Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-09-28
TIE OHIO "DEMOCRACY.o

fairs OF the SO-called "Democratlc
Party, outside of the State Of Ohio,
seem to have learned by the "logic
of events" that there is no hope of
their success except by separating
from the entanglng alliances
of the past five years, and conforming
to the altered condition of affairs.
The Ohio democracy" however,
have not yet learned, Judging from their
platform and the men they allow to
control their organization, that the re-
bellion is over, slavery dead, the rebels
whipped and every where submitting
to the new order Of things, and that the
doctrines Of Estate Rights" Nullifica-
ton, Secession, Reputation and Slav-
cry extension have all been settled by
the same power that settled the rebel
lion itself. In Maine, New York and
other States the pro-rebel leaders of
the party-the WOODS and the SEY-
MoURs-have been switched off, and the
party placed upon loyal basis, with
Republicans and thorough Union men,
who have not acted with that party
since the war began, las their candidates.
But in Ohio, Mr.. VALLANDIGHAM, who
the people of this State condemned in
the election Of 1868 by hundred thou
sand majority, because of his treason
able utterances and expressed sym
pathy with the rebellion, is placed in
the foreground as the great expounder
of Ohio democracy" and the plat
form of the party is nothing more
nor less than q reitcration of VALLAN-
DrsHAM's views upon the subjects of
Secession, or State Rights, Slavery and
Reputation, and we find Mr.. VALLAN-
DIGHlM endorsing it in the Convention
and afterwards, at the solicitation of
the pro slavery, rebel element in the
party, we find him peregrinating the
State making speeches, in the BRECK-
INRIDGE or radical Copperhead coun-
ties, in favor of the doctrines of that
platform.
We would, at this time, call attention
simply to one plank in that platform,
as evidence of the correctness Of our
position. In the fifth resolution, it is
declared "That, their ordinances of
Secession being void, the so-called Sc
ceding States, are still in the Union as
States, and are, therefore, entitled TO all
tile ressrved rights Of States" &c. Now
what does this meanp If the rebels of
the South have forfeited no rights by
their rebellion, but stand just where
they did before the passage of their
Ordinances of Secession, then it is
very clear they are entitled to all the
property they owned or held at that
time, including their slaves, and that
the Government will be bound to re-
munerate them for every dollars worth
taken or destroyed during the war. The
right to hold slaves, was one of their
rights before they seeded, and the
democratic" Party by this resolution
declare in favor of restoring slavery,
when it declares that these rebel States
are entitled to the reserved rights of
the States.
Now we ask the Democracy" of
Belmont County to read, in connection
with the above resolution, tho follow
ing extract from the speech of General
SHERMAN, made at a soldiers Festival
at Lancaster, Ohio, and see how widely
his views differ, although you claim
him as belonging to your party, from
Mr.. VALLApIGuAM's views upon this
subject, as they are set forth in your
Platform. Here is what he said:
"When the rebels ventured their all in
their efforts to destroy our Government, they
pledged their lives, their fortunes, and their
sacred honor TO their cause. The Govern
ment accepted their wager of battle. Hence,
when we conquered, zee Jy conquest, gained
all they had-their property became ours by
conquest. Thus they lost their slaves. their
mules, their horses, their cotton, their all.
and eUea their ttues and personal hJerty,
thrown by them into the issue, ,oere theirs
only by our .forJearance and ciemeacy. BY
this right OF conquest we own this ground
We stand on to day, conquered from the In
dians-the Shawnees, believe The State
Of Ohio is ours by conquest from the French
and English. So, soldiers, when we march
ed through and conquered the country Of
the rebels, zoe became otoners Of all they had,
aud | don't want you to be troubled 10 your
consciencss for taking, while on our great
march, the property of conquered rebels
They forfeited their rights to it, and I, be-
ing agent for the Government to which /
belonged, gave you authority TO keep all the
quartermasters couldn't take possession Of,
or didn't want"