The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1864-10-28
The ,s, gs,es 4 81 Z q
Party. 81 - &s&E &
EXTRACT FROM lar GA ls&EcH n
eIsrLrDsls I. !. !. ;. q 4 l'sDs y

F8rtys 90 ~Mi e x3Ff M
EXTRACT FROM fHF GA IsxFcH n
rLYSDcIlxytED III q zcUf ~
HON. r. &. WINTHROP. q
And here, fellowscitizens. let me say
that in this eager and desperate determi-
nation of the President and bis party TO
prolong their official supremacy at all haz-
ards, and even BIZ the most unblushing ex.
ercise Of ali t6es . patronage ana power and
finfaence of the Government ia thor own
behAif,I find renewed reason for tearing
that they cannot safely be trusted for an
early restoration OF the Union IS it was
under the Constitution - il is.s. No one
can help seeing that it is oy no means tor,
their interest, as a party, TO accomplish
that result. No one can help seeing that
such restoration, under present circum-
lstances, would give the finishing strc ke to
that political supremacy which they SO
eagerly seek to perpetuate. They tnen-
selves, certainly, are not blind, nor indifer'
emit to the fact that when the South shall
return 10 its allegiance their own party
domination is at an end. Why, we oil
know how it was, even when the kepuoll-
can party achieved itsy first and only great
success by the election of President Lin
coin. We all remember that even then
their sceptre would have proved power
less and barren sceptre if there had been
no secession and no rebellion. We all re-
member that if the Senators and, Repre-
sentatives of the Southern States had not
withdrawn so rashly and wantonly from
their seats the Republican party would
soon have been in helpless minority IN
one, if not in both branches OF Congress
They could not have carried q measure,
they could not have confirmed nomination
without the cooperation orAconsent' of
their opponents. And does anybody ina
CINE that if the South were to lay down
their arms Tomorrow, and come back
again into the old family fold, they would
send any Senators or Representatives TO
Washington, whoever they might be, to
sustain the measures or the men OF the Re
publican party? No, my friends, that
party itself plainly sees that NO 8 UGH thing
is within the prospect Of bell eff. That
party sees that the restoration OF Union
and peace under the old Constitution OF
our fathers is thus the end and upshot Of
their own dynasty. How, then, can we
help fearing that they will willingly, if not
systematically, postpone result, which is
so sure to cut them off from any further
enjoyment of power-of that power to
which they are clinging with so phrenzied
and frantic grasp? The truth is that the
Republican party have 80 thriven and fat>
tened on this rebellion, and it has brought
them such an OVERLOOKING harvest ofpower,
patronage, offices, contracts and spoils, and
they have become so enamored OF the vast
and overshadowing influence which belongs
to an existing Administration at such an
hour, that they are in danger Of forgetting
that their country is bleeding and dying on
their hands.
| And this suggests to me, my friends, an
idea to which cannot refrain from giving
brief expression. You have not forgot
ten, am sure, that most memorable pc
Rod which Immediately preceded the in
auguration oflPresident Lincoln, when the
minds and hearts of so many good men
throughout the country We're earnestly in
| tent on devisisg some mode Of arresting
and averting that terrible struggle in which
we were soon afterwards involved. You all
remember that peace convention, as it was
called, which assembled at Washington in
February, 1861. You all remember, the
high and sanguine hopes which greeted its
assembly; and you have not forgotten-no
patriot can ever forget-how sadly those
hopes were disappointed. For one, l have
never for moment doubted that if the in
coming President and his friends in Con-
gress had given countenance aud encour
agement to that Convention, and to the
measures it proposed, the secession would
have ended with South Carolina and the
Gulf States. aud We should have had Union
and peace before six months had expired.
| The rebellion would have been nipped in
the bud. 1t would have been crushed in
the egg, and the wounds it had occasioned
would have been healed up, as the surgeons
say, by first intention. | could furnish the
opinions of some of the best men in our
country, living and dead, to that effect.
And why, why was ahat Convention 50 re-
PEELED and repudiatcd by the ultra wing of
the Republican party? Why did they stand
idly by, hooking at every effort to prevent
and ave this great and terrible struggle,
and rejoicing at what they called the glo.
rious future before theme How can any
one doubt that it was because the secession
of the South, and the withdrawal of the
Southern representation, would secure that
party predominance which was essential to-
the carrying out of their cherished policy,
as we'll as to the distribution of the spoils
of victory Twas at Washington myself
llring portion of that period, in company
With friends whom esteem and honor to-
dry as | esteemed and honored these,
though find myself differing from more
than one Of them. We went on as the bear.
ers of q petition of fifteen thousand citi
zens of Boston for the adoption of meas
ures of Cancellation and peace. 1t is not
for me to say, even If I knew, what views
were brought back by others of that little
company, but cannot forget tho paint !
impression which was left upon my own
mind, that there were men there, and 10
high places, too, who, instead of lifting a
finger to arrest the dreadful catastrophe
which was so obviously impending, were