The mountain Democrat., 1864-10-29

| again, you cnafge our party With seek
| ing to restore in some political manner the
r0rGass SEorN.yS+tCAe -..sCc gkST66s govern
'ment, for the sake Of party power and
supremacy; just as if the supremacy oI
that party was something not to be desir.
ed, when for over thirty years under its
rule, We enjoyed peace and plenty, which
we fear the present administration and it,
policy, wIl never be able to give. Fhat
we seek 1t as you charge us, dishonorably,
VIC wholly deny. We know you will re.
feP to the last administration Of this time
h6nored party, and exult that one black
spot stands upon its statute book; but al.
low US to say, We contemn its proceedings
as well as you.
We do not propose to enter into any
argument, neither do we sympatbize with
the South in their overt acts, but that
they bad some reasons for suspectiug the
intentions Of the North, the statements oil
Southern speakers in the last Presidential
campaign, and the veriHcation Of those
statements Ly the subsequent acts of this
administration, prove.
You farther state, that there is SYM
pathy between Southern rebels and North.
ern copperheads, is conclusive, for, should
the latter succeed in power, there will be
| peace"
The above is the sentiment you express.
ed, if not the words Just as il peace was
not desirable, especially to men who have
left all that makes life pleasant, because ol
their disinterested love Of country. But
we understand what you intimate in the
above-that for the sake Of obtaining that
peace, we would give all, and more than
all, for it.
Charge not such folly upon US, sir. II
may do for large class of your own par.
ty, If they dared to come out under their
true colors, but for US, our way of obtain.
ing peace is embodied in the second res.
olution of the Democratic platform, and
ii we fail in that way to obtain an honor.
able one, we would adopt the measures
expressed in Gen. McClelan's letter Of
acceptance; in other words We would come
back to the Constitution ourselves, and
then fight until every State in this once
glorious Union should ack nowledge the
supremacy Of the United States Govern.
ment.
How you can ask the suffrages of the
soldier, or how we can give them to sup.
port the present administration we cannot
conceive.
Its policy, so far, has proved disas
trous one to the country, and after il ha.
been tried for nearly three years and Civ
en- US nothing but failure, we feel it is III,
right policy to change it as far as lies ir
our power, back to the policy that pre-
vailed when this war was inaugurated BY
us.
You do not advocate the right of fire.,
speech and free press Why? Becaus'
for over two years your party have beef
trying to suppress both.
You are afraid to let the sentiment O
the people flow untrammeled and unre
strictcd. These acts of violence agains
the dearest right Of both citizens and sol
diers are sensibly felt.
The purloining Of the mails, containing
Democratic papers, the prohibiting new.
dealers to circulate oppo ition journals il
the army. or in certain divisions of it, anC
other acts Of like character, are acts toC
base for the rulers Of nation like this t.
| SthOp W. UT CuuHteHaHCe'
But they are done, and no denial cal
refute the charge. Why our rights al
soldiers should be restricted in this re
spect, We canno. tell; unless confidence il
US on the part of tire administration i
lost or being lost. You fear the truth maj
be told, is what We begin to think. w
verify believe that you fear it may caus'
on our part an Investigation, which may
not result in your party's favor. We fee
that you have failed in carrying out deal
and long cherished scheme or policy, anC
that you realize the failure. and for tina
failure, you wish to make US believe thu
Democratic party-alias " Copperheads'
are to blame. Mr.. Editor, you canno
succeed in doing so; you cannot make tina
party the scape goat to bear your party
sins in the future pages Of our country
history.
You quote in the Chronicle of the l0tI
instant, General Grants letter, and dwell
at considerable length on what he say
regarding a peace desired by "a divided
North as the only hope of the South" anC
charge our party with conspiring for tha
event, by supporting General Mcclellan
We, both as his supporters, and as tht
defenders Of our country's flag, deny such
a charge it is an idea which we neveI
conceived. and do not believe any but 4
mistrustful and envious mind could con
ceive.
You seem, in late editorials, to have
come to the conclusion that the election o.
George B. Mcclellan to the Presidency
"depends upon the defeat of our armies,
thus acknowledging to the whole world
the WEAKNESS of the North in carrying or
the conflict under the policy of the pres
ent administration.
Yon contrast General McClellan's pres
ent easy mode Of living with the danger
Gus and self.sacrifcing one of Genera
Grant. We ask who is to blame for it
Has not Mcclellan desired, nay, even i'm
plored the privilege of joining his com
rades in the field? He has been refused
the privilege by higher power.
Though villif1ed, traduced and termed 8
traitor, we feel that his record is clear
showing forth sufficient evidence to refutt
every charge made by his foolish and jeal
Gus enemies against him. =
Foolish. because in their eagerness tc
condemn him, they have "ovcr done the
thing" thus exciting Investigations which
prove gain to him, and loss to his en-
emies. Jealous, because of his growing
popularity. arising from real worth anG
merit.
Mr. Editor, the private soldier can real
ize with true affection. the sympathy Of 9
real friend-one who feels for his wound
ed and sick comrades-oRe who is no
ashamed to be seen, alone. visiting th'
bed Of suffering, and shedding tears o
sorrow for the misfOrtunes of fellow be
ing, far beneath him in rank. but none lh'
less q man. .'..