The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1866-06-21
At Last.

Al LlSL,
a lire Of demarcation has at last been
drawn between the rsaL and prejsad6d
friends of the Union. Copperbead Democ-
racy, that, throughout the Rebellion on ly
yielded the palm to southern rebels for dis
loyalty to the Union in one particular
that of bearing arms-has latterly made
the most violent assumption of loyalty and
devotion O to the Union. To sustain ito
falsehood and assumptions, it has been law
ish of its denunciations Of the men who
fought the Union battles and gained the
Union victories, as disunionists and traitors.
With brazan efrontery, characteristic of
falsehood and deceit it has crowded to the
front seats, saying to the true and tried
friends Of the Union, stand back, and give
place to us for we are holier than ye are"
1t has taken our President on its shoulders,
and shouted so lond and long that even
some true and loyal friends of the Union
have been deceived and carried away by
this copperhead coap de main to seize the
control of the administration, and turn all
its power and influence to the accomplish
ment Of its own scheme. That scheme is
now apparent enough It was nothing less
than to bring back, at once, into Congress
the traitors, and representatives of blood
stained traitors and unrepentant rebels, of
the seeded states. And this, not in the
old proportion, but increased by two fifths
of all the emancipated slaI $ of the south.
That is, while before the rebellion five
slaves counted but three in the ratio for
representation, the new plan was to have
Them count foe, thus materially increasing
8the rebel representation, and securing be-
yond peradventure the ascendency of the
copperhead element in Congress, and ena-
bling that body to repeal the civil rights
bill, repudiate the national debt contracted
in the war for the preservation of the I'm
ion and then tax the country to pay the |
rebel debt, and reimburse the rebels for the |
loss of their slaves. This is the programme |
of the copperhead democracy, to conciliate
and reconcile sour southern brethren"
So plausibly has copperhead democracy
talked so persistenty has it denounced
Union men as radicals, fanatics and disun-
ionists, that many good men have been de-
ceived and have been ready to join forces
with it, in crusade against radicals,
completely blinded and deceived as to the
real object and motive of their copperhead
allies, But the passage of the reconstruc-
ton amendments has served to draw once
more the line of demarkation between the
real and false Union men of the country
Copperhead democracy saw in that plan the
defeat Of its wicked schemes, and at once
threw off the mask. Not a democrat in
either house Of Congress voted to make the
number Of voters a basis of representation
Not democrat voted in favor of the equali-
ty of all citizens of TIT United States before
the law. Not democrat voted in favor of
excluding such traitors as Jeff Davis, Alex.
Stephens, j. @. Breckenridge, Mason, SlideIl,
Wigfall, Wise and host of others we
might name, from the Halls of Congress or
from the Presidential chair. Not demo-
crat voted in favor Of declaring that the va
lidity of the national debt, incurred in
suppressing the rebellion shall not be cues
ton ed, nor did n single democrat vote in ia
vor Of declaring that the United States
should not assume or pay any debt incurred
IN aid of instruction or rebellion against
the United States, or any claim for loss for
the emancipation of any slave. And we
are happy to be able to state that not one
Union Republican member of the House Of
Representatives, failed to vote for those
amendments to the constitution, and only
four Republican Senators forgot for the mo-
ment their fealty to the great principles of
justice and Republicanism, and voted with
the democracy.
These amendments now 90 to the States
for ratification, and thus they become the
political touchstone and test in ali parts of
the Union for the coming campaign. Upon
their adoption or rejection party lines will
be again, closer than ever if possible And
there is no room to doubt the result in the
loyal states; especially where the question
goes to the people first. The people are
not disposed to let the sacrifices and sor-
rows the distinctions and desolations of
four years war go for nothing. They will
demand at least the guarantee and safe
guard afforded by this amendment, against
a repetition of such a war.