The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1863-07-10
Beauties of the Copperhead Platform


We have, thus far, boen unable to find
room in our limited columns for tho volu.
minous platform of tho Copperhead.D Democ.
racy OF Ohio but we must not fail to no to
few of its most striking beauties. We
make our quotations in the ordor and with
the comments that follow, that the reader
may tho better appreciate that wonderful
embodiment of fasehood, hypocrisy and
troason;
"The Democratic party has over boon,
hnd yet Is, a law-ablding party. 1t asks
nothing but its rights under tho Constitu.
lion and tho laws. II resorts to no violin.
fion of eiher. If found in a minority.
81 yields obedience to all lawful rulo of tho
majority; if it bo tho majority itself, it
claims that its lawful will be respected -
Whether in majority or minority, it obeys
all laws that nre in force. Those that it
dis'ikes 1t seeks to overthrow, not by yio-
Ienoe, but by legitimate repeal
I'VE will obey tho laws ourselves and
all othors must obey them"
such language as tho above comes with
poor grace from the Convention of party
which ia kept in existence for tho solo pur.
pose of opposing tho Government in its Of
forts to maintain its authority, which has
no word of condemnation or reproof for
the authors of tho Rebellion, and which,
with almost unparalleled unanmity and
enthusiasm has chosen an exilod traitor
for its standard. boarsr. A "law-abiding"
party, forsooth Whatever the Democratic
m hn :.
camo undor tho exclusive control of the
South, 1t has been, not law.abiding but q
taithloss, law wdefying party. 1t has known
no law and no Constitution but the will of
the slavoholdorsi and, notwithstanding their
criminal and unprovoked Rebellion, with
all tho ruin it has wrought, it was nevcr
more completely subject to that will than
It is to-day, II has no policy that is not
fable to bo changed at any moment the
Shareholders. consulting their own selfish in
teres's, without regard to the welfare of tho
country, may dictate. Tho protracted of.
fort, mado under tho auspices of the Demo
cratic party, and sustained by the last two
Democratic Administrations, to establish
Slavery in Kansas by force of arms, and in
defiance of the organic law of tha, territory.
and all the sacred guarantees of tho Consti.
futIon, will not soon be forgotten or for
given by tho loyal people of the country. -
Nor can they soon forget that tho plans for
making this Rebellion effective were 40.
cretiy concocted, and In good part executed
under Democratic Administration , that 1t
is but tho legitimate fruit of tho policy of
the Democratic party, that shat party
now counsels and encourages opposition to
tho constituted authorities in every effort to
suppress 1t; and that, without such opposi.
'ion, 1t would have been suppressed at
least ons year ngo. Is it not strange that
= party protesting to bo 80 law-abding
should not only fail to denounce treason
and rebellion, but actually nominate for
Governor ono who has declared that all
his sympathies arc with the South. and rrh q,
openly boasts hat he has nerer poied q man
or a dollar 10 mdmtnia the War for Ms
Enion! q
THAT the will Of tho people Ia tho founda.
" ~ 'So 10 Rlfe
effect to this will, free thought, free speech
and ,ree press are absolutsly indispensa.
hle. Without free discussion, thore is no
Certainty OF sound Judgment without sound
Judgment there can be no wso government. I"
Think of a Copperbead Convention adyo.
eating free speech I. Who but such mon ms
now constitute the opposition to the Admin.
istration. have the real friends Of troo
speech had TO contend with, for yoars
Who systematically violated and sot n,
naught tho right of petition? Who soupb,
to deprive Members of Congress Of thor
seats. when they asserted the right of the
Free States to be exempt from participation
in the guilt OF Slavery Tho Democrats
National Convention In 1852, when the
country was IN a state of profound peaee
resolved 20 resist" the agitation OF the
question Of Slavery bat. in 1868. when the
81. t't.H t