Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1865-07-28
CoPPERHEADs q. NIGGERs.

The "nigger" has always been the working
capital of the CuppeThead party. Even in the
days when the Democratic" party was, to
certain degree at least entitled TO respect and
honor, the enigger" formed large portion of
the material with which the leaders worked up
the enthusiasm and brought out the votes of
their followers. Sometimes their cue was to
elevate his condition, at other times 70 degrade
him-but in one phase or the other did always
appear the principal element on which the
''unterrified Democracy" depended for success.
Finsllys sthe ruling members of the party, ,sour
Southern brethren, " demanded that his further.
degradation must be the policy of the party
that his condition should be that of slavery in
all the Territories-that in his case slavery
should be the rule and freedom the exceptions
aud at once the Democracy" showed an undi-
vided front on this question, and went before
the people with hope ofsuccess. Failing in this
the Southern wing with the avowed purpose of
founding an empire whose corner stone should
be African slavery, and with the aid of Northern
dOugh-hedds plunged the nation into war the
most desolating and exhausting. During the
progress of that war, and while Democrats"
were earning for themselves the APPROPRIATE
ocgnomen of Ccpperheads, the 'nigger' contin-
ued TO be their principal weapon of offence and
deience-"a nigger war" who'd fight for the
nigger?" being the slogan with which they
lied their voters, while the pleading p, lal-
Fathers, protect US from negro cor ,.ayer of
every where uttered by females Aalityl" was
Happily, the terminal . demonstrations
minated the instit'- .,,n of the war has also ter
'h'' h''''"" % - Ltion of slavery, and with it
..r>; y : Universal extension on the part
of the leldlng Copperheads. This being the
fact 1t was r. 1asonable TO suppose that the mig
ger" wouPl no longer form the main plank Of
the plat florm of Copperhead principles; But
hsviDCs SO long used him, it seems impossible TO
get along without him, and in the present con-
disJion of things, the Oopperhead party were in
sore trouble as TO how "the irrepressible nigger"
could be made available, and available he must
be or all hope of success, or life eyen was gone.
They could not labor for his universal slavery
the result of the war had made that impossible;
they could not keep up their party to its voting
strength by the cry of "nigger war'-the re-
turn of peace had choaked that cry half uttered
IN their throats. Yet the nigger must have a
principal plank in their platform their -eXis-
tence was over--nO nigger no party, seeming 70
be their settled conviction. Eurekal The peo-
pie of the late rebel States want TO return to the
Union and the question arises, shall all who
have assisted in crushing the rebellion IN thest
States who have labored, fought, and suffered
for the old flag and the old union be allowed tC
exercise the right of the elective franchise, or.
shall that right be confined TO that class whose
hands are yet wet Win Tue Dioou Va HsdtyIeu
heroes, whose bodies are clothed in babiliaments
stolen from the Union dead and on whose souls
rest the guilt of slowly torturing, starving, Dtr
6eTinq, thousands of Union prisoners? Copper.
heads find their cherished 'nigger' in the solu.
ton. of this question, and with gladdened hearts
press their reclaimed treasure to their bosoms
Forthwith the cry is started that negro suff.
rage in the rebel States will degrade the white
men in the loyal States-that althO' nigger
may know enough TO fight labor and suffer fol
the Union and the right 1t is impOssibls that ht
knows how TO vote as right his traitOrOus
white neighbor who has done all in his power
10 destroy the Union and whose ballot would
be stained with the blood of the Union soldier
Herein is hope for the COpperhead party, and
they seize il with refreshing aviditY. Not
withstanding the fact that the Constitutions q
all the loyal States explicitly defined the quail.
tications of their voters and the question as tC
who shall be voters in the rebelliOus States is
one that does not directly concern people of 10y
al States, yet the Copperhead papers and lead.
ers talk of 1T thoug it was their business anC
not the business alone of the people of thos,
States. And this is TO be made the question OF
which the COpperhead party is TO be reorgan
lied and with which it will lead its dupes TO de
feat and disgrace-not because the leaders be
leve OF think it is a question that should b.
made prominent in the loyal States, bu
simply and only because COppeThead platform
cannot be constructed without 'nigger' in IL ant
this is the only way in which he can be put int,
It. owing 70 the present peculiar state of affairs