The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1864-02-12
Gen Can't and the Pro 5lavery Demo

uen. dantt. OF Arkansas, upon the Pro
slavery Democracy. I
- Gen. Gantt's speech abounded will
: good hits, but the most telling one wa
his expression Of amazement at finding
: his old Democratic friends "sitting dowr
just where he left them" He had beer
out of the Government-had his fight for
: the negro-got well whipped shook the
ehattle of-was ready to start life anew,
but here was his old associates telling
him, "you shall have the negro. whether
you want him or not you shan't come
back unless you come back with Slave.
ry.'
1t was sort OF greeting that amazed
him, and we don't wonder AZ it, 1t is
not easy for a man who has been for two
years amid the whirI and crash of war, as
it has ragged in the South, to under
stand that there are people in the land
who have never felt movement. To
him the whole country has been overta-
ken with a regular cataclysm--a general
bresking up of the old order of things
and he cant conceive how it is possible
that men could have kept to their old
tracks. On the face of the thing he is
right. Nationally it is impossible. Men,
who exercise their reason, cannot help
recognizing historic facts as they occur
and moulding their practical judgement
upon them. But the trouble is, there is
large class Of men who don't exercise
their reason, who are the mere slaves of
old prejudices and habits.
Prior to the rebellion the Democratic
party deemed the security of Slavery
necessity of the Union. This, in its
strict sen?e, was true for the Constitu
ton was the only bond Of the Union, and
the Constitution protected Slavery against
external assault. ln fact, men OF all the
great parties, theoretically y al least agreed
in this. But Democrats exaggerated the
into the extravagsnt notion that
Slavery and the Union were vitally in
separable. Slavery became to them not
simply thing sheltered by the Union,
but Its very prop and support. They
contracted a fixed habit Of considering
the destruction of the one-no matter how
Effected the destruction of the other
A war against the Constitution has been
undertaken by the friends of Slavery.
10 all appearance this war has wrought
he ruin of the institution. 1t is the
height of absurdity to say that, because
The Constitution protected Slavery when
'eposing under it, it must necessarily
'ave Slavery also when in arms against
t. And yet the Democratic party, so
70 far as it survives, insists upon Just this 5
lecessity. As Of old, it has no idea of [
Union without Slavery.
Of course their is no particular harm c
n this blind sticking to the old party d
reed. 1t is too ridiculous to be danger v
us. The body OF the American people
re too intelligent and too practical to
make no account Of the irresistible work g
ng and the inevitab lie results Of this war d
hey perfectly well understand that Sla. i
cry Staked its all upon this rebellion S
nd that the fate Of the rebellion settles C
Is fate. The Southern men who never c
oned the rebellion, or who have scpara-
I'D from it, are the very men who declare
his fact with the greatest emphasis.
With their own eyes they bavo scanned
he agency of Slavery in producing the
ar. its unyelding attitude in the wsr,its y
i''e"i ihJuiieo iloii tHo WdF 6HQ 10
IAN they agree that when the war passes
way. Slavery must forever pass away
18th it. The man died yesterday is Just 9
5 dead, as the man who died thousand .
ears before the flood. The servie sys- u
IN of the South at the close of this re. u
ellion will be every whit as dead as the "
'udal system Of France or England. And N
le Englshman might as well go back to y =
'e Year Books of King Alfred, or the u
renchman to the Terriers Of Charlie II
agne, for guidance in his present pub. y
c duties. as the American to the Demo- r r
'atic platforms Of the days Of Buchan.
/, to discover his right line Of action =, =,
ward Slavery. :
But it takes time for old associates to ;.
ear out. There are partisans Of the In. " "