The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1866-01-05
What the Republican Party has Cost the
Country.

1t is literally true, and so impartial his
tory will record, that the national debt,
tho whole cost of the war, it's vast slaugh.
ter of men and destructi ton of property,
and the taxes it has eDtaled, are the re-
turns the people have received for their
confidence in the Republican party. If
that party had not obtained control of the
Government, it is admitted that there
would have been no war--uo slaughter Of
tens ct thousands Of men, no destruction
of thousands Of millions Of property. and
no weight Of taxation that will for long
years cripple the industry of the laud.-
Secession and disunion originated with
the fathers of the Republican party. They
sought to carry it into eject previous to
aad during the war of l9l2-15 They
threatened it at the time of the annexation
of Texas aud during the Mexican var -
President Lincoln then proclaimed the
right OF any portion Of the country to Sc.
cede, and Set up government for them
selves; and for ten years Immediately
preceding the rebellion, they preached dis
union, and labored to bring about a stu,e
OF things that all intelligent men SAW
must result in civil war.
Having obtained control of the govern
ment, they took no steps to avert the ter
rible catastrophe which previous course
aud avowcd design, were 50 surely provo
king. Their declarations had induced
the people OF the South to believe that sc.
cesslon would not be opposed by them,
that separation would be agreeable
Their leading and most influential organ
corroborated this, by frequently declaring
that the Southern States had right to Sc.
cede, and ought not to be opposed in so
dong. But not content with this, and as
II fearing that war would not ensue-ap-
parently anxious for the "blood. letting"
which one Of their leaders declared to be
desirable, and impatient for its commence.
ment, their administration deliberately
precipitaled the awful conflict, and as one
of their late cabinet officers has publicly
proved, by fraud and treachery, causing
the attack upon Fort Sumter while there
was yet reason to hope that the terrible
conflict might be prevented.
Having thus by Implicitly and fraud,
brought on the war, the Republican load
ers at once set about the work of using i,
for the promotion of their party and per-
sonal ends. Upon this point, "a volume
would be required to contain the evidence
and illustrations showing the ways and
means employed, i'll the management of
the war, to SECURE party purposes, crafty
personal likes and hates, and promote pri-
vate gain. 1t is notorious that hundreds
OF millions Of dollars were lavished upon
party and personal favorites. II is noto-
rlous that officers in command were per-
United and encouraged to make military
success subordinate to private gain.
1t is notorious that officers aud party
favorites were permitted to supply the
enemy with munitions of war and other
articles most needed to enable them
to continue the war, and that the pro-
fits Of this nefarious traffic were shared
by persons very near the throne. 1t is
notorious that leading men of the Repub-
lican party, publicly rejoieed over the de-
feat OF our armies, because they thought