Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-08-26
The vIadmen,s Party.

Four wears ago, whenever radical editor
wanted to be facetious, he wrote on "Union
saving.n To him the word "Union" was
the funniest word in the language, and
"Union saving" the drollest occupation i'm
aginable. We venture to say that In the
files of single radical journal in this city
for 1860 and 1861, up to the actual COM
mencement of hostilities, may be found an
average of one column per day In which
the Union, and the honest efforts OF those
who were trying to save 1t, were treated
with every form of ridicule that comic
Imagination could devise--such as puns,
queer alliterations, jokes from Joe Miller,
and '.little stories" i'm the Lincoln style
The Union was their butt-their standing
topic of mirth-and radical editors. and
stump speakers, and song writers, gained
favor with their party just in proportion as
they pelted it with ridicule.
Things are changed now. The paroxysms
of laughter which formerly rang through
the land like roars from Bedlam at the mem
tion of ssUniOn," have all ceased. Even Mr..
Lincoln, not choice in his jokes, does not
Joke about that. The very party which
thought to make the, name Kissing and
reproach, now take it and wear it as badge
of honor. They call themselves the "UniOn"
party. Their old opponents, the Democrats,
or conservatives, who are fighting them
now on the same ground, and with the same
weapons that they did four years ago. are
now stigmatized as ''disunionists," friends
of the South" ''secessionists in disguise"
'.admirers of JEFF. Davis and Lee" and all
that nonsense. Such is the cool way in
which they appreciate and glory in wear
ing, name which only four years ago a
radical would not have considered good
enough for his dog.
The Union There is nothing that they
do not pretend they would do for it now
They would kill every man, woman and
child in the South, to restore 1t. They
would see every negro die in battle or in
the ditch, or in the hospital. They would
burn Richmond, Charleston, Mobile, At
lanta. Montgomery, and every other South
ern city and town, plough over the ground
upon which they stand, and sow it with
salt, so that their very sites might not be
known to future generations. They are
making to-day what they call the most he
roic personal sacrifices for the Union. They
are buying negroes, importing Irishmen,
and securing able-bodied paupers to fight
for it lin their own stead and place., at
from $500 to $500 head. Who would have
dreamed four years ago that any radical
would ever be brought to pay $500 to pre-
serve Union which was then the subject
of his laughter and scorn! The time may
come when some of those who were fore
most in ridiculing the Union four years
ago, will be willing to fight for it in per-
son; though we fear this is predicting too
much. For it must be confessed that they
have but dim notions yet of what is the
real meaning of the word Union.
e They were maniacs four years ago, when
they were laughing at the Union. They
are madmen now, when they are trying to
save it. The same crazy spirit is seen in
the policy of determination, OF putting ne
groes in the front of battle, of the sup
preston of newspapers, and the arrest OF
editors. 1t is seen in the multitude OF the
oretical and visionary experiments which
are successfully tried and abandoned, in
place of some steady, consistent, and intel
1igent plan. The laughing form of mad
ness gave way to the scurrilous and abusive
form. Conservative, rational, and thought
tul men, are no longer joked at by the rad
ical press, but have been assaulted with ev-
cry kind of insulting epithet which insane
malice can invent. The radical party has
been lately playing the part of Thersites,
instead of Momus.
The radical party will be known in his
tory as the crazy party of the country.
There has been no time since its foundation
when it should not have been put in a
strait Jacket. When the times demanded
grave and serious deliberation-second So
Der thought-to avert an impending evil,
it indulged in nothing but frantic laughter.
When its folly had finally plunged the
country into war, its madness assumed a
virulent type to friend and foe alike, rais-
ing obstacles at every step towards the
restoration of the Union. Theonly glimpse
of reason discernible in the radical party
for the last four years, has been lately seen
in the mournful acknowledgment of many
of its members, that they have failed, and
are willing to listen to terms of concilia-
ton and compromise, the very terms that
they covered with ridicule four years ago.