Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1865-10-04
The Efrontery of the Chicago Platform
PARTY,

is cool piece of impudence in the Demo
cratic bummers found In the last rebel ditch
and arraigned before the people, to cal
themselves the Administration party. As
a. joke, specimen of that sort which con
slsts In oddness of contrast, it would have
been laughable enough. But these worthies
don t in the least mean it as such. They
really imagine that they can pass themselves
OF to the people as ANDREW JOHNSON S
| special champions.
| We are not for putting the screws upon
the copperheads of the Iate.war. There is
no denying that their conduct was thorough
y detestable. So was that of the rebels
But the same public policy which dictated
an amnesty for the rebels also prompts an
| act OF oblivion for the copperheads. Their
past action Is blot upon the American
character, and the effort should be TO etface
rather than perpetuate it. And again. con
citation is indispensable TO reconstruction
and the re-kaitting Of the national ties :;
and its spirit Should prevail everywhere
North rs we'll as South. All the loyal men
OF the war, in all parts Of the country
shouid dismiss forever all indignation for
the past, however righteous, and should
clear themselves as far as possible from all
bitter memories. Bat this magaanimity
shogldbe recipTocated with deceHcy at least.
It rot with modesty and humility. With the
late rebels, this, we are happy to believe, IS
generally the case. Many of them admit
tAat they have been greatly in the wrong.
Anu those who do not, at least have the
grace to keep silent. Because they are the
recipients Of Executive ciemency, they do
not set themselves up as the special favor
ties Of the President, and his most trusty
followers. They keep to their proper place,
to h -
and avoid all invidious comparisons. But
their Old sympathizeGs IN the North are mol
ct all content 10 act IN a similar way. L.
mas b''conae a confirmed habit with them to
c.aIm to be the special supporters OF the
President, and 30 talk in his naInc about
breaking up the Union party. 4 stranger
coming to this country would rather nothing
else from their style OF speech than tia
they qalte Inononoliza all tnc patriotism o.
the North, and that thoy were the main re-
liance OF Presidens JOHNSON, in carrying
through the great work Of restoration.
The assumption is as absurd as it is i'm
pudent. The Democratic party, so-called,
has practically nothing to do with recon
struction. Congress alone is the CO worker
with the President in it, and four iiiths of
both branches Of Congress belong ID the O.
Mon party-the same party which 50 graaGiv
carried the war through to It's triumphant
consummati0n. In fact, the President has
already nearly accomplished his share of the
work. lie has appointed suitable Provis-
lonal Governors, has procured the election
OF State conventions, representing all we'll
disposed citizens: and nearly ali that re-
mains Tor hiIn to do is to receive the new
constitutions which have been, and viii be
adopted by these bodies, and transmit them
to Congress for It's formation and guidance
IN determining how to treat the Southern
Senators and Representatives who will be
in the meantime elected. When these Sen
a5ors and Representatives are received and
sworn in, the reconstruction will be COM
plete and it will all have been accomplished
by the Union party eXclusively-its incep-
ton by the Union President, its consuma-
ton by the Union Congress. The late Cop
perheads Of the North, whose representa-
ton in Congress was almost annihilated by
tie storm OF popular wrath against them
for their recreancy to the old flag, should |
content themselves with looking on, while |
the patriotism and wisdom of the Union |
party accomplish the work.
We trust that Congress will be able to
perform its share in the business without |
serious difficulty or delay ct it is impos- |
sible to know yet that such will be the case.
Much will depend upon the prevailing spirit |
in the South as manifested in the character |
Of the men elected to the National councils. |
Ii they should generally be made up of ma
ignants, with the old rebel spirit still at
work in them, of course they would find an
admission far more difficult than if they
we're men sincerely devoted to the govern
ment, and ready to meet all the duties of
.he new epoch like true patriots The fit
ness Of the Southern States for an immediate
of their old place in the Union
will be largely determined by the men whom
hey send to represent them, There are
,ther questions which will doubtless be con-
ldered as whether more complete securi
les should not be required for the future
of the rights of freedmen wheth-
r pledges ought not to be taken in some
hape against all attempts to repudiate any
BART OF the debt contracted for the suppress
ion OF the rebellion; whether the mere re-
zeal of the ordinance of secession. as has
,een done by South Carolina, which pre-
Imposes the original validity of the ordi-
lance, is compatible with truly loyal spirit
'hese and other questions may be dicussed
" Congress, with what conclusion no man
an yet say But one thing is certain:
hey can be safely left to the disposal Of the
arty which stood by the government through
he war; The administration and the
eople will, alike, look to the Union Party
1 Congress, and nowhere else, for the pa
riotic and sure settlement Of all mooted
oints There is not the slightest ground
,r the expectation thatth will be any ma
erial disagreement between the President
nd the Union party in Congress in their
nal views There never was wilder CHI
lera than the fancy of the Chicago Platform
'arty that the President will turn to them
Or help. There is no necessity about hi