Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-02-27

kot the Joufnall
Peace Party, alias Copperheads.
A "Peace party" in the United States is
nothing new. We have never had war but
we have had a party opposed to the Govern
ment, who styled themselves ''peaac men,"
The war Of the Revolution had its ''tories; )"
but when the loyal men had driven the
enemies Of our country from our soil, many
Of the tories left with them, while the rest
remained here in private life, the scorn of all
loyal persons.
The next war with Great Britain Qs12) we
had another party opposed to the Govern
ment; but instead Of being called tories, they
took the name of "peace men," and, like
their followers, the ''copperheads," did all
they could to embarrass the Government, by
crying out the war was unjust - it was not
waged for the good of the country but for the
aggrandizement of party. 1t was the same
cry then that we hear now, and for the same
purpose-to aid our enemies. The cry then
was that Mr.. Madison (the President) was not
competent--he was not equal to the emer-
gency-he could not fill the BILL" as GER
tain would-be great man said of Mr.. Lincoln.
In short, the copperheads of to-day have
their prototype in the "peace party" of 1912.
That party eliminated in convention at
Hartford, Conn, - this will probably do the
same at Louisville, Kentucky. The Hartford
Convention was a political tomb, in which
every man who participated in it slept in pri
vatc life the remainder of his days. The term
Hartford Conventions" was like Banquo's
ghost-it never would "down" while one Of
those men remained to hear the sound.
So it will be with the "peace party" alias
copperheads," alias traitors" of to-day.
The Government will not be destroyed by
their showing their teeth and growing, and
snarling but the people, in their might, will
restore our Union, overcome the rebellion,
hang the leading rebels or drive them away
and leave these peace men the scorn and con.
tempt of all honorable people. Let them meet
in convention at Louisville, or Richmond, and
in the language Of flanagan, every man who
has anything to do with such convention
twill meet q political death so sure-a damna.
ton so profound-that Gabriel's trumpet will
never awake him to political life again!'
But few of the honest part of the peace
men will ever see the language which Gems
Rosecrans and Milroy (both Democrats) use
towards them for the reason that the Dem
ocratic papers will not publish their letters
and but few of them take a Union paper
Well may they exclaim, with Burns:
.Ah would some power the gift but give rs
To 80 Ourselves - others see u.s."
Hear what the hero Of many battles, Rose
Grams, says:
81 am amazed that any one should think Of
peace on any terms He who entertains the
sentiment is fit only to be slave; he who
utters it at this time, moreover, is traitor to
his country, who deserves the scorn and con-
tempt of all honorable men,
Hear Gen. Milroy:
81 join with my fellow. soldiers of the
Union everywhere in warning these traitors
at home, that, when we have crushed armed
treason at the South and restored the sover.
eighty Of our Government over these mis-.
guided States (Which, under God, we will
surely do), we will upon our return, while
our hands are in, also exterminate treason al
the North, by arms, if need DO, and seal by
| the blood Of traitors, wherever found the
permanent peace Of our country and the per.
petuity Of free government to all future gen.
erations" UNION,