The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1866-05-05
Our National Troubles.
a SPEECH FOR THE TIMES.
The Duties Of the Hour
-Ga34 5sl5--z=- -7777T7=T7-7 -Ile..J5s- yst.ta
The Status of P olitical Parties.
The Democratic Party Before the
War, During rthe-, War, and
q VI Since the War. IL /
a SPEECH FOR. .THE HINES
Deeply Important Facts and Ar
guments for the People. "
People OF RestvIrsinla Read. weigh
aud Consider the Following
=. RemarIks.s ,.


Extract from a speech by Hon. John
Sherman, United States Senator from
Ohio, made in Connecticut.)
FEW WORDS FRsT,i ToSXoUEG MEN.
. AS preliminary to the
observations. that I desire to make
upon the questions Immediately at is=
sue now, I desire to say few words to
Young men. / see thai there are many
here to-night; and no doubt some.of
them are now for the first time choos-
ing their political relations. There IS
no choice thata manisl called upon to
make in which it is of SO much impor-
tance that he should be right as the
choice of his party-exeept,, indeed the
choice of a wife, which is of the very
highest importance, for 1t involves a
mans domestic happinness for life, a. nd
the choice Of a good wife Involves It.
| Laughter and applause. But the
choice of a mans party isz also of vast
Importance. 1t regulates his influence
upon the body polite; because no man,
however exalted his intellect, however
great his requirements, is of any con
siderable account in this country eX-
cept as he moulds and directs the opin-
ions of others. In this free govern
ment of ours, all, men stand upon u
footing of equality. The most learned
man. the most eloquent man, in this
country has no more influence In con-
trolling its destinies than the most igno-
rant voter, except in SO far as he i'm
presses his opinions upon his fellow
citizens. It is only through party or
| paniZations that we can control public
opinion. In order to have any appre-
cinble influence, u man in this country
must attach himself to one of the great
political parties; and at each election
our citizens are called upon to give
their adhesion to one or the other of
these parties. In this country Mt this
time, we have two great political or
eanizations. One calls itself the Demo-
| cratic tparty, and as l am generally
willing to call child by the name that
its mother gives it, IN speaking OF That
party, will call it democratic, though
| it always goes against the grain 10 40
so. TLuughter.1 think there is in the
minds of all of you name for thatpar-
Eysohwhich 1t is much more; deserving;
and indeed, as u general rule, a'ntckT
name Cliscloses the character ofthe per-
son to whom it is applied great deal
better than the name given in baptism.
A GLANCE AT THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY
PRIOR TO AND DURING THE WAR.
But let us call this organization the
democratic party. And now want to
| nsI5 YOU what cluims for allegiance 1t has
npo1 any free-born American citizen
In answering this question will not go
libehiud the history, of the! immediate
mast. ibecause'w this war broke out
all that preceded it was forgotten.
| will only remind you that the Amert-
can people trusted the Democratic Par
| ty as no party was ever trusted any
where before. 1t has been the bonst of
than part that forsixtY:year they ad-
ministered our government; but what
was the result of their administration
| A Shareholders rebellion, and gigan-
tic war of nearly five years duration.
When, five years ago, an orgalnqtE5tSltton gun n
sprane up in the Southern States,
which determined to wage war upon
our Government and destroy it, where
was the Democratio party foundY
dislike to speak of any citizen of Con
necticul with disrespect; but let me ask
Won wherejthen was Isaac Toucey, VINO
held at that time high position in the
Government of the United States
Five years ago; WI hen every Intelligent
man knew the war was Imminent
when the men of the South had gath
cred together arms and ammunition
and men, ,aand hRdD actually avowea
their purpose to wage war against the
| Government of the United States, what
was the course of that citizen ofseyen
The good old State of Connecticut, that
representative man of the Democratic
party 2 He scattered our vessels, then
under his comnani, al Hover the world,
SO that when another and worthter clti-
zen of your State came to administer
| the affairs ofthe same department, the
whole navy under his command was
Zone vessel, iwithu d We Iguns-Sp1ked
IfFIiauphter.1 aMr! Pouceys was only a
REPRESENTATIVE of the last Democratic
| Administration that ever Will govern
this country. EApplanse.1 Think, too;
for a Iin6ment of him who was the head
Of that party at that time. An old
man. broken with the cares and storms
Lof State-E Elanghter1+rwh ho said that the
South had no right to seceds, 4buthe
had no power to prevent secession.
They were all wrong, he said, but ne
could not help 1t: secession was uncon-
stitutional, to be sure, but tnen u was
Unconstitutional to put 1t down.
| daughter 1t was in this maudlln
condition that the DemocraticE party
i-lay down in-its grave and was .Durleo
| ont of ourFSight; when all OF 1t that
was vital Joined the great Union party
hwhich took, for its,standard the; Flag o.
/ onr Country, and bore 1t tin.tr1umph
| throneh onr ever memorable war.
EFUheersg i need not attempt tosde-
scribe here the spirit that sprung to life
i among us when the Flag hred
tupon Mt Sumter. YOU all know that
solemn and universal enthusiaSm selz-
1 ed upon the smindss of the American
Il Na
| the blow that had been struck at the
lcFlag not merely as u NATIONAL but also
i as a personal insult, and they swote IN
the bottom ofSttIeir hearts that that IN
sulk, Should be wiped out If IL cost the
4 blood OF every traitor in the land. But
i as soon us this spirit had PARTIAL upS
4 sided and the burden iLofthe war had
4 been actually assumed, the leaders oi
II the Democratic party, seeing that tney
.fhad no.hope in the Union organization
began to revive the name cpf the o4o
q fbDemoeratie party and organized under
4 Il what is sometimes called the, copper;
4 head party. They still claimed the Ole
Il name, and, as You, see, through P9llte,
Il ness Il am will ing ITO give At 70 the ~
4 .but5as said before, all that was lFltal
ia the Democratic party 1oined1n the
7Epenerals lsnoyementto for the preser yation !.
Fof the Governments during Asa5 this q Us
4 party, with the old name, pretended U
ssbe for war, end. the party was organ y
iIfzad upon that basis. - Z :. :,
rnhEE coPrEK KAEAp cIovtsN FOOT UNpET
.ls-d THE NAsfE OF DEMocRAoYB BkalNs 1c
But IN the winter Of 1sesiS they Sssan g M
i 70 show ,thaio1o fool, and in 1865 the
I Democratic Party of the Hnited States
was as Glisloyah Reorganization as the
rebel army, ever was at any time DUR:
4 ms the4war! no convince youi OF this
Il need mot go over the historyof any
i LONG space of time. Perhaps 1t may
be enough to remind you of what
4 fhev ala In my own State, where they
n1et in party convenupn, and aln1sapy attel
4 passing ineendiary alutionss nonl:
56ated fort Governor OF. Ohio; al nan, wne .S
4 ssre;I11s resistance to- the Government
=. n, an who hIICi sought to gel