Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1866-11-17
The Union Gains.

4AN"SS VI iliOct Vi Tile tNO pre-
vious months. and result in Onion gains on
the popular vote of last year. The great de-
fection in the Union ranks which was to have
followed the ''lovefeast" of Copperheads,
rebels and bread and butter politicians, at
Philadelphia, has failed to come of to order.
On the contrary. the party comes out Of the
fight stronger in actual numbers than it en-
tered the campaign. The boys in blue. who
carried the flag of the Union in triumph
through the South. have not forgotten their
friends at home, who gave them aid, comfort
and support through the war, and have prov
en- at the polls their faith in the cause for
which they carried the bayonet.- No pro-
fessions of love and admiration for our gal
liant soldiers and sailors from those who de-
nounced the war during its continuance, and
tricked and conspired in the interest of trea-
son, could win the confidence of the coun-
try's defenders. Neither could they be made
to believe in the policy of placing the Gov
ernment of the country and the granting Of
their own rewards for services in suppress
ing treason, in the hands of traitors. The
days of the political life of Hester Clymer.
Hoffman and their Northern confederates in
treason are numbered, and hereafter they
will be as effectually debarred from official
position as though they expressly came un-
der the disqualifying provisions of the amend
ments to the Constitution prohibiting trait
ors from holding Office. Northern treason
is dead beyond resurrection. The full gain
to the Union party in the late victory is not
expressed by comparing the vote with that
of previous elections, but is to be found in the
moral strength received by the party, con-
sequent upon its popular endorsement. We
already had majority in each branch of
the present Congress, which numbered more
than two-thirds of each House, and our
strength there was sufficient to carry any
measure of legislation, over the Executive
veto, which the party believed necessary for
the preservation of the country; but without
tbe late victory that majority would not have
been available. Our present Members of
Congress are but men, and are more or less
affected by the virtues and vices of politi-
clans. Indeed, under our form of Govern.
ment, it is nearly impossible for man to
raise from Alderman of a village to the high
position of seat in the United States Con-
gress. without being an expert in the arts of
the politician. the most precious of which is
the knack of knowing which way the wind
blows, mistake in which throws him. It
likely that Cowan. Doolittle and the others
in Congress who have been traitorous to the
Union party which elected them, dearly as
they love the public plunder, would never
have been guilty of their crime, if they could
have known that is was to be blunder, and
had not thought that the weight of their great
names would have decided the contest before
the people. Had the people decided against
the Union party in the late elections, the
spirit OF the present Congress would have
been broken and it would have been impos-
sible to have held its Union organization to-
gether in the face of such popular disap
proval. Detection would have stolen away
its strength. and the only duties of its men,
bers remaining would have been to meet and
draw their pay and record the wishes of the
Dictator in the White House. The amount
OF backbone which shaky Union members
will receive from the elections will be i'm
mense. There will be no more lodging of
vital questions. or halting between two opin-
ions among them. They will all come up
solidly to the work which the people require
of them, and will be the sternest advocates
of the necessary reforms in the Government
demanded for the times. But while we rec
ognize the stifening effect which the popu-
lar verdict will have upon the spinal columns
of Members of Congress, let US not do them
injustice by ignoring their firm patriotism
during their term. and that most commenda-
BILE pluck and faith in the people which en-
boldened them to cheerfully stake their all
upon the result of the campaign With the
victory should come its trophies. The Un-
ion party, in the last campaign, stood upon
the defensive, and steadily repulsed the as.
saults of its foes. Having won the victory, it
will not do for it to lie upon its arms, like
Little Mac. at Antietam. No party can ever
make the policy of standing and doing moth
ing successful long. Conservative parties
stagnate, rot and die out Life and action
in political party are as necessary for its
health. as in the human system. Let not the
Union leaders celebrate their victory by vain
vaporings or idle congratulations but by
grand movement upon the enemy's works.
The conflict the parties of the country are
engaged in is irrepressible, and nothing short
of complete success to the one side, and utter
rout to the other, will settle the dispute.
Let the Union party now return the charge
of its foes, and make the political battle
Waterloo defeat.
The greatest puzzle of the Nineteenth CEN
tury, and the only one but what the solons
and philosophers of the present age have been
able to solve, is, how Weihe & Co., can af-
ford IN snlt vr1oa-;ae on ,bo.