The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-16
Union Republican Ticket.
The Surrender of the Demo-
cratic Party.

During the war 1t was q common practice
with rebel guerrillas to don the Federal uni
form and hoist the Union flag, in order to de-
coy our soldiers to destruction. And now
that the war is over, the Copperheads of the
North are adopting rebel tactics, and apply
ing them to political operations. Not daring
TO approach the Union soldiers with the Cop
perhead organization and displaying the cop
perhead banner and the copperhead badges
they inveigle here and there q sutler and n
democratic soldier, ,who.voted.with them while
in the army and cursed the Administration
for waging an abolition war or sorehead Re-
publican soldier. BY dnt of falsehood. fiat.
terry and frequent Greats" they ingratiate
themselves into the confidence of these weak
hngs, and then put them forward to lead off
IN soldiers movement controlled by copper
heads and in copperhead interest
This is the plan by which the copperheads
IN Iowa seek to escape the infamy Of their
record of opposition to the war, and advocacy
of armistice and peace platforms. And un
der these false colors they manage to secure
nominations to the principal offices for lead
ing copperheads on ocaled soldiers tickets.
while the soldiers are suffered to figure at the
tail end of these tickets. The ticket in our
own county is fair sample of the way this
game has been played in our State, with the
exception, probably, of Dubuque county,
where the copperhead majority being very
strong. irregular copperhead convention nom
mated regular copperhead ticket
In the New York State Convention the
game was played still stronger, and the
; party which had no hope of success under their
old anti-war and anti-conscription rotseis,
nominated ticket mainly of fRepublieans and
adopted a platform to N s. of which all Re
pubicans would subscribe,
In Ohio, however, the party adhered to its
own organization and principles in the main,
and nominated War Democrats. While in
New Jersey, where the party maintained their
majority during the war, they stand by their
platforma nd their leaders This adaptation
OF their principles and their policy to suit the
exigencies of the party in the different local
tiles, shows the straits To which the leaders
are reduced, and indicates the extent of the
generalization which has taken place since
they were accustomed to boast that the prin,
eiples the Democratic party were eternal
and universal the same in all portions of the
Union and at all times
There are, however. two principles which
still bind the Democracy together-hatred of
negroes aud love for traitors. And they think
they find scope for the exhibition of these
cardinal ar1 Distinguishing features in the
policy of reconstruction, which they attribute
TO President JOHNSON. But Johnson is by no
means the originator of the policy, for Presi.
dent Lincon himself initiated it in his appoint
ment of Mr. JOHNSON himself Provisional
Governor of Tennessee and in the appoint
ments of provisional Governors in Louisiana
and Arkansas, who adopted the same policy
of reconstruction which has since heen car
Hed oat py President JosNspS In other States.
We recolleet, though copperhead leaders
may have forgotten, that they denounced this
policy when adopted by President Lincoln, as
unconstitutional and tyrannical, subversive
of the rights of the people Of the States, and
destructive of the State governments. They
even denounced Mr.. JOHNSON for assuming
the position of Provisional Governor, as a
military satrap, destroyer ofthe liberties of
his State, a renegade to the land of his nativ-
ity, and the scrvile minion of despot 1t
was our duty to defend President LILcoLN and
Governor JohSsax from Ties malignant as
sar'ts of the coppcrhead press, and We did it
with a right good will.
Bat since the war is over, and their plots
of assassination have been consummated by
the death of President LINCOLN, the Copper
head leaders seek TO escape from the odium
which clings to them and the wrath which
they have justly incurred by protesting great
airniration Of President JoHssoS's plan of
reconstruction, which they so 6ercely de-
neunced while President LINCOLN was inau-
gurating it during the war.
augurated by President LINCOLN and carried
on bv President JOHNSON? Why, it assumes
the annihilation of the constitutions and gov.
ernments of the rebel States, and takes it |
for granted that they were all annulled aud
swept away by the rebellion and the Presi |
dent appoints them Governor, who acts un- |
der Presidential authority and direction in
requiring certain persons, who shall have
taken certain prescribed oaths, to form new
constitution which shall be acceptable to the
) President and to Congress. This the De-
mocracy endorse in their endorsement of
President JcHssoS's reconstruction policy.
The President has required the people of
the States to ratify the emancipation of the
slaves held therein; and he employs the mil
itary power of the Government to protect the
freedmen. He has ordered the military COM
manders to protect the purity Of the elec.
tions. He has prescribed Who shall and who
shall not have the right of suffrage at.such
elections; and he has required the military
officers of the Government by special tribu-
nals 70 adrinisssF justice y ~ cases arising /