The mountain Democrat., 1863-02-28
The DisnAlenlsts.

1
Every man who opposes the ruinous
policy, or questions the ability, or cen
4 sures The despotio- conduct Of the Admin
| istratiON, is denounced by its leaders, sup
porters and minions as disunionist. II
is disloyal in the eyes of these immaculate
unionists, for a party to maintain the
Constitution and to advocate a restoration
of the Union. They have no respect for
the Constitution, no love FOR the Union
formed by the patriots Of the Revolution.
We are devOtedIy attached to that Union,
and for insisting on its reconstruction We
are denounced by the hirelings Of the par
ty in power as traitors. Who ever tho't
that a party would rise in our country
and control its destiny, that would call il
treason" to love and defend the old
Union? That Union which oGr fathers
formed, Beecher says twas the incarna'
ton of injustice; Stevens says, "Shall
never be restored; Wade says, "waS a
burning disgrace, and Phillips boasts
that for twenty years he has labored to
break up" and rHjNiGes that t,e, has sue,
ccedcd. These arc the representative
men Of the Abolitionized Republican par
ty; they dictate tho policy of the Admin,
istration and control its appointments.
They hope to silence Az opposition to
their policy by stigInatizing their oppo-
nentS as traitors" 1t is shallow trick,
was once formidable but is now powerleSs.
The proceedings of Congress have open
ed the eyes Of the people, exposed the
trick, and exhibited the traitors in their
true light. A brief reference to the pro-
ceedings Of Congress will show who are
the disunioniSts. The patriotic, able aud
fearless Vallandigham recently offered in
Congress resolutions "that the Union
must be preserved indivisible; that any
person advising peace on any other terms
should be held guilty of high crime +;
that the Government can never permit
foreign intervention; that the war is wa
ged in no spirit Of oppression, but for the
equal rights of the Stat and the main
tenance Of the Union; that the rcvolu
tionary scheme of extinguishing State
laws and turning States back to Terrific
ries should not be tolerated that dicta-
torship should be spurned; that the pres
ervatiOn of the Constituti5r, the Union
and the liberties of the people, should be
the object kept in view" Is there dis,
loyal, diSunion sentiment in the above !!
anything that the people would not ap-
prove ?--anything at war with the genius
of our institutions? How were the res.
olutions received? They were voted
down by the House, by vote offs Abo-
litionists against 80 Democrats in their
favor. Why were they obnoxious to the
AbolitioniSts2 Because they declared
" that the Union must be preserved indi-
visible; that dictatorship should BE-
spurned and that the preservation of the
Constitution, the Union, and the liberties
Of the people should be the object kept in
view" Their votes in Congress, like their
acts everywhere and under all circum.
stances, prove their disunion feeling and
purposes. They could not iudorSe the
resolutions without rebuking the Admin
condcmning their own
acts and votes--without demora!zing
their own party. They placed party above
" the Constitution, the Union, and the
liberties of the people" and plainly indi
Gated by their votes that they desired a
dissolution Of the Union, would willingly
rob the people Of their liberties and gladly
welcome dictator. They want a strong
an ariStocratic, despotic Government
n Government which will deprive the
people Of their liberties and permanently
keep in power dictator aud his friends
The old Union was too liberal for them;
it conferred too much power upon the
people; it protected their rights and lib.
critics; it tolerated no prescription for diff
ference Of opinion; it tnade the military
subordinate to the civil power; it respect
cd freedom of speech and freedom Of the
press; and therefore the supporters Of IA
dictatorship arc opposed to its restoration
and are working for its destruction;
therefore they voted against and defeated
Vallandigham's patriotic resolutions.