The Ebensburg Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1865-1871, 1866-10-04
The Election.

paper will give the result, not only of
the election in Pennsylvania, but in New
York, all the Middle States, and those Of
the West. The canvass has been quite
thorough, and the presentation by the
Republican party of the true issues of the
contest, so clear as to leave no person
unable to understand the verdict of tn e
people, whatever it may be. The opposi-
tion or Johnsohite party have almost
universally endeavored to evade any
discussion of the constitutional amendment
proposed by Congress, though it, and it
alone, forms the real issue. The amend
ment acquiesced in by the President, and
those Republicans that keep his company,
the contest would simply be between
parties for the control of the Government
"a hopeless contest on the part of the
Democratic party. So far as that party
is concerned, it is and has been such
contest. The Democratic leaders have no
real love for such acts of President John
son as enforced the people of the South
to overthrow finally and forever the insti-
tuition of slavery. Even those among
them who supported the war for the Union,
and the ablest in their ranks, have de-
clared against the requirement Of any
guarantee or condition, and that the only
Constitutional method of reconstruction
was the Immediate admission upon the
suppression of the rebellion, of all the
rebellious States and people to the entire
rights, immunities, aud dignities of State
ship and citizenship, that secession implies
no iorfeitures and treason no penalties
except such as may be inflicted By indict-
ment and conviction in courts of law
Hoping, however, to be advantaged by
! the threatened diversion in the Republi-
can ranks, the Democratic party allied
itself with the disafected portion of the
Republican party, and with the view of
being lifted into power, gave its adhesion
to the Presidential "policy - and against
its sdeclared conviction, through the mouths
of Its leaders, put itself upon platform
Identical in principle with that of Con-
gress. That it should have ever hoped
by such political juggling to gain the
favor of the Northern people, was such
| supreme folly as could come only from
utter desperation. 1t had denounced
President johnson as everything low and
bad. 1t took him to its embrace and
lauded him as patriot and statesman
| 1t loathed the name Of Seward as the
embodiment of fanaticism and sectional
| ism. 1t took him as its leader and sub
mitted to his dictation. Holding, as the
only wise and legal teaching in the case,
that the States and people of the South
were entitled, so soon as they were
| deprived Of their armed power, to stand
npon an equality with the other States
and people of the Union, to the admission
of their representatives and senator's, and
| to every other of their old privileges, it
nevertheless gave It's adhesion without
protest or murmur to "polcy" that most
| arbitrarily exacted four conditions prece-
| dent to restoration. Such party has no
| future, and should have none, except a
shroud, coffin, and hole in the ground
Even DOW it stands meditating upon its
certain defeat, and pronouncing the folly
of It's course. When? Where? Ia New
| York, at the Syracuse Convention. In no
other State of the North had it formed
such strong coalitions. In no other had
it such fair prospects of success by its
union with disaffected Republicans. Yet
it saw or seemed to see only utter folly in
perpetuating a coalition that convicted it
of such gross inconsistencies, and dis
solved that coalition by its refusal to
nominate Gen. Dix, former Democrat,
though latterly acting as a Republican,
and follower of the "NIy Policy" man, and
thus preserved to itself at least shadow
of constancy to its declared views. Such
is the Democratic party of to-day. 1t
possesses no character save that of the
most pitiable domogogism.
To those Johnson Republicans who
have united with it in denunciation of
Congress, we have word to say. With
out your aid, the people of the South
would never in the question of reconstruc-
ton have given ear to the Democratic
| lenders Those leaders deceived the