The Portland daily press., 1864-10-13
Thursday Morning, Oct. 13, 1864.
The pemOoratio PARTY Then and Now.

The present political campaign, with its show
oil the old fashioned party machinery and its
prominence OF party aims, cannot but excite
memories that are instructive to all who cher
Ism an abiding love OF their country and their
country's honor, Can any one forget the
thrill Of mdlgnation-the pang of wounded
national pride-that swept over the nation
when the old flag waeshot down at Fort Sum-
ter, and the. brave little garrison was Obliged
TO surrender to the arrogant demand OF early
treason? Were we partisans then? Did men
stop to think whether they were republicans
or democrats then? In that glorious response
TO the call for volunteers which followed did
men stop TO pronounce, or to think of, the
names BY which they had known themselves
As politicians? No. Partisanship was swal-
lowed up by patriotism. All were bent on
ayenging the insult offered TO the flag, on vim
dicating the national honor, on putting down
the power of treason, on re-establishing the
Union by the exercise Of the power Of the gov
ernment. -4oala fgsTis'5f.Ti 5ssis-s
Was this rightP Were the feelings then ex-
erclsed honorable and praiseworthy2 We're
not the emotions of the time such as did ever
lasting honor to the nation Was not the ac-
ton Of the time the plainest dictate of Chris
tian patriotism? Is reason better now than it
was then? After it has drank the blood OF
half 9 million of our noble boys, and plunged
Tue nation into debt that IL will take cen
tpry to pay, and clothed the land In mourn
ming does il deserve miIder treatment than it l
deserved thenf Are the aims of the arch
traitor and his companions changedP Is there
ademocrat in the land who does not owe to
treason just as much indignant hate to-day as
be did when democrats rushed to arms, and
democrats cheereo tneIn on !. ~ ~ nv ttnen this
ehapgee Why does Abraham Lincoln come
10 for more denunciation than Jefferson Davis?
Why 10 the candidate Of the democrats cheer
ed by the rebels as they swing their dirty hats
over the trenches ? Why do War-worn SOL
diefs groan as they pass under the Mcclellan
flag? Why do democratic leaders eonspire
win traitors On foreign soil to further traitor
schemes?9 Why do. we hear these cries for
grInistiGe and peacee Why does the note OF
victory, as it comes upon the gale which
sweeps the smoke from Mobile Bay, and takes
new strength IS it passes over Atlanta, and
breaks into wild huazas as 1t rushes along the
Shenandoah valley, fall upon the ears that do
not give it welcome? Why does national sue
cess threaten party failure? The democrats
mourned when the news Of the first Bull Run
reached u.s. Democrats shouted when Fort
Qonelson tell. Why the changea m
There are two reasons. There are numbers
In tie democratic party who did not mourn
when we failed at Bull Run-who didnot shout
when Fort Donslsen fell-numbers who haye
sympatbized n ith the rebellion 'front.' the start.
They aie the original peace Men, lovers of
slavery, lovers OF the slave oligarchy, sympa-
thizers with treason. These men are repre-
senled by such men as Vallandigham, con-
victed traitor They have not had patriotic
emotion, or done willingly patriotic act since
the war began. The Chicago platform is of
their building, and their candidate for vice
president represents their platform. Then
tAere are other leaders, "war democrats" who
: want power, and who are willing, in order to
get it, to join hands with men whom they
know 10 be in active sympathy with the rebel
lion. There is a great deal of money to be
handled they would like the handling of it..
There are a great many offices to be filed;
they would like to fill them. There are the
foundations of future party domination TO be
laid by new compromise with slavery they
would like the opportunity OF laying them,
And, that they may handle this money, and fill
these offices, and resume and perpetuate a
party power founded on human wrong and ma
tional shame, they are willing to ignore the
past, with ali its dishonor, and all its suffering,
and all its lavish expenditure OF life and trea
sure, and give TO treason an equal or domi-
nant voice in the settlement OF our national
difficulties. Can party vice sink deeper than
this? Can personal prostitution go further
than this? haa 3s D 8arsoii78l g 8tisq '-'-
= And now, what I? Why, the rank and file
of the old democracy are expected to form Nc
Clellan clubs, and get enthusiastic, and sing
songs, and damn the government, and hate
3 Abe Lincoln, and curse "the nigger," who Is
fighting the national battles bravely by the
side oi The white man, and lament when ma
tional victory comes, and vote against giving
the privilege OF voting to the soldiers who are
fighting for, them, and to condemn the policy
which they have indorsed. Will they do It
Some OF them will. Every rum-seller, every
F do noD hlpr DimD 0f
brothel, every bad man, will follow their lead.
That we expect. Iniquity sympathises with
B iniqnity, by law which iniquity's sell cannot
avoid; but there are good patriots and good
cilizens who have hitherto voted with the dem
ocTatic party; how will it be with these? We
shall know on election day. As to some Of
these, we know now. There are men who all
their lives have worked and voted with the
democratic party, yet who would cut Off the ir
right hand before they would vote for any man
who consents in any way to beassociated VITA
that record OF all shame, that plaster OF trea-
son. that outrage upon patriotism, that mon
strous insult to national honor-the Chicago
platform. y
There is no denying the fact that the demo-
cratic party, so far as 1t is represented by its
leading men, its organs and its public acts, has
changed within the past three years 10 It's po-
eition toward the rebellion and toward the war
There has been no reason for this change, 9th
er than these we have given, except, perhaps
the meanest of all reasons--nationsl reVerses
These now are wiped away, and In the bracini
air Of victory It will be hard for treason-mon
gers and peace mongers to draw to themselve' e
the popular support. Let the true friends O
the government stand by the government, an1
stand by him who represents the goVernmeh
and its policy. Victory-crownlng ana com
plete-will come in the end, and those who arr
now SO free with their curses, will look bach
with shame to the day when they sold theil
personal and political honor for the sake o
giving power to heartless demagogues, and aiC
aud comfort to the nations foes.-ISpringfielC