The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1864-05-05
contributions oppo,ition.

AANA fNANA y NA'A~S SNAN"''
''f constitutional opposition.
There are several members of Con-
gress who please themselves by assert
ing that they constitute healthy con-
stitutional opposition to the Govern
ment and who insist that it is wrong
to call them unpatriotic merely be-
cause they do not approve the method
and policy of the Administration in
conducting thewar. They protest that
the Administration is not the Gov
ernment, and that they may censure
all its acts without being Justly liable to
be called traitors. The reply to this
specious strain is very simple The
Government of the United States is
defending its existence against an able
and desperate rebellion. The Consti-
tuition confers upon that Government
every power whatever, which is nee
essary to its maintenance. 1t may,
in the last extremity, wage war, and
whatever is lawful for that Government.
That extremity is now reached, and
we are at war; consequently no meas
ures of legitimate warfare can be cen
sured as unconstitutional. 1t cannot,
for instance, be urged that, as the Con :
stitution declares that no man shall
lose life or property without due course
of law, therefore no rebel shall be shot
and no rebels stores seized. The only
Ipoint of debate is tho practical wisdom
Of certain measures for prosecuting
the war Is it good policy?-that is
the question? For what right have
traitors under the Constitution? The
life OF every one Of them is constitu
tionaly forfeited. h' "
Now to oppose the war, underwhat
ever pretext, is to favor the rebellion
and compass the overthrow ofthe Gov
ernment, Is, then, encouragement t
the rebellion a Legitimate constitutions
opposition2 We do not speak of th,
honesty Of men who take this course
we aro considering the excuse by whiel
1 they Justify it, Their course leads o
necessity, if they can persuade tn
country that the war is wrong, 10
counter revolution and tho success o
! rebellion, Do they suppose That to b
sound and healthy opposition to tn
: conduct of the war? , ..I
OF course wo know that they clair
to be as good war men as anybody
They arc, lst, in favor Of tho war; an
End, they are opposed to prosocutin
it. TRY tho quality of their war feel
'lings BY their record. Suppose tn
Government to day intrustcd to tn
; hands of this party in Congress-
Would they continue the war or attemr
to negotateP Look at the leaders, wh
: supply it's arguments and philosoph,
and direct its action They are sue
mon as Vallandigham, William ]
Reed, Horatio Seymour, George v
, Woodward, & fernando Wood. Otht
!. than tho party which votes in accort
6 anoewith the views Of these leader
i thoro 10 no serious opposition to IL
! Government. And what these Leader
3 : believe is known to tho whole countr,
4 They are ofsopinioh that the difficult
Z should bo settled by negotiation an
q compromise. That is to say, they {
d not oppose the method and policy
r tho Government in waging the wa
!. but they are opposed to the war itse1
!. Wood says that there is no sue
n thing as o War Democrat, The
n opposition, therefore, is neither CO.
" stitutional nor legitimate. For the
- propose to treat with citizens wi
DfI refuse by force to obey tho laws, al
ID their demand is simply that the abs
d Lutte authority of the Govornme
n shall be overthrown. This is practi
If ally heground ofthe ewhole oppositi'
40 in Congress. They voted at the We
ID outset for Woods proposition to sci
N Commissioners to Richmond, by n
10 voting to lay it upon tho table. Fa
Of ing to carry the destruction Of 7
: Government by a direct vote, tn
ut struggle in every way to thwart a
Ms perplex its movements. They are all
a. ing to retard tho prosecution of t
war, and SO they play into the han
n. of the rebels, who hope by prolongi
~ it TO weary the loyal States and cres
IN q reaction. That these men arc
m hopeless and futile minority in Go
G. gress, as they are in the country, d.
vo not lessen the shemc of their eond,
nd nor the scorn in which history "
h. hold them. They will not be record
as a legitimate opposition who say
NC civil liberty. They will be known
ts, political pSrricides to whom pow
IS not malice was wanting Harp
h. Weekly