The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1865-10-04
Democratic support of the Administra-

ministration the Springfield Republican
remarks:
Vallandigham, the great copperhead
leader. made speech at Wapakoneta,
Ohio, the other day, in the course Of
which he attempted 10 turn the tables on
the radical republicans, and to prove that
they are now disloyal according to their
own logic. lie said they had been de-
nouncing the democrats as dsloyal, for
the last four years, because they had ex-
ercised the constitutional right of scrutin-
izing the conduct of public servants and
condemning what they considered wrong;
and now these same radicals are opposing
and denouncing the peace policy of an
administration they themselvei elected. -
Hence, Mr.. Valandigham argued, if he
was disloyal for opposing the administra-
ton OF Abraham Lincoln the radicals are
dsloyal IN opposing that of Andrew
johnson. Mr.. Nallandigham ''puts too
fine point upon it." and forgets the
most essential facts in the history of the
opposition made by himself and his asso-
ciates to the administration during the
war. lie not merely found fault with
the course of the administration of Abra-
ham Lincoln, but voted against supplies
to carry on The war, and declared the
war stself u crime; in fact, did all in his
power TO demoralizc northern opinion
and compel the government to submit TO
treason and allow the Union to be broken
up. If that was not dioloyalty, there
can be no such offcnse.
Alr. Nallandigham gives his definition of
republican loyalty as obedience to the
constitution, and says that ''whoever is
for overthrowing the constitution, for de-
stroying it, for violating it, is disloyal."
This is sound doctrine. And Mr. Val
landigham is right in arguing that it is
the duty of all good citizens, without
respect to party, TO sustain the admins
tration in its legitimate conduct of the
government. His motive in claiming that
that the democrats are now the special
supporters and advocates of the admins
tralion is transparent enough. The en-
tire democratic party, copperheads and
II, rest their hope of immediate success
wholly upon their volunteer and otficious
dry-nursing of the administration, which
has never invited them to any such ex-
traordinary service and is not aware that
it needs it.
But we are glad to see the democrats
espousing the cause Of the president,
whalever the motive may he We may
hope that at least some of them do it
from "A conviction that it is the duty OF
the citizen, without reference to party, to
sustain those in power, to approve where
they Can, to judge candidly and generous
ly, TO condemn without harshness or vio-
lence where they must condemn, and to
wait for the chance to change rulers and
policy together in "A legitimate way at
the ballot-box. Heretofore it has been
the too prevalent custom of all parties to
deal in indlscrlminate praise and abuse,
defending everything done by officials
elected by themselves. and misrepresent-
ing and denouncing everything done by
the other party in power. This vicious
judgment of men by a mere party
S an ard has been the bane of
our politics. We should be glad to
believe that the present approval of Mr.
Johnson's administration by the democrats
indicates the beginning of better era.
and that hencetorth we shall see all good
citizens giving generous support to the
government, and judging it justly and
candidIy, whether they voted for or against
those who administer. Such support does
not SIMPLY approval of anything wrong,
or the Withholding of any just and timely
criticism, but only such honorable res.
poet and consideration us is due 10 those
who have the laborS and responsibilities
OF Il grca, nation upon their shoulders.
Ii we must continue To treat as traitors
and scoundrels those who are candidates
for office, let US have the grace to ad-
init, after election, that those upon whom
the popular choice has fallen are men of
some good degree of honesty and probity,
and judge their public acts according to
some accepted standard of morals and
politics, rather than by the animosites
that prevail during the canvass. If such
is the spirit and purpose Of the support
now offered to the president by the parry
that so lately abused him, let it be well
coined as most suspicious change in
the habit of our party politics. There
will be no harm in so accepting it, and
responding to it, and if it can be made
permanent it will be an honor and bles-
sing to the country.