The Portland daily press., 1864-09-08
Crocodile Tears.

At the democratic meeting on Monday night,
Mr. Sweat declared, with that melting pathos
aud that grandiloqnent eloquence OF which he
is such consummate master, that all his SYM
pathies were with the poor, wounded, dying,
broken, suffering soldier, and he called upon
the Almighty to attest the truth Of his state
ment. Now, to say nothing OF blasphemy, all
this sort Of stuff is very cheap-the commonest
kind of tinsel. 1t is the stock in trade of those
politicians who depend solely upon words for
their foundation. We expect it here in New
England as a regular thing in sill the demo-
cratic meetings, because the copperhesds think
it Is suited to the latitude; just as, If we lived
in southern Indiana or Illinois, We should ex-
pect them to incite copperhead mobs to gut
soldiers-that being the most available clap
trap in that latitude.
When, however, any speaker, be he even the
greatest orator in the world, undertakes to al
lude to 3 subject SO near and so sacred to q
loyal people as the death and suilcriags Of the
a.----.Aas, ham ln..a..d aha,Ias
TO their country's cause, there is one rule Of
decency and good taste that ought always to
be observed. The speaker should feel in his
Utmost heart what hs says. Il should not be
mere bathos. As nothing is so horrible ~
blasphemy. SO nothing is Sd painful as extrav-
agant and simulated sympathy. The bereayed
fathers and mothers, brothers and sisters, who
might have been present at the City Hall on
Monday evening, were doubtless much moved
all 90. t.ofr L.
parted, manned and suffering friends. Though
it Is folly to be wise where ignorance is bliss,
we must nevertheless probe Mr.. Sweat's sym
pathy to the bottom, and show our readers how
utterly his acts belle his pathetic pretensions
We may perchapce disenchant some Of bis ad-
mirers.
On the 2jthso January last, 4 resolution TO
increase the pay OF the soldiers was introduced
in the House of Representatives for the pur-
pose OF giving an imperative instruction to the
committee on military affairs to report bill
in accordance with 1t. The resolution was In
the following words
Resofred That the immediate increase in the pay Of
the private soldiers OF the army imperatvey handed
by every consideration of justice aud public policy
that such Increase Is especially necessary proper in
ornaiIof tose soi9s who entered the prior the
adoption Of the present regulations bouuiies and
that the committee military affairs be instructed re-
port bill at the earliest practicable increasing
the pay OF prvats soldiers correspond substantially
With the increase in the price Of labor ali articles OF
domestic consumption since the pay private soldiers
was fixed at thirteen dollars month,
Mr.. Slceat rotsd against this resoIution,and
with him voted the Aliens Of Illinois, Brooks
of New York, Cravens and VOORHEES, of Indi-
ana, Pendleton, the present associate of Geo.
B. Mcclellan, and Ben. and Fernando Wood
Of New York, besides other copperheads of
lesser note. Whatsdid they mean? Sympa-
thy with the soldier? five are to believe Mr..
Sweat that is the Interpretation 10 be put upon
his and their conduct. What did they do?
They strore TO reduce The pay Of The pirate
to less than seven dollars month, computed
on specie basis. Such hypocFicy moves not
mirth, but tears; not satire bat indignation.