The Jeffersonian Democrat. [volume] (Chardon, Ohio) 1854-1865, 1865-08-25
Speech of Gen Cox at Warren, on
Tuesday, Aug 18th, 1885.
POLITICAL RESULTS OF THE WAR.

POLITICAL RESULTS OF THE WAR.
The most marked political results of the
war are two--frst, the complete extinction
Of the system of slavery; and, secondly, the
establishment Of the paramount duty Of al.
legiance to the National Government ss q
duty above all obligations to separate States,
and as being directly and Immediately due
from the individual to the Federal Govern.
meot itself. The frst was the necessary re.
suit Of the war, because slavery having been.
10 itself, the cause of the rebellion, it's exist.
euce depended necessarily upon the success
of the revolt. That which VIC were unable
to do, and which we bad no purpose OF do.
Ing so long as the Southern States main.
tanned their peaceful relations to the Gov.
ernment, we had the power to accomplish,
and IL became our duty to accomplish when
once they had taken up arms to separate
themselves from tho Union. Tho second s
necessary result of the war, because II is
the only means of establishing principle
which shall be, in itself. a guarantee against
those mistaken and exaggerated notions OF
State Rights which which were made the
means Of uniting in the rebellion many who
would not have embarked 10 il for The sake
OF slavery 10 itself. Whenever these results
shall have becn fully accomplished. 60 that
there can be no danger Of evaGing them and
no power TO reconsider them, the work OF
reconstructiOn of the Union will open new
problems tor our discussion. But our pres.
ent duty is limited to the CON pletion OF this
work, and the union o: all loyal men for
this purpose is what We now insist upon 40
the necessity of the hour.
We have advanced. therefore, 10 the face
OF an opposition, both 10 the South and in
tho North, Of 60 formidable proportions,
tibet 1t is no wonder the enemies Of the Gov.
ef5ment both here and in Europe, have be.
iieved We should never succeed, and have,
from time to time. congratulated themselves
that eur efforts must soon be abandoned
THE DEMOCRATIC rARTY.
At the North VIC havo had an opposition
less open but scarcely less bitter. The
powerful organization of a great political
party, which bad the prestige Of long con.
ued success to attach to il its followers, was
used 81 an engine to tbwart and oppose the
Government, at every step of IT'S struggle
for existence. Whom the war began The
members of this party, whose loyalty to
their Government was stronger than their
party allegiance, abandoned il. Such men
as my friend who is present here, (alIuding
to Ex Governor Tod, } and the present Gov.
ernor of this State, followed by great num-
bers OF men who showed their patriotic
spirit, abandoned the organization of the
Democratic party. aud 10 tho ranks of the
defenders of the Union, have laborcd with
US to support the Government. The die
loyal element which remained. showed it's
chord Of sympathy with the South from the
very beginning. They opposed all brepa.
manifestiy approaching. The slightest mil
n nv ho ~. or ho
material of war, was decided by them as
both unnecessary and directly tending to
disturbance. While every Southern city
Witnessed the drill and org uixa,ion Of those
who we're preparing for an attack upon the
Union, our hands we're tied under the pre-.
tence that the Government would be safe
it we showed that we we're unprepared to
defend it. They declared that there was
no power 10 the Government to coerce 10
submission those States which might enter
into open rebellion. They positively as.
serted the right of secession. although they
preteudedly opposed the policy. They did
not hesitate to declare that the bond OF
Union was permanently broken. and to ad.
vocate with more or less openness the s,ill
further subdivision of tho territory Of the
country. From the beginning they recog.
nized the Confederacy as q real and inde.
pendent Government. They talked of il as
Of q foreign power fully established. They
compared it to our own, praising the cou-
stitution under which it was framed, and
preferred IL to that established by our fa
theirs. They exaggerated its strength, and
DETAINED and be.littied our own administra.
tion, aud our own RESOURCES and power of
upholdine the Government. They opposed
all real and effective measures Of legislation
for the conduct of the war. They opposed
oil practical efforts TO enlist or draft troops
for the army. They encouraged dcsert:ons
and sought to produce satisfaction among
our soldiers. They made use of local courts
and other authorities to prevent the re-
turn of deserters arrested, and through
their influence fo,cible opposition was often
made to the military officers of the Govern.
ment, who we're striving to arrest and re.
turn to duty those who were guilty of aban.
doning their colors. They united in secret
associations and plots to overthrow the Gov
ernpent within the Northern States. I'm.
der tho pretense that their rights would be
trampled upon. they made secret armed or.
CARNATIONS, and laid plans 10 assist the enc.
my by destroying Northern towns and re-
leasing rebel prisoners. The wh0ls spirit of
this disloyal party was so maDifestly hos.
tile to our own Government, and friendly
to the rebellion, that every citizen for him.
self can bear witness to bis consciousness
that its members we're actuated by that dis.
position wherever they were found That
there we're many private individuals who were
deluded by their leaders. and who 10 their
hearts did not intend to be traitors, was
doubtless true; but the organization as such,
controlled as IL was, was a manifestly un.
friendly power. limiting the exhibition of
its hostility only By motives of personal
prudence and safety. The spirit of all