The Xenia sentinel. [volume] (Xenia [Ohio]) 1863-186?, 1864-05-03

reality, but that losses Of life and hig
prices render the matter most painful
real. How to act under such eireuu
stances might well pu1zle US, we're it n
that the path Of duty is pointed out by Il
spirit Of patriotism. The election wi
have much effect on the operations of wa
and those operations in their turn vi
have no light.effect on the election. On
political action should be such as /
stengthen the arm Of Government an
the military action of Government shoul
be such as to strengthen those who sha
be engaged in af0rding it political suppor
Failure in the field would not lead to de
feat at the polls. But it might so lessO
the loyal majority that the public senti
ment Of the country would be but fsebl
represented by the eOuntrys political act
ion. What happened in 1862 might hap
pen again in 1864, aud with much NOR
disastrous effect on the fortunes of th,
Republic. In 1852 there was much dis
content, because the belief that Govern.
ment bad done all it could have done tC
bring about the overthrow of the Rebels.
Irritated by the reverses which had befal-
len our arms in Virginia, and knowing
that nothing had been withheld that was
necessary to the effective Waging of the
war, thousands of men refrained from 7ot-
ing, half-iRelined as they we're to see if
the Democrats could not do that which
others had failed to do. We are not dis
cussing the justice of the opinion which
then prevailed, but simply state a fact;
and the consequence of the discomfort
that existed was that the Democrats cane
very near obtaining control of the popu-
lar branch Of Congress. They made heavy
gains in New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio,
and other States but that this result
was not the effect of hostility to the ma
tiOnal cause was made clearly apparenet a
year later, when the supporters Of that
cause won seriesiof brilliant political vic
tories in the very State which had either
pronounced for the Democrats in '62, or
had given but small Republican majori-
ties. The loyal majority in OHIO in 1868
was something that approached to the ia
bulOus, because then the violent members
of the Opposition, encouraged by what
had taken place year earlier, bad the au-
deity to place Mr. Vallandigham in nom
ination for the Office of Governor. Had
that individual been elevated to the post
for which he was nominated, Ohio must
have been arrayed in open opposition to
the Federal Government, almost as decis-
iyly SO as South Carolina or Yirginia.
Had he be;n defeated by small majority,
his party would have taken arms against
he State Government, and Ohio, compell-
ID to fight for the maintenance of socialor-
Ter at home, would have done nothing
It home, would have done nothing for the
rational cause. But the majority against
dr. Yallandigham was upward of one
hundred thousand; and to attempt resis-
ance to a Government sopotently support
d as that of which Mr.. Brough was
he head was something that surpassed
ven the audacity Of the men who had
ad the bad courage. to select Mr.. Val
lndigham for their leader, in the hope of
eing able to make him the head Of the
tate. That which was done in Ohio, not
even months since. should be done in the
alton not seven months hence, if we weuld
ave peace preserved at home, and all our
vailable means directed to the work of
the armies Of the Southern Con- !
.deracy, and to the seizure of its ports
nd principal towns. The national popu-
II majority should be so great in support
the war as to prevent any faction from
inking of resistance to the peoples will }
J a possibility. The moral effect of a
reat political victory in November would
, almost iucalculable, both at home and
Europe; and in the Confederacy it
ould put an end to all such hopes of ul-
mate success as may rest upon the belief :
at we are divided people. -
The Democratic party should not be re- :,
ored to power, happen that what may in !
e course of the present campaign. This !
2 say. not because we believe the Dem !
ratio masses wanting in loyalty or pat ;,
otism, but because we are Of opinion a
at there should be no change either in /
e position of the parties or in the per- :
nnel of the Government. There ought =
be no doubt as to the soundness of the /
ews that are held by most Democrats =
hey love their country, an1 they desire :
see the Rebels subdued. They have ;.
e same interest, considered as citizens, :
the triumph of the Federal cause that \
all have, They have contributed their :,
are of men to the fleets and armies of :,
e Republic, and to the rolls on which are .
scribed the names of the gallant dead.
any of our best generals formerly be- =,
lged to the Democratic organization, and -
ey still hold Democratic opinion on g
mmcn poloitics. Why, then, object to ~
; Democratic party being replaced in -
Wer? Because tn twould be restoration, +
it is truism that a restoration is of all = :
rgs the worst thing that can befall =
intry in times of civil eommotion. If =
could be settled beyond controversy that =
Democratic party, should it be restor- r +
would be governed by those Of It's -;
mbers who have done their duty to their ~ ~
lntry in every way, no objection could :.
made to It's coming again into possess
Of the National Government. But we =.
oW that nothing Of the kind would .
q place. The most violent members Of -
Democratic party would govern that r.
ty, aud dictate its policy aud course Of ~.
ion, we're it to triumph in the pending =,
itioal contest We wish for no better + IN
Of Of this than is afforded by the con-
It of Democratic conventions fr some ~