The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1865-08-17
The G0pperhead Programme

committee of the Copperhead faction which
lays claim to the name and traditions of the
Democratic party in this State, have agreed
upon and issued call for a State Conyen-
ton. @|
We publish the call, together with the
editorial remarks which appeared in con-
nectlon with it In the leading organ of the
opposition, the editor of which is the active
member of the central committee, and
doubtless drew up the CALL
The popularity of the call is it's length,
and the elaborate effort made to promulgate
a programme which will attract favor with
the careless and unthinking by a show of
fair words and plausible professions. 1t
requires but little discernment, however,
to discover the 0sin Of copper which runs
| through it. The invitation to the electors
of the State, to participate in choosing del.
egates first opens wide the door by calling,
on all who are friendly to the Federal Con-
stitution and Union" Then the door is
partly closed by restricting the invita- ton
to those only who t'accept the fact that the
question of negro slavery as political issue
has been determined by the war" &c, not
withstanding that it is notorious that, in
several States of the Union, slavery still
exists, and that the Democratic party ev-
erywhere, as party, arrays itself against
the constitutional amendment abolishing it,
and manifestly contemplates the possibility
OF Its re-establishment III the states where
it was abolished by President LINooLN's
proclamation. hll "55 tf
After some further generalties, to which
no one will take objections, all are invited
"who believe tariff for the protection of
class interests to be system of taxation
wrong in principal, peruicious in practice
and especially oppressive to the people of
the West" This, Also literally construed
is unobjectionable. No one in Wisconsin,
as far as our acquaintance extends, wants q
| tariff for the protection of class interests
| But the obvious intention of the COMMITTEE
is to convey theimpression that the exist
ing tariffs such a tariff. Now we will
venture prediction: Much as they may
talk in general terms against tariff, the
| Copperheads of Wisconsin will not, and
dare not, in their State Conven ton, adopt a
| resolution in favor of a repeal of all tart IF
laws, and commit themselves openly and
distinctly in favor of free trade and direct
taxation. They will content themselves
| with mere sweeping allegations, unsupport-
ed by even an attempt to sustain them with
specific charges, against the existing la VIZ,
| trusting that they may have some effect
with ignorant and prejudiced men. u.- IL
Thus far, however, we have only found
surface indications of copper Now comes
genuine nugget: s'All those who believe
that every portion of our population should
bear a just share of the burden of State and
National taxation" This, too, sounds well.
But what does it mean. With the aid OF
the commentary of the NeaoS we are ena-
bled to infer that it means who are in
favor Of repudiating so much of the con-
tract made by the Government with its
creditors exempts United States bonds from
local taxation" This would be the enter
ing wedge to a reputation of the nation al
debt. Establish this principle, and what
would United States bond beworth in any
State ruled by the Copperhead faction
Wouldn't a snug tax be laid on them in
| Virginia and South Carolina? We suspect
the holder OF Government securities in any
OF the States lately in rebellion would be
glad to trade them off for almost anything.
But it is not worth while to dwell on the
subject. The people of Wisconsin are toe
|
any such pitfalls by following the sweet
pipings of the Copperhead leaders.
We don't know of any body that is in IA
vor Disappointing the writ of habeas corpus in
times of peace, and need not comment on this
point. In regard to the issue suggested
with reference to the administration of oul
State affairs we are not only ready but ca
ger to meet it. With the usual allowance
for errors of judgement and oversight to
which all men are liable, we undertake to
say that there has never been, in any State,
a more careful and economical management
OF public affairs nor more upright aud
patriotic spirit controlling those to whose
management they were committed, than
has characterized the present State admin
istration. ..a.+
| The closing compliment to our soldiers
will excite smile ON the part of those who
are familiar with the record Of the politi-
clans from whom the call emanates Many
OF our readers are doubtless very we'll &C
qualnted with the career of some of these
men who are SO glib in the use of patriotic
language and who are such warm admirers
OF the soldiers For the benefit of others it
may be worth while briefly to recall few
facts, and to contrast with their utterances
| now, in the sunshine of national victory, the
language and the sentiments they promul-
gated IN other and gloomier days, when our
country was tottering OH the brink of ut
most peril. This committee was selected
two years ago by the convention that en-
dorsed the RYAN address and expressed an
earnest desire to see VALLANDIGHAM elected
Governor of Ohio. One of it's members was
an editor of the New York Meas when the
war broke out, and continued in that posi-
ton till the paper was suppressed for treas
enable utterances. He then brought HIM
self and his principles to Wisconsin, and has
since advocated them without let or hin
drance here. He is the man who consider
ed the capture of Atlanta by SHERMAN a
violation of the constitution! Another one
OF these patriots has boasted that be has uni
formly given all his influence against send
ing man or raising dollar for the sup
port OF the war against rebellion. Declar-
ing that 1T was war for the abolition of
slavery, IN public speech in this city, dur
ing the war, he avowed his wish that every
soldier who enlisted with view to fleeing
the slaves, might be shot through the head
by rebel bullet.
Another of these patriots was captain of a
company Of militia under the laws of the
State, when the war broke out The Govern
or called on such organizati ons to enlist for
three months service or return the arms
furnished them by the State. This demo-
cratic warrior at once resigned he did not
allege business engagements, or i'll health,
or Discrimination for military service in
general as reason for his course, but plump
iy avowed in a letter to the Governor that
he regarded the war as 'unholy and fratri-
cidal," and added that if the Union were to
be dissolved, ''the interests of the North
west were not with the Eastern States"
thereby signifying, by strong implication,
that, In his opinion, the Northwest ought |
to unite its fortunes with the secession |
These are the leading spirits |
Of the committee If Hercules could be re- |