Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1864-09-17
TREASON IN THE CHICAGO
PLATEORM.


PLATFORM.
"Adhering to the enemies Of the United
States, giving them aid and comfort" is tres-
son, as defined in the constitution itself Now
take up the Chicago platform, published in
the Waterman Of Sept. 3, and observe, frat,
that there ia not single word in it against
the rebels or the rebelion-no condemnation
Of them for breaking their fealty to the Con-
s,iiution and dehng the Governmeni--nc
condemnation Of their attempt to dissolve the
Union and subvert it's government by force
no condemnation for those who are wholly
responsible for war with ell it's wo and all its
cost in blood and treasure. Not a word against
the rebels but 1t abounds In condemnation
of the Government against which they rebel
led abounds in lbes and lies against the
enemies q the rebels. Technically this is
not treason, but morally it is; in essence, in
meaning, in intention, it is rank treason. and
would be treason unto death wers the mem
bers Of the Chicago Convention 20 translate
their woids into deeds. Think You it does
the United alss"-bope, courage, at the
very moment Of deepest despair Why, the
rebel agents at Niagara manipulated the plat
form, and the rebel prisoners at Johnson's
Island received it and the Chicago candidate
with cheers. Contrast such platform, and
such reception Of it, with what might have
been done had it not been the purpose Of the
leaders Of that convention TO give to the reb-
els all the aid and comfort possible without
running their neoks into halter. Suppose,
for example, that they had expressed the uni
versal sentiment of the Democratic party in
1861, to wit, that the Rebellion shall be put
do,ra, II Il takes he last dollar and the last man
to do It he rebels toho drew the s0ord shall
perish by The st0ord The men rho rsbellsd
against Douglas and the Democracy, at Charles
ton and Baltimore. months before they reJslled
against Lincoln, shall be forced to submission,
and punished for their tyeachery 10 Democracy,
the Constitution aud the Union No compro-
mise Nth armed traitors, but Odr 10 the knife
and The knife to the hih That was democrA-
cy in 1861. What il the Chicago Conyen-
ton had unanimously and enthusiastically
repeated it aye, and as most Of the Demo-
Gratis did in 1861, had announced their de-
termination to give all possible aid, in men
and money, to push on the war with redoub-
led vigor' Would it bring cheers from rebel
prisoners Would it give hope and courage
to the confederate army, Would it rejoice
jeff. Davis and the whole tribe Of petty ty-
rants who do his bidding: Would it stimu-
late the people of the rebel states to hold out
and fight oni Nobody can fail to see the
difference between these.two platforms just
the difference, by the way, between true and
false democracy, between loyalty and treason
al heart; and nobody will msjudge the vast
difference in the influence Of the two. We
believe that if the Chicago Convention had
uttered the loyal Democratic sentiment Of
1861, the rebellion would date its death from
that moment, and the war would be substAn-
TALLY ended. But Chicago has given hope to
the rebels, and they will strain every nerve TO
'AAN'ANeAh IA ihibS until tue NoNtul-
Der election. That is one sort of aid given
to the enemy by the Chicago Convention !;
and it is reasonable just so far as it goes.
But, secondly, observe that the Chicago
platform gives positive aid aud comfort and
support to the rebels. SO far as words and
pledges can go, by promising an armistie
and peace. II says hold out, fight on, till
we change the Administration, aud then we
will lay down the arms of our soldiers, and
fight you no longer. Continue rebellious, If
you please scoTn the Constitution OF the
United States, treat its laws as a dead letter,
stick to your own Constitution and confed-
eracy, letting the old Union slide, and we
won't fight you. Oh, no have it all your
own way, and then we will invite you to
convent n, and go in ourselves, and see If we
cannot make new bargain We say this :s
positive aid to rebeilion for it gives posi-
tive invitation to continue in rebellion until
positive promise to reconstruct neO Union,
by "a convention of states." car. be carried
out. Nay, more than that it is positive
promise to " cease hostilities" with the enc
my. Let us alone" said the rebels when
they went out of the Union We nil let
you alone said the semi rebels at Chicago