The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1865-08-31

engine to thwart and oppose the Gov
ernment, at every step of its struggle
for existence. When the war began
the members of this party, whose 10y
atty to their government was stronger
than their party allegiance, abandoned
it. Such men as my friend who is
present here, (alluding to Ex. Govern
or Tod, } and the present Governor Of
this State, followed by great numbers
ofmeh who showed their patriotic
spirit, abandoned the organization Of
the Democratic party, and in the ranks
of the defenders of the Union have la
bored with us to support the Govern
ment. The disloyal element which
remained, showed its chord of sympa-
thy with The South from the very be.
ginning. They opposed all prepare.
tion to meet the outburst that was so
mahifcstly approaching. The slight
est military expenditure, the mere re-
pairing of the material of war, was
decided by them as both Unnecessary
and directly tending to Disturbance
While every Southern city witnessed
the drill and organization of those who
were preparing for an attack upon the
Union, our hands were tied under the
pretense that tho Government would
be safe if We showed thatwe were un-
prepared to defend il. They declared
that there was no power in the Gov
ernment to coefce in Submission those
States which might enter into'open
rebellion. They positively asserted
the right of the secession, although
4 they pretendedly opposed thepolicy.
They did not hesitate To declare that
the bond of the Union was permanent
ly broken, and to advocate with more
OF less opeiness the still further sub,
division of the territory of the country
From the beginning they recognized
the coffederacy as real and independ-
eht Government. They talked of it
as of d foreign power fully establish
ed. They compared lit I'd our own,
praising the constitution under which
it was framed, and preferred il to that
4 established by our fathers. They ex-
aggeratcd its strength and DETAINED
and belittled our own administration,
and our own resources and power of
upholding the Government They
opposed all real and effective measures
oflegislation for the conduct of the
war. They opposed all practical ef.
forts to enlist or draft troops for the
army. They encouraged desertions
and sought to produce dissatisfaction
among our soldiers. They made use
of local courts and other authorities to
prevent the return of deserters arrest
ed, and through their influence forci-
Bile opposition was often made to the
military officers Of the Government,
who were striving to arrest and re-
turn to. duty those who were guilty of
T abandoning their colors. They uni
ted in secret associations and plots to
overthrow the Government within the
Northern States. Under the pretense
that there was danger that their
rights would we trampled upon, they
made secret armed organizations, and
y laid plans to assist the enemy by de-
stroying Northern towns, and releas-
ing rebel prisoners. The whole spirit
of this disloyal party was so mani
testify hostile to our own Government,
and friendly TO the rebellion, that ev-
cry citizen for himself can bear wit
ness to his consciousness that it's mem
bers were actuated by that disposition
wherever they were found. That
there were many private individuals
who were dcludod by their leaders,
and who in their hearts did not intend
to be traitors, was doubtless true, but
!, the org eanization as such, controlled as
= it was, was mahifcstly unfriendly
i, power, limiting the exhibition OF its
hostility, only by motives ofpersonal
prudence and safety, The spirit Of
{ all their public meetings and conveh-
tions proved this. And even when,
with their lips, they preserved the
form of loyalty, their conduct showed
: it was loyalty in nothing but words.
Finally, in the EXTREMIST hour Of the
country's peril, when encouragement
: was most needed by the whole people,
' and when any word expressive Of be-
r lief in the failure of our cadse was oi
great assistance and encouragement to
| our enemies, when the result seemed
3 trembling in balance, and it was
3 uncertain whether Sherman's move
a mcnt against Atlanta could be sue
. cess, their party met in formal delib'
D erations as q national party and de-
: clared the war failure. They. had
+. shown the, same disposition in theft
!, personal attacks upon the President
], and the members of the administra'
ton. While Mr.. Lincoln was, with
! honest and patient purpose, seeking
1 only how the country might be freed
from its perils and embarrassmcnts,
they were denouncing him as q W-
rant and d usurper. No bitterness Of
attack seemed too malignant, and no
: expressions of hatred too intense, to
vent their feelings against him, whose
! only fault, in their eyes, was that be
: was the representative OF the deter
] mination of the American people, to
: sacrifice their lives and fortunes rath.
: Of than that the Union itself should
be destroyed. And now that the war
Is ended, this same organization ex-
lists, and tho defeated rebels at the
: South are looking toIit!as their natural
ally, III upholding the political strug.
! gle which is now taking the place OF
the emilitary conflict. r 1870 yjsseH.
SHALL VICTORY BE WASTED. .<