The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1864-03-22


t Presidency.
The Democratic change of front on the
slavery question Idarss an era 10 our political
prog, ess. Some Of The Republican presses,
taken by surprise, mere siiaifgic, and doubt
whether the Democratic leaders are sincere In
il or will hold to il more than long enough ID!
get the Republican party committed TO the
most radical position. The theory is that the
Democrats foresco popular reaction against
radical anti-slaverv measures, and think ~
encouraging tho party in power TO q reckless
course, and 20 get tho benefit Of it in the
Presidential canvass. With This motive they
take, or feign TO lake, the identical grouni oc.
eupied by the Administration Mt the begin.
ming of the present struggb, and say that
yblo tho single object OF tho war should be-
the maiutenance of<the Union, slavery must
suffer the inevitable consequences Of the war.
Many of them like Representative Brooks, Of
New York, 60 farther, aud acknowledge THAI
the jestruclin Of slavery is certainly TO b.
accomplished. anil that this fact is to bc :ec-
ogniz ID and acquiesced in. In Mr. Brooks
case We can suppose there is something like
The feeling Of a recovered back-lider, for u bis
early days 0 was an earnest anti slavery man,
and only denied his original faith from tho IN.
fiuence of bad political associations. Mr..
Brooks, 10 his late speech in Congress-, pre-
tended to base his belief in the extinction Of
slavery upon the statement that the rebel
Congress had authorized the arming Of the
negroes; both sides having made soldiers oa
the negroes be Insisted that both alike wero
committed TO the ultimate removal Of the in
stitution. Hero Mr. Brooks stretched apoint
to cover his own retreat from a false position.
fer the rebel Congress has not authorized the
arming of the'hagfoes, bat merely their ecu.
scription as teamsters and laborers in tho
camps and trenches--lsbors quite rs consist
cut with slavery as work in the cotton fields,
That the rebels would arm tho negroes il they
dared may be readily believed, but they dare
not put arn into tho bauds of even the free
negroes, and there is no rea son TO believe that
they will under any circumstances. They
know that their negroes are against them.
Nevertheless Mr.. Brooks is right in bis gem
eral conclusion that slavery is doomed. and
the opposition presses aud politicians show
more than their usual sagsety 10 determining
that they wifi hot sacrifice themselves 10 the
vain effort 10 resist the current Of events -
Their denial, however, that the Democracy
has ever defended and protected slavery is
little too impuden'. Why, even after the,
war commenced, they organized society IN
New York "for the diffuion Of politic,l ip-
formation" aud the tracts they have scatter.
cd most rrcfuscly or the country have been
the scriptural arguments for slavery as di.
vine institution, wtiiien by Rev. Dr., Lord and
Rev. Bishop Hopkins two Of the toug hest old
theological bruisers of this age, who, if they
live long enough, will probably be found, after
the last slave has been freed, still arguing tho
Christian duty of compelling tho sons of Ham
to work without wages.
What the Democrats mean 10 say about
slavery and their own politics is that seces.
sion and abolition have killed il; that they
wash their hands of all responsibility for its
death, but are not such fools as to attempt 10
galvaniso the corpse; that they do not yet
amendment abol;shing and prohibiting slav.
ery--theS wait to see how popular opinion
sets in the matter; that they will make all
they can out Of the alleged unconstitutional
and Oppressive acts of tho Administration the
official corruption, tho military llunders, ard
the general faults of the party in power; and
ESPECIALLY that they will do their utmost r.
stimulate the feuds and personal rivaries
which threaten division and weakn,fs 10 the
Republican party, OF course they will make
tho most of Gen. Mcclellan as u martyr TO
radicaliem and military ignorance 10 the goyi
ernucnt, but tha. is already n lead issue
The people have no interest in il, and If 1t
could be proved that Mcclellan is the great.
est captain Of the age, and has been badly
abused, it by no means follows that he is tho
man for President. The Presidential contest
must turn upon some issue Of more vital and
national consequence than the reputation OF
any general. IL the slavery issue is 10 co
taken out Of the canvass by general consent,
as would now seem likely, then the modes OF
reconstruction, and questions of fuance will
become prominent. and the issue will e,shall
we 90 through with and settle the Whoa
thing according TO present policies, or shall We
change, and 20 incur the risks Of doubtful cx-
perments! There is no mistaking as TO what
i the grneral feelirg 6 at this moment; Abra.
ham, you are doing well-put it throuuh.
III [Springfetd Republican.