Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1866-02-06
Unionists and Disunionists.

Unionists and Disunionists.
Who are the Union men, at this time, in the
true and proper acceptation of that term, and
who are the disunionists? Those who are in IA
vor Of the Union as it existed before the war, who
are supporters of the Constitution and Of the
rights and immunities it guarantees, who desire
peace and amity between the people Of all the
States, who favor the admission into Congress of
Representatives from all the States who possess
the Constitutional qualifications, who recognise
the equality of rights in the citizens of the seve-
raj States, are, by whatever name they may be
called, Union men in the true sense and proper
acceptaton Of the term.
On the contrary, those who oppose the Union
as it existed before the war, who violate the
Constitution and deny to any the rights and
immunities it guarantees, who create dlstrust,
dissension and discord between the people of
the States, who deny admission into Congress
of Representatives who possess all the Consts-
tutional qualifications, who deny equal rights to
the citizens of the several States, are, by what
ever name they may be called, disunionists.-
The extreme men in the North and the extreme
men in the South who claim to be, par ercel-
lsncs. the Union men, are, in fact, the disunion-
lists of the two sections Of the Union. Presi-
dent johnson is Union man, and the policy
he maintains, and which he would have all 9TH
ers to maintain, is Union policy. He wishes
to restore the Union as it was before the war,
with all the rights Of the citizens Of all the
States unimpaired He says that the people
Of the Southern States should be trusted. =
They have not only acknowledged their defeat,
stacked arms and abandoned the contest for in
dependence, but have sClemnly sworn to sup
port the Constitution Of the United States
They are no longer secessonists, but have all
become, in the true sense Of the term, Union
men. Those who are unwilling to trust the
people of the South, who maintain that they
should not be granted the rights belonging to
citizens of States an the Union, who are IN
favor of governing the Southern States IS con-
on,ered provinces, who maintain that they should
he ruled by a military authority, are neither
Union men nor the friends Of Republican gov
eminent. There are, unfortunately, such III the
North and in the South--in the North, they
are numerous, and have a majority CT hepre-
sentatives in Congress; in the South, the num-
Der is small. Though these extremes profess
to be Union men, they are dssun'oaists OF the
very worst character. Under the gulse OF
Union men, they labor, with might and main
--openly in the North, secretly in the South
10 nreyent the restoration Of the Union, and to
DESTROY the Republican character Of the Gov
ernment. As hypoerites in religion
''Steal the livery Of Heaven
To serve the Devil in
40 these base impostors in politics, assume the
mask of Unionism the more eftectually to per-
petrate their vile disunion purposes These
extremes, North and South, are cooperating
to effect the same object-the prevention OF the
restoration Of the Union, and the denial to the
neorle of the South Of their Constitutional
rights in the Union. Those who petition the
authorities to keep the citizens Of the South
under military rule, who represent that the peo-
ple Of the South should not be trusted, that
they are indisposed to grant justice to any class
Of citizens. are cooperating with the Radicals
Of the North. who are making war upon the
Union policy Of the President. Though this
party is small in the South, yet It's members
have the power to do more harm to the people
of the South than ten times their number at
the North, for Neutrality-suspicious. Of South
ern sentiment are considered By the North as
true representations Of Southern feeling. An
enemy to the restoration Of the Union and to
Republican Governmental the South VIII affect
the greatest dread and, with pallid cheeks and
trembling frame, will avow to the authorities
that his life is in peril, that the cannibal secesh
will be sure to deyour him if they be not bound
hand and foot by the strong bonds Of military
authority. He makes such and other false a
yowals knowing that that is the most effectual
way to effect the base and treacherous purposes
of his heart. Let no man who Is III truth
Union man suffer himself to be deceived and
imposed upon BY wolves in Sleeps clothing.
ro~.nx;o,r Cnora% pst;tinng &c