The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1864-04-20
A Terrible Ph1lippic c
Against Lmcolu by Fremont Organ.
VS.. LINCoLN.
THE WAR BEGUN.
THE TR TIL Id.

We all recollect that worthy citizen o
Athens who banished Aristides solely be
cause it annoyed him to hear the epithet
"the just" constantly coupled with hi
name. We have all been struck by this
strange specimen of political liberty, anc
by the lack of judgment in its applica
ton. It was not because this undue no.
toriety given to the name of citizen o1
the republic might after time, prove
dangerous, nor because .hs epithet Of
"Just" was questionable, that the worthy
citizen of Greece banished Aristides. He
would not even discuss the matter, the
cpithet annoyed him, and that was enough
to ostracize its unfortunate bearer. In
this We see an excess of liberty and lack
of political education.
Now, we are annoyed and irritated al
hearing the words of Abraham Lincoln
and honesty always coupled together; but
being more generous than the excellent
Athenian citizen aforesaid, We propose
before ostracising honest Abe from the
White House, to consider his right to the
surname of T" Honest" To call one man
honest, out of population of thirty mil
lions. is not SO much OF compliment to
him as sarcasm upon all the rest. Let
us look into his honesty and capability
After three years of patient silence, we
have right and it is moreover our duty
to Mr.. Lincoln, to examine your acts and
show them to the nation. You commenc-
ed by confding the fate of our cause, the
honor of our arms, and the lives OF our
sons, to men having no higher claim to
such trust than hest of voters of their
command whose support you coveted-in
order to advance the welfare OF the ma
ton. fqrf <tsTt,.fft..g
We have allowed you to further your
politics and personal interests, and to
transform into heroes men whose ineffi !
cheney has swallowed up thousands of
lives and millions Of treasure, so that
YOU might be able to dazzle the eyes OF
the people with victories far more appa-
rent than real. We have permitted you
to sacrifice tried patriots, whose populari-
ty alarmed you, and whose energy disap-
pointed your calculations.
We have allowed you to deceive the
people; We have let you transform dis
graceful defeats into victories; and even
we made no outcry when you were re-
duced to beg exoneration for acts which
have eternally disgraced the honor of our
arms. You have been unable either to
feresee or forestall anything. What has
become of the nations enthusiasm? What
have you done with the immense resources
unprecedented in history, that the nation
has lavishly given your
You are now appealing to CONSUMPTION,
and we will not enter into discussion OF
the principle itself, but. we tell you that
YOU should have foreseen that the day
must come when you would need these
men, and that you we're to blame in not
calling for them when the peoples en-
thusiasm was first aroused. when they
certainly would not have been refused
YOU. You are to blame inasmuch az
though your incapability and persona!
schemes, the necessity for such an appeal
has become a question of public safety
ou are to blame for depr;ving us of the
services of men whose popularity stimu-
lated that enthusiasm.
You have told the country that both
the rebellion and slavery were dead; you
have told the people that the forces OF the
rebels were reduced by desertions, and
that they could not be recruited, fed mol
clothed; and yet you are forced to ac'
upon tile defensive, being threatened al
all points. 9ea'.lui2@
Whenever you have directed the action
of our troops, they have been uniformly
unsuccessful; you have perpetually offer
ed us the wretched spectacles of splendid
resources and excellent chances OF success
sacrificed to incapacity. The only sue
cess which you came near attaining, bu
the credit of which we intend to take
from YOU, is due to the incredible imaga
tiveness that you have displayed in de
fscribine facts. Changes OF base, master
lly retreats, and reconnoissances have sue
ceeded each other with arapidity worth,
of the greatest Snowman of modern times
1.-THE immense variety of circumstances Il
only unequaled by the identity of the re
lsults. We have: hs 1855 @
Sherman reconnaissance. 3a
Smith reconnaissance.
g su Thomas Reconnaissance.
Clusters reconnaissance.
lsf7a7G Seymour's reconnaissance.
| SAdlAOo hAOSOhASaoc~iSS'
The result is every where the same
ridiculous and disastrous. The sole con
cession we can make to your honesty,
that you have improved upon the change
of base in, 1862, you destroy fewer sol
tdiers aud burn less of the nations prop
lerty.
:, How is it, that after three years Of in
comparable victories, according to Hal
:. leek' IS facetious expression, "unprecedent
ed. in the military history of nations,
you are still pondering how to preserv
.. the National capital and your basis {
operation /?
Is it reward for such success, for tn
achievement of such results, that yo
now ask the nation to pass vote of cor
! 6dence, and re-elect you for another an
] perhaps another term?
In your inaugural address you gave
i ro.,, .fri inu Il m stratIOn Of yOur BeculIa