The mountain Democrat., 1864-11-26
ShOddY Humbug.

/
Before the election Shoddy organs as
sured the credulous people that LincOln's
reelection would end the war In three
weeks. 1t would frighten and dishearten
the leaders of the rebellion, demoralize
the rebel army and inaugurate a Union
movement in the South. 1t is the same
old humbug and has been repeated since
the war commenced. Then Seward, with
remarkable sagacity, boastingly asserted
that the rebellion would be crushed out
in ninety days" Loyalty took up the
pleasing but stupid assertion, and circu-
lated il extensively. Loyalty hes;aSeA is,
and loyalty was fumbdgged. Ia SaGda-
~, 1858, Horace Greeley said" If the
rebels should be successful, and we de
feated in the general results of the cam.
paign now opening, impartial third parties
will say we ought to consent to peace on
the best attaiRAble terms" Again he
said, few weeks later, -" Only let it be
generally agreed that we will crush Out
the rebellion in the impending campaign
or frankly give up the job, and we can
have men and money enough" This was
nearly two years ago, when the Admins
tration needed men and money, and when
it was necessary to deceive the people to
obtain both. Greeley also said at that
time, that the rebellion "may be virtually
crushed out within the next ninety days,
and that it is far more likely to be within
that term than ever afterwards" The
Sacramento Union, following in the foot
steps Of the illustrious Greeley, and paid
to support Lincoln, two years ago assured
its readers that "the Confederacy is now
tottering on the very brink of ruin" In
April, 1868, the Union thus encouraged
and humbugged loyalty:
"Jeff Davis and his associates in authority
and in guilt, will hold out till they see their
doom Immediately before their eyes, when, il
they can elude the vigilance of the Union
guards, they will flee to parts unknown, to
drag out, in exile from land they had betruy-
ed, wretched and weary existence"
A month later the Union exultingly an
nounced that
The rebels are engaged in an uphill busi-
ness, and it will be impossible for them to
keep their army together many weeks longer"
The rebels have done what the Union
pronounced impossiblc;" they have kept
their army together many weeks long
err" and, judging from the past, they are
able to keep it together many years long
er Shoddy predicted and was foolish
enough to bet that Grant would take
Richmond before the fourth Of July. He
tried the experiment and was repulsed,
and the repulse cost him fifty thousand
men. Upwards of two months ago the
telegraph informed US that Lee had only
" thirty-fve thousand men and they were
1eserting at the rate Of thousand day.
TO doubt the truth of the report or ex-
pose its palpable absurdity was consider
ID treason by the supporters of the Ad-
The more they deceive the
people the better the people seem to like
It.
We could fill our columns with similar
extracts, from the Bulletin, Alta and
Union, showing great duplicity or very
bad judgment. We have heard such talk
ever since the war begun; Seward start
I'd it, Stanton daily repeats it, Abolition
'rgans circulate it, and loyalty greedily
swallows it. 1t is more unblushing now
han ever. 1t is intended to deceive-to
induce feeling of trust and confidence
n the men and measures of the Admins
tration, of which they are altogether un-
Torthy-to crush all opposition to the
Ticked Abolition policy of Lincoln, Gar
rison, Jim Lane & Co.-to keep in power
the imbeciles and fanatics who have ruled
the country with an iron hand and who
are working to prevent a restoration of
the Union.