Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1864-11-16
WHAT HAVE YOU GAINED?
a Talk with Honest Democrats.

WOlc0 HFeSluenL 1lnCOiil LAS OOCu g
elected to the highest Office in the gift
of this nation, under circumstances
without parallel in the history of any
country, ought to induce every honest
democrat to reflect upon it, and ask
himself the question whether there
must not have been something wrong
among the leaders and teachers of the
selfstyled democratic party to produce
such an extraordinary result? So far
as the political aspect was concerned,
everything was in their favor, and
they did not scruple to use whatever
presented itself There was the ''nig-
ger" in all his phases for the knave to
harp upon; there were taxes with
which to appeal to the cupidity ofone
class; there were enhanced prices of
household use to incite the poor as we'll
as others; there were drafts, arbitrary
arrests, suspension Of the writ of ha-
beas corpus and other acts incident to
a rebellion, all new to the people of
this country, with hundred other
matters with which unscrupulous
mountebanks and unpatriotic Office
hunters could appeal to the ignorant, the
selfish, the cowardly, and the timorous
yet with all these weapons, freely
used too to the very verge of treason,
George B. Mcclellan, man who under
other circumstances might have stood
high with the people, is beaten for
President as no candidate ofany great
party was ever beaten before. We
ask you in all earnestness why is this
so? There must have been a cause,
there must have been some powerful
motive at work, to produce such a re-
suit. Fools may tell you that the elec-
tion was unfair, but you know they
lie. What, then, was the cause? We
can tell you and we challenge any hon
orable man to deny it. Your leaders
not only arrayed themselves against
the government at a time when its
very existence was threatened, but
they, with your editors, orators and
stump speakers, from the top to the
bottom OF the ladder, covertIy taught
and advocated a cowardly peace which
they knew would result in the disunion
OF this nation. Under specious and
lying pretexts that the President was
violating the Constitution in conduct
ing war for the Union, they led you
On until you appeared to hate the gov
ernment OF your country more than
you did the rebellion-they led you on
until you no longer took pride that
your son was fighting under those
glorious stars and stripes which, with
all the difficulties of the last four years,
at this day are more dreaded by the
despots of Europe than any banner on
earth-theyled you until you no longer
looked upon moral treason as a crime,
and some of you at least would have
sooner heard Of a Union defeat than
Union victory-in short, until some
began to hate the very sight of that
uniform which once was your pride
and admiration. Are not these things
true, and can you not see in the verdict
OF the People that these are the causes
which have consigned to merited de-
1eat and oblivion the men who got up
and tostered this gigantic fraud on the
democratic party? What these men
would have been willing to do it is
difficult to tell, but from their bold
advocacy of Calhoun's infamous doc
Urine OF state rights and the sang froid
with which they talked of the right of
revolution, there is little doubt they
belonged to traitorous organizations,
and had opportunity presented itself
would have made Pennsylvania what
missouri, kentucky and Tennessee are
scenes OF strife, desolation, pillage
and murder, and all in the name of
democracy" The Great People,
that People whose heart is always
right even when their acts are some
times wrong, have saved you from an
impending evil and stamped these tories
with mark which will grow mora
vivid with every revolution of the
earth. Reflect then on your course,
dlVest yourself of partizan feeling, and
stand by your country, for there is too
much patriotism. too mucb ;ntoll;,