Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-03-19
TEAMS OF ADvERIIsnkss

uy ,o ,',pn. p,p',aiu'eu .lat me Government had
and Jos,r,a,;, ~ voe,ou S,ate. Astounding
sad ~ ~ ~ ne I'.s a. WIS ooctrine was admit
oa,os ~ go nv :" 'uSsi iien generally ITS adyo-
Sn,,,i, ~. u y ~ 80 n'ean1 connned 70 the
no,,,';,..,;a So. VI oahuhty, looi,
Gei','i ein'Dglae'o o'1.e Conventiop y convened IN
80. ""u p"s'eu 'he io'io"ing resoiu-
''op ep..,,
Of Ohio sHd 10 he nom, og , % p,noern
Norih and sou erecting hat when The people of ihs
@ So,'a sGa nave d.ehafEed ihsr duty 70 the consta-
proper or item 10 tate h 90 sd' rson tie question Of
the right and prophsty o'eoercioE"
What, Mr. President, | would ask, could
have been the object of such a remarkable
resolution at such time? Five States had
seeded; the balance Off Southern States
were either holding Conventions for that.
purpose, or discussing the subject ,fJretiar-
atory To holding Such UeeYsntious. Did
II not seem to say to thern-Go on, gentle.
men, perfect your work Of dissolution, thero
is a powerful party 10 the North that will
not take into consideration the question Of
coercing you; the people of the North are
wrong, they have violated the Constitution
and tramped on the rights OF the South
go on al your pleasure; We will see that you
are not disturbed until the North gets down
on Its knees and makes full restitution for
the past aud gives security for the future?
such was evidently the Interpretation given
It by the seces-ionists of the South and
however much they were deceived finally
with expectations thus raised, it served
powerfully to tan the embers of disunion
into an open fame. Secession fourished
under the Democratic doctrine of no coer-,
con; and Mr.. Buchanan's Administration
closed with seven States out Of the Union,
80 far as seeding would take them out.
The new administration was inaugurated,
but the Government was left almost power
less from the absence Of its army, its navy,
and It's arms. Forts aud arsenals, belonging
to the United States were seized BY the
rebels, who also took forcible possession of
and appropriated the mint al New Orleans.
One depreciation after another followed
until war ensued by the act of the rebels
Our national flag had been iusulted, a
terrible blow had been aimed at our free
institutions, the whole North was aroused,
and public sentiment demanded complete
vlndlcation of our national honor. The
patriot, Judge Douglas, had much TO do in
moulding public opinion. He said that in
such times as.thcee there could b. but two
parties. I'VE must either be for the coun-
try OF against it, either patriots or traitors"
Hundreds Of the leaders Of the Democratic
party now seeing that all efforts had failed
to effect a settlement of our difficulties, aud
that war had been found upon US by the
disunionists Of the South came out Boldly
and uncon1itiouall7 for the preservation Of
the Union by the force of arms. The
masses OF all parties were aroused and the
Presidents can for $50 volunteers was
almost instantly responded TO, as we'll as the
succeeding call for the three years services.
But while This was the csss,s IL was quite
apparent that very many of the Democratio
leaders did not give cordial au1 uncondi.
tional support to the Government in the
prosecution of the war. OF this class in
in the North Mr.. Vailanligbam is pro-.
at the commencement that he would not
vote man or a dollar for the prosecution
of such a war; and he has kept that PROMISE
good. Many Democratic papers throughout
the North united with Mr.. Vallaniighaln
in declaring all the acts of the President in
raising and supporting an army to suppress
the rebellion, as so many acts Of usurpalion,
aud violations of the Constitution Thus
stood things in the North at the commence.
ment of the war.
In the summer of 1861 the Republican.
State Central Committee of Ohio proposed
to the Democratic State Central Committee
to hold a Convention and nominate ticket
in common on the broad platform of the
Union, the Constitution, and the Enforce
ment Of the Laws. This very liberal and
patriotic proposition was rejected by the
Democratic Convention but was responded
to by large portion of the best men in tho
party Unconditional Union Democrats.
The Union party was successful, but the
canvass developed more fully the true posi-.
ton of what was called the ''straight Den-
ocratic party many OF them true Union
men, but so tranmeled BY the shackles of
party and party platforms that they fell al
most i'm mpercepti6iy into the adoption of
the extreme views OF the more ultra and
less patriotic portion of the party. The
cause of the war was boldly charged upon
the North, and the secessionisis Of the South
to that extent exculpated
The resolution of Mr.. Crittenden, which
was adopted with such unaninity in the
House of Representatives in Congress by
Republicans and Democrats, which declar-
ed that the present deplorable civil war
has been forced upon the country by the
disunionists of the Southern States, ;" was
wholly ignored by this radical Democratic
party for the most unworthy Of all party pur-
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