word politicians. What
kind of politicians? A voice: " Copper.
heads" Kisses and groans.] They can
not be democratic politicians. ["Of
course, they cannot."l How shouid like
to hear Andrew Jackson say few words
upon such politicians who call themselves
democrats. ["He would hang them."l
No, don't think he would have an op-
portunlty to do SO; he never would be
able so catch them. [Laughte.1 l have
felt it my duty here in the city of New
York, because OF the interest | have in
public affairs, to call attention to this most
extraordinary tact-that there are men in
the community so lost to patriotism, 50
bodnd up in the traditions of party, so sell
fish, as to be willing to tamper with Great
Britain in order to bring about the separa-
tion of this country. 1t is the most alarm
ing fact that have yet seen. had rather
see hundred thousand men set in the
field on the rebel side--aye, | had rather
see Great Britain armed against US openly,
as she is covertly--than to be forced to
believe that there are amongst us such
men as these, lineal descendants of Judas
lscarlot, intermarried with the race of
Benedict Arnold. WOOD" Brooks."1
1t has shown me great danger with which
We are threatened, and l call upon all true
men to sustain the government--to be
loyal to the government. Loud cheers
AS you, sir, was pleased to say, the present
government was not the government of
my choice--I did not vote for it, or for
any part of it; but it is the government
Of my country, it is the oEly organ by
which | can exert the force of the country
to protect its integrity, and as long as l
believe that government to be honestly
will throw a mantle over
any mistakes thal may think it has made,
and support it heartily, with hand and
purse, so help me God Prolonged cheer
ing.] | have no loyalty to any man or
men; my loyalty is to the government
and it makes no difference to me who the
people have chosen to administer the gov
eminent, so long as the choice has been
constitutionally made, and the persons so
chosen hold their places and powers. |
am traitor and false man if falter in
my support. Applause This is what l
understand to be loyalty to government;
and was sorry to learn, as | did the other
day, that there was man in New York
who protested not to know the meaning
of the word loyalty. Misses, groans, land
cries of Wood.''1
I desire to say here that it is the duty
of every man to be loyal to the Govern
ment, to sustain it, to pardon its errors,
and help it to rectify them, and to do ali
he can to aid it in carrying the country on
in the course of glory and grandeur in
which it was started by our fathers. And
let me say to you, my friends-to you,
young men, that nc man who opposed his
country in time of war ever prospered.
{" That's so.''l The Tories of the Revo.
luton, the Hartford Conventionists of
1872, the immortal seven Who voted
against the supplies for the Mexican War
all history is against these men. Let
no politician of our day put himself in
the way of the march of this country to
glory and greatness, for whoever does so
will surely be crushed. The course of our
nation is onward, and let him who OPP
poses it beware.
The mower mows on, though the adder may writhe,
And tho copperhead curl round the blade of the
soythe.
loud applause.
A contrabandn servant in Cincin-
aati was sent to the market for porter