The Weekly Perrysburg journal. [volume] (Perrysburg, O. [Ohio]) 1861-1???, 1866-06-08
From the Cincinnati oaresse.l
The Ohio Democracy.


We might as reasonably expect the Con-
! federates to come forward and insist upon
suffering penalties for their rebellion, aud
upon being subjected to guarantees against
their renewing the attempt, as to expect
the Democratic party of Ohio to prescribe
or consent to any such thing.
This natural relation of sympathy was
tho principal feature Of the Democratic Con-
vention at Columbus. Party politicians
who declared all through tho war Of the re-
bellion that the Government had no cousti-
tntional power to suppress it, came to-
gether and resolved that the Government
has no constitutional power to impose any
conditions on the rebels who have con-
vulsed the nation with war for four or f7e
years. They who voted against giving the
Government a man or a dollar TO put down
the rebellion, now come together and do.
clare the right of the rebels to be exempt
from all penalties, and to be admitted to
political power.
Is there any change Of position or prin.
oiple in this We see none. These are
the same confederate features that were
odious to the loyal sight all through the
war. Are they going TO turn States evi.
dence apainst their confederates, or to pre-.
nounce their rebellion an offense worthy
of punishment? This would but pronounce
their own condemnation Are notorious
aiders and abettors of tho war of secession
going to declare it treasonP 1t would be a
plea of guilty. What could we expect
from a convention of Northern Confeder.
ates but just what we have in this plat
form
1t is entirely unconscious that bloody
war has been raging for four years, which
has slain half million of men, fastened an
eternal load of three thousand million of
debt upon the people, and destroyed three
times as much more of the accumulatons of
industry. 1t can see no wrong or evil in
the land, save that the authors of all this
crime are not our rulers. Millions of
armed men have been arbitrating for four
years the question of secession, and yet
this Democratic Convention has no opin~
ion to express on it; and it lodges the
question of the right of secession, under
generality which is intended to convey au
assertion of the right without plainly de-
claring it.
Could we expect anything else of accom-
plices? Men do not often plead guilty un-
til they see no way of escape from the
clutches of the law, save by throwing
themselves on its clemency.
They refer to the history of the Dem.
ence to an ancient date. The history of
that party eliminated in the foulest treach-
cry that has disgraced mankind in the de.
liberete plot to use the trust conhded to
them by the people TO destroy popular gov
ernment; in arming conspiracy against
the life of the nation; in II war which turned
the country to field of slaughter, and
which, in the short space of five years,
brought upon people before almost unac.
quanted with taxation, "A load of perpetual
debt and taxes such as the despotc Gov
ernments of Europe, with all their wars of
dynastic ambition, have taken centuries to
accumulate upon their oppressed peoples.
This is the history OF the Democratic
party to its elimination in the rebellion
which its principles always nursed. What
was its history in the war? 1t was the
Democratic Administration that conspired
and armed secession and that parul wed the
power Of the Government 1t was the Dem
! ocratic party that set up immunity for rebel
lion, by maintaining that the Constitution
gave no power to put it down. 1t was the
| Democratic party in the North-the very
men who led this Ohio Convention-who
encouraged, aided and abetted the rebellion,
by pledging that the Republican people of
! the Northern States would have battle to
"
| they should undertake to coerce the South
Every secession conspiracy was of the
Democratic party. Every Confederate
leader was leader of the Democratic party,
and all OF them claimed that they were car,
rying ont the principles the party had
| always maintained. The character brains
and power of the whole Democratic party
went into tho rebellion, and its Northern
serfs adhered to their ancient service, aid.
ing their leaders in arms by tho baser course
of opposing by political means the efforts
of the Government to crush the rebellion,
and by secretly consPiring 20 raise rebellion
in the rear of our armies.
1t was regarded as the noblest boast. an
Ohio Democrat could make, that he had
never voted to raise a soldier to put down
the rebellion, nor to raise or appropriate
dollar to pay or subsist him in the war, and
that he never would vote for this or for a
party that would do it. The Oh o Democratic
leaders vaunted this alliance with the rebels
in arms, and they kept their traitorous
word. And although the most of them at
this Convention were anxious to sink their
war record, and to refer to the Democratic
party as a thing only of ancient traditions,
and to fall back entirley on the name of its
putative father, yet there was one of them.
whose eager desire for notoriety has made
his infamy particularly conspicuous, and
who has martyrdor which he wishes to
sell at the highest Prioo, who would not
let his war record sink, who b0asted his
traitorous course, aud claimed that it mas
triumphed in the present position of the
Democratic party. He also claimed that
Andrew Johnson is now altogether such
man as Vallandigham was in the war, when
he and his party were heaping every
opprObrium upon-him.
We can grant all that this platform'and
the accompanying speeches claimed for the
present position and principles of the Dem
ocratic party. 1t is true to its history and
to its record all through the war. 1t has DO
penalties to impose nor requirements to
make on it's confederates in the war. II
has no opinion to express against :cession
for that is the cardinal doctrine of the Demn
ocratic party. 1t has no word of condemna
tion for traitors, and no support for any Gov
ernment or any man it blieves to be loyal
After great war of rebellion it has no dec.
larations of allegiance save to the Demo
cratic party, which made the rebellion, and
whose name is synonymous with treason.
There was apparent consciousness in the
Convention that this hg-leaf platform would
not hide the ugly proportions of the party
from the people, and there was a concession
that they did not expect success in the elec
ton. The utmost encouragement that Mr.
Vallandigham could hold out was that they
would reduce the Union majority. When
before did the Democratic orators of a Con.
vention admit that the ticket would be de