Dayton daily empire. [volume] (Dayton [Ohio]) 1850-1865, 1864-03-12

cratic sentiment by moos, III "h'V" 'u09 1
themselves took the lead. Ii was not long
before we became too strong for their in
famous proceedings. Then q new line OF
tactics was adopted The army was to be
roisoned against us, aud made to believe !
that we were enemies as bitter and as
hostile as the Southern soldiers, lacking
only the courage or the opportunity to
make us as dangerous, For several years
that plan has been carried out by all the
loading Abolition orators and editors. The
first step in the programme was to exclude
every paper from the army but Abolition
nspers. in order that the truth might never
reach the soldier.
A miserable Administration and few
plant tools in the shape Of political gen
erals. made this first step easy OF accom-
plishment and the armies of the country
\ for nearly two years, have been fed solely
and exclusively upon the infamous false
hoods and cslumnies spread before them
In the foulest sheets of the couatry.
Every act, every word, every sentiment
of ours went to the army through the
distorted mediums of Abolitionism. We
were daily denounced for two years as
"traitors." 1t was pretended that illegal
organizations were in existence through
out the country. whose objects were active
co-operation with the Southern army
When our armies were defeated we We're
said to be in the streets rejoicing and in
mourning when the same late overlook the
armies of our enemies. We were held up
as an enemy in the rear, hostile to the men
who had gone forth from our own city and
county, and meditating schemes against the
families and relations they had left behind.
The invention and malice of Abolitionism
exhausted itself in false insinuations, lies,
forgeries aud iniquities OF every deserp-
ton to achieve the one grand object-the
poisoning of the army against their fellow
citizens. Dogs like MHRoY and ScHENoK,
made public addresses in which they insin-
uated or openly threatened the violence OF
q their men upon unarmed and unofiending
citizens.
The end of Abolitionism has been ac-
complished to some extent. The army
has been poisoned against us by fraud, by
. force, and by forgery.
The next great step was to ase the army
against us, when we had become too pow
- erful to be overawed or hurt by the cow
ards at home. A good opportunity pre-
sented itself in many localities when the
-, furloughed soldiers came home. Many oI
. the men believing what had been so fire.
! quently repeated, and never denied so fol
as they were able to find out, have come
homo hostile to us. If oneJourM of wha
>. is and has been said against us were true
! their hostility would be reasonable anC
70 natural. Upon coming home they fall into
n the deceitful clutches OF sneaSing towards
who incite them to violence by false anC
malicious statements. The desired effec
is being produced. Deeds of violence ar
'h occurring everywhere. Murder and othe
crimes have become as frequent as the
oe were formerly rare.
ut Does Abolitionism hope to stir up th
en- tumult, and then quietly stink away undt
the pretense of disapprobation Does
he believe us so silly as to consider the so
us diers whom it may inshgate against us, q
ed the chief criminals 4? Let it not deceiy
is itself. The mass of the Democracy hay
DIV too much sense. We know where h
ms real guilt lies, We know, and have know
for years. the instigators of the violence
-. We know that it is produced by lies, fo
- geries and frauds used by men at home.
:, Hence have we come to the conclusion
= after aOaiting nearly three years for jusk
:, Of some kind or Other, to fall back upon Il
:. we'll known and elementary principle
self-defense, the doctrine OF retaliation upC
~ the persons and property of those who u
melting by their words and language 4
violence which we suffer. That may n
sound pleasantly to some ears but it
ket our only remedy, and we adopt il.