Prescott journal. [volume] (Prescott, Wis.) 1861-1871, 1864-05-14
The View STYLE Of War Democracy.

No dram-drinker suddenly deprived of his
cups, no confirmed tobacco-chewer in the first
pangs of an attempt to abstain from the weed,
no Opium-eater cut off from supply of the
potent and bewildering drug, ever exhibited
such signs of affection, or manifested such
an appetite to return to the demoralizing in
fuenees of his peraicious indulgences, as
is shown by the old Democratic politicians to
enjoy once more the hcnors and emOluments,
the piekings and stealings of Office.
An their fine talk about the Constitution,
their suddenly enkindled affection for the
writ of habeas corpus, their soft descants up
on the delights and loneliness of peace, and
their pretended fears of the centralizing ten
denotes of the present administration, when
simmered down, are simply the outgrowth of
this passion for the sweets of Office and power
If they sympathize with the rebellion and
are enamored of the system of human slavery,
it is because of their darling passion for of
fee, since without slavery and the triumph
of the rebel arms they have hitherto been
unable to see their way clear to a restoration
of their party to power. But they are now
beginning to despair of diseouraging the
people of the North from prosecuting the
war, or inducing them to surrender to the re-
belliOn and adopt JEFF. DAVIS as their Pres
ident and the constitution of the bogus Con-
federacy as their fundamental law. A new
policy is limited at. The Harrisburg Patriot,
the central organ of the Pennsylvania Cop
perheads, mindful of the result of the last pO-
Htical canvass in that State, advises change
of policy. 1t is amusingly frank and naive in
its advice to the party leaders. After stating
that the old political issues are extinct, it
says:
"The best plan is to recognize the fact,
and strike 6oldly for popular .farOr Nth the
.oeaDons lOLich are reddiiest for our ,se. A dec
Iaration for peace in the advance of a success
full campaign, or in the midst of it, would
bring, for example, nothing but derisiOn
about our ears. The country is demOralized,
and zoe mast make The best OF Il. Whatever as
avaaJIe 70 political success as ,ctat most soe need
Until we have the power in our hands we can
do nothing but ehafe at our weakness.
ave should like to see the leaders of the
Democracy take a step in advance of old
limits. Let those at Chicago give us the
most GcaldJic and a platform dictated 6yLte
same principle. The idea as 10 aciH, and scin tce
must, or ne are all lost and all hope of saving
the country gone. II il needs be successful
military chieitain to overthrow the champion
of AbOlitiOnism, whoever he may be, Lincoln
or any other man, let US have him. If we
must cry war to elect him, let US cry il as
Justify as our opponents. In a word, the time
has gone by for standing on nice points, if
we hope ever again TO gain political ascend
ancy and looping ground for the salvation
of the nation.
:. When sue hare once the pOloe' IN oar hands
ace can mould tie policy Of the future as may
seem best; until bten ue can do nothing. IHisgO-
ing against ,ciad and tide has prored a bad JatSi-
ness; let US see if we cannot tack the political
craft so as to get her off the shoals and out
with the tide"
The substance of this advice is that the
party should adopt any profession of princi-
ciples likely to bring it into power. Success
is of prime Importance. Much as they detest
the idea of making war on their southern
friends, yet, if it is the only way to carry the
election, they will cry war as Justify as any
body. If by these means, they can secure
the success of Democratic candidate, they can
then return to the peace and surrender policy,
betraying those whose adhesion they secured
by 'lustily crying war;" Truth, honor, prin-
ciples may be sacrificed, but the party must
be preserved. That seems to be the central
idea of the partizan Democracy.
The difficulty viii be to deceive the public.
There has been sOme1ittle experience already
with that class of Democrats who "cry war
Justify before elections, but stick to the old
party organization. As far as it goes that
experience has not been of a nature to en-
courage further experiments in the same d.
rectiOn. A case in point is afforded by the
example of the first Congressional district in
this State The Democrats there adopted the
policy recommended by the Pennsylvania ed
itor In calling their district convention
they adopted the language of the calls used
by the Republican and Union committees.
If they failed to announce a platform of
distinctive principles, their candidate called
himself War Democrat, and 80 cried war lus-
tily" till the election was over He has since
taken his seat in Congress and voted and act
ed generally with the Copperheads. The same
game was played in other States.
Even LONG, of Ohio, who now advocates
recognizing the independence of the South
was elected as a war Democrat. No one
heard any expression of opposition to putting
down the rebellion from him while he was a
candidate before the people. Such game
may be played successfully once, but it can
not be repeated. The people will elect no
man President who is not thoroughly and earn
'estly for suppressing the rebellion, and en-
forcing obedience TO the Constitution and
Jaws of the Union in all the States and Ter
ritOries.
A FORMIDABLE CUsTOMER.-A Newbern let
ter describes the rebel ram which assisted in