Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-05-13
hasn't it a sort of coppery smel
The Constitutional Copperhead..

On the occasion Of the assemblage Of the
Copperhead State Convention at San Fran
cisco, the Alta sums up the characteristics Of
that party, concluding as follows:
They are the only supporters of the Constitu-
ton !-of the Constitution as they understand il
because, according to their Interpretation Of
that document the government is powerless
against traitors; and if they could have their way.
the rebels would be permitted to establish their
avowed newspaper organs in all the Northern
states and might have their openly paid defend.
ers in Congress, and might equip and enlist regi'
meuts in every State All those things would be
Constitutional. according to Copperhead logic.
They pretend to love their country! They
love il as Satan loves virtue, and no better. They
hate all its friends aud love all its enemies. Who
ever knew a Copperheah to rejoice at a Union
victory, or lament a Union defeat2 Who ever
knew one to praise Union army, or cheer for u
Union Generali Who ever knew one to say u
word against JEFF. Davis or Robert Leei Who
ever knew Que that did not abuse the negro regi-
ments or who did call upon our Government to
ayenge the harbarous massacres of our enlisted
soldiers? Who ever read u partisan article in
Copperhead newspaper or heard stump speech
BY aCopperhead orator. in which the main sent
ment was not q desire that the rebels might be
victoriousl Did any of them ever express a hope
that our armies would be successful-that ON
Union would be Observation-Disclosures the United
States would resume their position among the
greatest nations Of the earth Have they not
done their utmost TO weaken the Government in
Congress aud 10 discourage our armies in the
fieldl Has any Copperhead in good standing
ever enlisted in the army or subscribed cent to
the sanitary Fund Whatever patriot should
do that they have avoided whatever a patriot
should not do, that they have done. They have
acted precisely as they would have acted il they
had been bribed by JEFF. Davis they would have
done much more, as everybody has observed on Il
thousand occasions if they had not known to Il
certainty that their heads would pay the forfeit
They have acted just as the paid agents of Hanni
bal would have acted in Rome, when the Cartha
genian army was encamped before the gates Of
that city; although the Roman Copperheads
would have been hanged before limiting one.tenth
part Of the treason that is openly spoken here.
AL these pretenSes they have made falsely,
meanly, maliciously, knowing that they were
trying to build up party which will be and
should be infamous forever, II our armies are sue
cessful, our Government re-established and our
Union perpetuated.
The Copperhead Party can be prosperous in
only one contingency, and that is in case of the
ruin of the country Then, when the Unionists
are disheartened and demoralized, bankrupt in
heart and in pocket the CopperheadS will come
out and rejoice at the triumph Of their policy,
and hiss into the ears Of every loyal man. 1--WE
told You So" If they had taken the part of the
country, and presented unanimous front with
the Unionists, they might have terminated the
war near its beginning, but by opposing the Gov
eminent and encouraging its enemies, they are
mainly responsible for the vast losses of treasure
and life which have fallen upon during the last
three years. The names of individual Copperheads
may be too small for preservation, but the party
itself will be memorable in history the most
rreacherous and dastardly that ever sought the
tuin Of great nation.