Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1865-09-28
EXTRACTS from the SPEECH OF
HON. JOHN SHERMAN,
At Ravenna, sept. ist.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY.


throw of our Government. Years ago it,
organization was controlled by set OF men
in the South whose purpose was to use it az
an instrument, first to disorganize, and ther
to overturn the Government. Its history
for several years has been one of interna
strife and decay. Some of the leading mer
Of that party have, at different periods, en-
deavored to check its course, but they have
uniformly been driven as rebels from its
ranks. In 1860 Mr.. Douglas, the ablest
political leader of his age, partly succeed
ed in controlling it, but he was then defeat
ed by these rebel chiefs. From time to
time the leading men of that party have
been driven from it, until, at the beginning
Of the war, there was nothing left Of the
organization but either open traitors, who
boldly seized arms to overthrow the Gov
crnment, or sympathizers, who cloaked
| their hatred to the Government by pre-
| tense Of love for the Constitution and the
laws. During the war these secession sym
pathizers have controlled the organization
Of the Democratic party in the loyal States,
| at times pretending to be in favor Of the
war, but when trusted with political pow
er, always using it to embarrass the Govern
ment. In '62 the people Of Ohio, at a Pc
! riod Of great lassitude, trusted these men,
and elected fourteen of them as Represen-
tatives to Congress out of delegation of
nineteen. Each and all of them avowed a
! determination to support the Government.
and were elected. because they found fault
with the mode in which it was conduct
/ ed, and pledged themselves to more en-
/ ergetic and successful prosecution Of the
war. The history Of the last Congress
shows how false they proved themselves in
] of tha Lind sh hot
they uniformly acted in harmony with the
rebels who were in arms against u.s. One
year ago this party boldly proclaimed, in
its National Convention, that the war was
failure, and demanded cessation of hos
tilites. They sought to ally themselves
with all the weak, the discouraged, and the
tmid elements of our society to thwart the
efforts of the Government to overthrow the
armed rebellion. And for time there was
4 painful expression that they would sue
ceed.
Oue year ago this day gloom rested up
on the public mind. Our armies had been
checked in their movements at Richmond
and Atlanta, and our people were discour-
aged by the long delays, the iDdecisive bat
ties, and the enormous expenses OF the war.
There was an intimate alliance between the
leaders of the Democratic party and the
rebels who were fighting to overthrow the
Government. Rebel agents hovered over
our Northern borders, framed platforms,
and openly allied Themselves with the prin
-cipal leaders Of the Democratic party
During the whole canvass it was the policy
Of this party to apologize for the rebellion
and to blame the loyal people as its cause
and origin; and even the infamous treatment
Of our prisoners, which has marked the re
cent war as the most barbarous of modern
times, found in many Of them apoloeis.s
and defenders. Suppose tie people had
given the reigns Of Government into the
hands of that party last fall, where would
we be now? Instead Of rejoicing over a
restored Union we would this day be mourn
ing over the broken fragments of a once
glorious country. Suppose cessation Of
hostiiities had been agreed upon when the
have been our victories at Atlanta, at Sa
vannah, and at Richmond?
|, therefore, arraign the Democratic party
for taking sides with the public enemy in {
time of war. 1t heightened the contest BY
its opposition to all means to prosecute th
war. 1t encouraged the South to desper
ate continuance of the struggle, by promis,
and hope of support which they had no
the courage to render. But for their prom
.ises the South would long since have yielded
to the arms of the Union, and all the blooC
that has been shed, and all the treasur,
that has been spent since the fall of Vicks
burg, and the Waterloo defeat of. Lee a
Gettysburg, may justly be charged to thu
Democratic leaders. They said the Soutl
never could be subjugated, and thus en-
couraged the rebels to fight They SANDER
ed and villified Dir. Lincoln for everything
that he did, and for all that he omitted t
, do They raised the white flag in the mids
ef the contest, in the rear of our armies.-
Their afinities and associations are, an
have beer, with the rebels. And now
E when the war is over and glorious peac
has crowned our arms, their only hope 10
, resurrection is by league with amnestie
1 traitors.
\ DEMOCRATIC INTENTIONS.
{ Fellow citizens, the evils this party hav
1 attempted in the past, arc no greater tha
!, the evils likely to occur in the event of the
o success. What assurance will you have,
IS they are entrusted with power that all the
e old leaders will net again control yol
n politics, sit in your halls OF legislation au
v renew this rebellion in some other form
They will come back with all the bitternc
>, of defeat The glorious recollections whiC
n form the pTluo Vi UuF history lot ioui ycdi
:, will be the marks of their defeat. Tn,
- will strive like the cavaliers of Charles Il
~ ~ Second to blot from our minds all the
20 20 memories. They will at once form
~, alliance with the Wade Hamptons and Il
~ ~ Richmond politicians Of the South, and ii
~ y, these pardoned rebels will demand, as L
n first qualification for Office, faithful servic
a in the rebel armies, How long under
Il Democratic administration would it be
y, fore your public debt was rcpudiated, or o
>. country saddled with the confederate del
a, The rebels look upon the vast contributio
ss of our people to the National Governme
60 as the main agency by which they have be
Of Of overthrown,. and they never will agree
20 20 pay their portion of this debt unless CO
aas PEELED by tho people Of the North to do
~ How long before Jeff. Davis or some OF
~ fellow rebels, will be placed in nominat
for the Presidency, as good and consist
Democrat? No doubt many good men l.
7" upon all this as an unfair arrais rinent Of
for Democratic party. But it is my seri
no. conviction that this party can only be IN,
t." tanned as rebel organzation-that its /
elf dency will be to rebel ideas, aud that it
inevitably drift into the control of the v
men whom our soldier have recently
feated. With such party, no man
hse has a shark of patriotism shouid form