The daily mountaineer. (Dalles, Or.) 1861-1866, 1865-12-22
9ailp monataiaeer,
coPPERHEADs AND RADICALS.

What is the difference between Copperheads
aud Radicals3 Copperhead is one who,
while the Government and people of this Ma
tion were struggling for the perpetuity Of our
institutions and the overthrow of armed Re-
bellion, exerted his sympathies and influence
in faver of that Rebellion, and proved by his
nets that ho wished the Government TO be
worsted in the contest. A Radical is one
who, nov that the Government and people
have triupphed, is opposed to the country
receiving the benefits of the victory, and
therefore opposes every feasible measure cal
culated to restore harmony and peace. The
Copperhend opposed the Government when
II was striving to enforce the laws and bring |
the country back to its primary political con |
ditioh uhder the Constitution. The Radical |
Is one who strives to prevent the country from |
being reinstated in its former political condi- |
tion, and is opposed virtually to the re-estab-
iishment Uf the rule Of law and the Constitu-
tion. The only perceptible difference between
the two is this: The Copperhead did not wish
the country to gain victory, And the Radical
does not wish the country to reap the fruits
of victory. The Copperhead did not wish to
see armed opposition 10 the Constitution and
laws PIT down; the Rldical, now that oppo-
stion has been put down, does not wish to
see the Constitution aud iaws enforced. For
al. practical purposes, there is no real differ
ence between the Copperhead and Radical
The aim of the one was, and the other is to
subvert the trws and interests of the country
TO purely partisan purposes. When there was
chance for their overthrow, the Copper
heads moral and personal influence was in
Opposition to the Government and Nation,
shsugh be rendered no physical aid to its de-
saruction Now that there is a good chance
for re establishing heir authority and integ-
rity, the intense Radical is opposed to the
Government and Nation, and he rendered them
no ply ysical aid when they were assailed The
Radical, who is now in active opposition, gave
the Nation no material or moral aid in the
day of its great danger the Copperhead, who
was in active opposition in the hour of the
Nations trial, gives it no moral or other aid
now when the day of its rehabilitation is upon
us. So far as the material interests of the
Nation are concerned, can any one discover
any practical difference between the Copper
head and the Radical? Really, both are i'm :
practicable extremists. The Copperhead was
and is radical in his devotion to negro slavery
the Radical is radical in his devotion to negro
equality. Ga this point the Copperhead and
Radical widely differ, but the results of the
actions of either or both are precisely the
same, viz: hostility to the proper authority
and integrity of the Nation. All true and
loyal men-and we use the word "loyal" in
its broadest sense, as signifying patriotic de-
votion to couutry-are Of course opposed TO
both Copperheads and Radicals. The true
men OF the land were opposed to the wicked
Rebellion against the laws and authority Of
the Nation, and now that rebellion is crushed
they are in favor of reinstatipg tie country
asquickly rs possible, in its former political
position. The subordinate question of negro
slavery or freedom was to them matter o
secondary importance, but the war having re.
suited in the destruction of slavery, they fee
determined, or at least contented, that it shal
be forever destroyed, ana believe that now i
is the FIST duty Of all citizens to work hant
In hand 10 place the country on the pinnacle
of national greatness-bearing in mind tina
the fundamental principle of Democratic gov
ernment is: "The greatest good to the great
est number."-S. r. Call.