The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1864-09-29
The Madmen's Party.
From the II. Y. Journal of Commerce

Four years ago, whenever radica
editor wanted to be facctious, he wrote o
Union saving" To him the word ''Un
ion' was the funniest word iii the language
and al nion saving" the drollp occupa
tion imaginable. We venture say tha
in the files of single radical ournal o
this city for 1860 and 1861, up to th
actual commencement of hostilities, ma
be found an average of one column pc
day in which the Union, and the homes
. efforts of those who were trying to save it
were treated with every form of ridicul
that comic imagination could devise
such as puns, queer alterations, joke.
from Joe Miller, and ''lttle Stories" il
the little style. The Union was theil
butt-their standing topic of mirth-ant
radical editors, and stump speakers, and
song writer's, gained favor with their party
just in proportion as they peltcd it witt
ridicule
Things are now changed. The parox
ysms of laughter which formerly rans
through the land like roars of Bedlam Al
the mention of "Union," have all ceased
Even Mr. Lincoln, not choice in his jokes
does not joke about that. The very party
whicn thought to make the name kissing
and reproach now take 1t and wear it a.
badge of honor. They call themselves
the Union party Their old opponents,
the Democrats are conservatives, who are
now fighting them on the same ground
and with the same weapons that they did
four years ago. are now s.lgmatlzcd as
'disunionists," friends of the South, !"
'secessionists in disguise" ''adwirers Of
jeff. Davis and Lee, and all that nonsense.
Such is the cool way in which they apprc-
ciate, and glory in wearing, name which
only four years ago. u 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 it. They
would see every negro die in battle or in
the last ditch, or in the hospital. They
would burn Charleston, Richmond, Mo-
bile, Atlanta, Montgomery and every other
southern city and town, plough over the
ground upon which they stand and SOW it
with salt, SO that their very sights may
not be known to future generations They
are making to-day what they call the
most heroic personal sacrifices for the
Union. They are buying negroes, i'm
porting lrishmen, and securing able bod
ed paupers TO fight for it (in their own
stead and place. at from $500 to $500
head. Who void have dreamed four
years ago that any radical would ever be
brought TO pay $500 to preserve Union
which was then the subject of his laughter
ard rcorn The time may come when
some CT those who were foremost in ridi-
culins he Union four years ago, will be
willing to fight for it in person; though We
fear this Is predicting too much For it
must 10 confessed that they have but dim
notions yet Of what is the real meaning Of
the word Union.
They we're msnacs four wears ago,
when they were laughing at the Union
They are madmen now when they are try
ing to save it. The same crazy spirit Is
seen in the policy of e1atrmina;ion, of
putting negroes in the front of battle, of
the suppression of newspapers, and the
arrest Of editors. 1t is seen in the multi
tude of theoretical and visionary expert
mcnts wsieh are successfully tried and
abandoned, in place of some steady, con-
sistcnt and Intelligent Ian.
The laughing form of madness gave
way to the scurrillous and abusive form.
Conservative, rational, and thoughtful
mon are 10 longer joked at by the radical
press, but have been assaulted with every
kind of insulting epithet which insane
malice can invent.
The radical party will be known in his
tory az the crazy party of the country
There has been no time since its foundation
when it should not have been put into
strait-jackot When the time demanded
grave and serious deliberalion-second
sober thought-to avert an impe nd.ng
evil, it indulged in nothing but frantic
laughter. When its folly had finally
plunged the country into war, It's madness
assumed virulent type to friend and foe
alike, raising obstacles at every step to-
wards the restoration of the Union. The
only glimpse ofreason discernible in the
radical party, for the last four years, has
been lately seen in the mournful acknowl-
edgement of many of it's members, that
they have failed, and are willing to listen
| to terms of Cancellation and compromise,
the very terms that they covered with
ridicule four years ago.
The assumption by such party of the
name "union," is but another of the fan
tastic tricks of the asylum where the craIi-
est of the inmates take on the noblest and
most honorable titles And the most IA
vorable sign OF the times is the discovery
which thousands are making who have
been unfortunately acting with the insane
party heretofore-the discovery of the
real character of that party. 1t was not
strange that in times of fierce excitement
many should be willing to close their eyes
to the errors of party leaders, because of
the belief that those errors we're mingled
with sincere desire for the good of the
Union. But the truth now dawns, and
the true men, honest patriots. faithful low
ers of the Union, perceive that the radicals
have all along been disunionists, and are
abandoning them The future brightens.