Gold Hill daily news. [volume] (Gold Hill, N.T. [Nev.]) 1863-1882, 1864-10-17
THEN AND NOW.

ing effect.
! But while the war thus inaugurated has
been waged, conflict of different char
acter has been carried on at the North.
In the main. the people have rallied to the
support of the Government during all this
irving period. But there have been those
whose main calling seems to have been
"ouposition." In succession they have
opnosed the war the first call for troops;
the raising of men by volunteering, then
the raising of them by draft; the letting
off of men drafted for Communication,
/ then the refusal to let off men for COM
mutation; every financial system; the re-
ception of negroes into our lines at all,
then the refusal to admit them the doc
trine that negroes were contraband, then
the doctrine that they were something
more than contrabands; the Presidents
plan of restoration, then the Congressional
; plan of restoration, and then again the
! former; together with the entire policy OF
the Government.
But the Democratic party claims to be
the only party that can save the Nation.
( The people thus far have expressed the
/ belief that it cannot. II it wishes TO sat-
isfy them it can. it must show them how.
! It has now 10 settled affirmative policy.
1t must cease mere barking. 1t is easy
1 enough to find fault, especially with those
I who have an undertaking of so much mag
nituue on their hands as the present gigan-
tic rebellion. Patriots will demand of the
Democracy TO do something more than
growl at fancied mistakes. If that party
should come into power, it would expect
reasonable amount of charity. This, like
wise, it must concede to its opponents. II,
then, they claim superior ability to save the
nation, they must show wherein it consists.
Do their statesmen possess any greater
natural ability, any more wisdom, any
keener foresight than those Of their oppo-
ncnts: None will claim it. Have they
shown any greater desire that the integ-
rity of this Union shall remain unim-
paired: Is their zeal any stronger, their
works more earnest: In these latter
points they come far short as party
though individuals and large masses are
the equals of their opponents.
The saving virtue then, if there be any,
must be entirely in their prineiples-the
method upon which they would admins
ter the affairs of the Nation. But right
here we meet with serious obstacle.
Can we intrust the Union to men, large
portion OF whom have avowed their will
hugneSS to consent to its dissolution
Answering this question "a we may, we
come to another formidable difficulty
what are the principles of the Democratic
party: Unfortunately for them, We are
here at sea, without compass or rudder.
They cannot agree themselves as to what
their principles are. They are united in
opposition to anything Lincoln does; but
that does not furnish an affirmative policy
for the government of the country. They
are united in unfaltering devotion to
Slavery. But can that save the country:
We have on our hands war instituted by
Rebels for Independence and Slavery.
VIII they willingly abandon the war to
secure the latter by the sacrifice Of the
former: They tell us they will not; and
we believe them, for they had Slavery I'M
impaired when they commenced the strug-
gle. Their refusal to stop fighting for In
/ dependence on condition that Slavery
should be preserved, would compel the
Democracy to decide whether they would
continue war TO force them to their
! terms. That would be subjugation, con-
quest, to which the party is opposed. The
! South think, and not without reason, that
if they refused Il Democratic peace-a
/ Union with Slavery-then the Democracy
I would concedc them Disunion, 1ndepend-
! ence and Slavery. But if the Democracy
decided to go to war to compel submission
to its terms, then its very prosecution
would result in the destruction of one Of
/ its conditions Of Peace-the existence of
Slavery. Again, will it promise us war
! in which our forces shall meet with no re-
! verses: Will it guarantee to conduct a
campaign without imposing taxes to pay
/ It's expenses: fit will not, would it con-
. slider it patriotic in us to gloat over its re-
| verses and whine at its taxes: No;
Reverses and Taxation are indispensable
under any Administration. and they could
not guarantee us less than is unavoidable
under the present Administration. The
Democracy as war party, therefore,
would furnish us no relief from the evils
under which we are now necessarily suf-
fering.
But the Democratic party dare not enter
the lists as a war party, for their leaders
are in reality opposed to putting down the
rebellion. 1t is true some of them, Nc
Clellan for instance, as late us the last
Fourth Of July, detained very loudly for
war, but the Chicago platform don't go
much on what his sentiments were. There
is a very strong opposition to the taking
! of any such position. In that event we
have to expect nothing from them but
divided country. with all the evils attend
ant upon border lines and small national.
! tiles. This would not be saving, but ruin
ing the country ., .-.5 ... 81.
What possible method, then, can the
Democratic party pursue, other than the