The weekly union record., 1864-10-15
Condemned by Their Own Acts.

a camel In the celebrated play OF ~Nomi-
mating Candidate for the Presidency" which
was recently performed at Chicago, there
transpired quite az amusing scene, which iell
rather heavily on the shoulders Of that party
who have shFieked 50 long and loud about nil
itary arrests. suspension of habeas corpus. and
other alleged unconstitutional acts BY the
Administration in power. In the first act Of
the CoppeFhead drama, the play proceeded and
was conducted on genuine Copperhead princi-
pie. The programme, as originally concocted
at Clifton, in Canada, by the agents Of Jefer-
son Davis, and his Northern sympathizers
under his direction, was carried out TO perfec-
ton, and resulted in the creation of another of
those mirageous phau;asmagora called Demo
cratic Platform" which, according to your
taste, will be "goiDg South or coming North 3"
The principal characters introduced were the
tyrannical and despotic Lincoln and suffering
people groauing under the Affections Of military
arrests and impriso1ments,s suspensions ofhabeas
corpus, interference with elections unholy wars
and violated Constitutions 1t is also intimated
in this part of the play that a "more excellent
way will presently be shown for the preserva
tion Of the Union the security of persona! lib
erty, the rights of the States and the freedom
of speech and the press. The optical illusion
was so great and so varying that DO one could
tell how the thing would terminate. but the
forked tongued fraternity seemed to be of the
opinion that if all could be lost in the fog they
were raising, there would be clear sky when
the wind shifted, and they could come out of
their dens once more in safety.
The platform was completed and well slimed
over, and the next thing in order was a candi
date to stand on it. The curtain rose on the
second scene. George B. Mcclellan was
brought upon the stage as the grand Paclfcator
endowed with the power and ability to bring
the nation out of lis political chaos and hush
the discordant clements into peace. He, the
hero Of the Chickahomny, though at West
Point SO eager for war, knew how 10 make a
change of base with great rapidity, and by
annexing an to his base would be Just the
thing to make him (baser) fit tool for cop
perheads and traitors to use for the success of
the Davis Confederacy. He, the advocate for
war, was put in nomination to sue for peace.
He, who had ordered the arrest and imprison
mcnt Of the Legislature of Maryland, who had
ordered the suspension Of the writ Of habeas
corpus in that State and the arrest of suspected
treason sympathizers, in order to prevent their
Interference with Union voters at the late elec
tion-even he, was nominated to preserve the
rights of the States and personal liberty. At
this stage of the play, Harris, member of the
convention from Maryland, who felt disgustcd
with the hypocrisy of doubledealng, and
wished to be as consistent in his iDiquity as the
nature Of the case would permit, and who had
felt what he called the Iron heel" of Macs
tyranuical orders, rushed upon the stage and
the whole copperhead fraternity to
endorse and swallow the entire Administration
of Abraham Lincoln, and acknowledge that
the Chicago Platform was lie.
When person so far deyiates from the path
of rectitude as TO make charges against others
which he knows 10 be false, time sooner or later
viii fasten upon him the character of slanderer
and liar. In just that position stands the
Democratic party to-day. They denounce the
war for the suppression Of rebellion as unjust
ana unconstitutional, Jet they endorse and
nominate for the Presidency the General who
undertook as commander in.chief to lead the
army Of the Union against the insurgents in
the prosecution OF that war. They denouuce
the military arrest and Imprisonment of persons
dangerous to the peace and safety of the nation
as violations Of the right of personal liberty
yet they endorse and nominate the commanding
officer who issaed an order directing the arrest
and Imprisonment of the entire Legislature of
"S0rere'gn Sote." They denounce the military
Interference with recent elections held in Mary
land and other States as q shameful violation
of tie Constitution. and assert that repetition
Of such acts will be resisted with all the means
and power under Copperhead control yet they
endorse the commanding General who issued
the order directing that very interference. 1t
vii! not answer The purpose Of truth to say that
Mcclellan, being subordinate TO the President
and acting by his direction was not responsible
for these alleged violations of the Constitution
and outrases upon the people, for, if they were
crimes, be had the alternative Of being an
accomplice in their commission or rosiguing his
command; and not resgning, he voluntarily
acted in conjunction with the President, aud
the law and public opinion the world over will
hold him equally guilty or,innocent with the
President in the commission Of those acts.
And We aver that We are justified in saying
that, while the Platform denounces the acts of
the Administration as tyranncal and dospotic
the endorsement Of the man who voluntarily
assisted in the execution Of many Of those acts.
and especially those denounced as the most
fragrant. is 10 fact an acknowledgement that
the C0nnerhead platform Is a Ge a faIsehao3