Litchfield enquirer., 1864-03-17
The Opposition Platform.

In lS63 the untoward results of the previous fall elections and our misfortunes in the fold, had given rise to the general belief that the Opposition were, with a moderate degree of prudence and exertion, secure of success. They consequently felt strong enough to put forward the man they liked best on platform they really believed in. Then followed catastro- phe, not unu sual of late years, proving that there is d limit even to the iron discipline of the Democratic party their best men turned against them prominent war democrats from ether states denounced them, and they were dsastrously beaten.
 Now they come forward with new man and a new edition of the old platform !; but the res- olutons of this year fall off sadly from the con- fdent and defiant productions of the celebrated Hartford Convention of last year. There is hopeless heart-broken air about them that is really pitiiul to behold they seem to say like Sterne's ass, "Don't beat me-but if you will, you may"
 These resolutions begin by reafirming all the political hsresies they have heretofore promul. gated among the chefsst of which we hold to be their declaration of 1861, that any at. tempt by the General Government to coerce the seeded states would be contrary to the Constitution of the United States.
 After objectiug to everything the Govern. msnt has done or coald do for vigorous pros ecution of the war, they further declare that it has been perverted to pestilent Abolition crusade for the total destruction of all state equality" and "an infamous waste of the Ma tion's blood and treasure They maintain in c subsequent resolution that the war is being fostered for the money to be made out of it, and that DO sincere effort will be made by those in power to bring this unhappy conflict to close. ."-hut how this position is consist ent with the hsadlong fanatacism, before charged upon the Administration. they do not explain. In another resolution they fall ipto the still more glaring absurdity of profusely praising the soldiers who are enlisting and rs- eulisting into an army before described as on the Abolition rampage" but which they now admit is sncountering hardships and dangers to preserve the institutions established by Washington aud his sompatriots."
 When the Opposition members Of our Leg islaturs are called upon this summer to vote again upon the proposed amendment of our Constitution allowing the soldiers to vote, we shall know whether they are at last willing "to secure full justice to them on all occasions"
 There is also a curious resolution. compiled from McClellan's Harrison Landing letter of July 7th, 1862, which bears about the same resemblance to real WarResoluton that Snug the Joiner in the last act of Midsummer's s Night Dream does to real lion and We are surprised that the ingenious Committee on Resolutions neglected to quote the following passage from the esme letter, to show the con- sistent conservatism with which Gen. Nc. Clellan has always discountlnanced all pro- iects for "rsvolutionizins the domestic institu- tions of the Southern States"
 The right of the Government to appropriate permanently to it's own service claims to slave labor should be asserted, and the right of the owner to compensation therefor should be rec ognized. This principle might be extended, upon grounds of military necessity and sscuri' ty, to all the slaves of particular State, thus working manumission in such state and ip Missouri, perhaps in Western Virginia also, and possibly even in Maryland, the expediency of such measure is only question of time. A system of policy thas constitutional, an pervaded by [ he influences of Christianity and
 freedom. would receive the support of almost all truly loyal men. would deeply impress the } rebel masses and all foreign nations, and it might be humbly hopee that It would commend itself to the favor of the Almighty" Me Cielians Rsport--Pags l45.)