The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1867-08-22


a fraudulent pretense-an attempt to
divide the loyal States against them
selves. The revolution set on foot by
the Southern wing of the party, at the
instance of their Northern allies, had
contrary to their expectations, resulted
in the overthrow Of the institution of
slavery; and a proposition was then
pending to so amend the Federal Con-
stitution as to make it conform to the
changed condition ofthings, and 10 pro-
hibit the revival of system oflegalized
robbery and oppression.
The aim OF Vallandigham and his par
ty was to inaugurate a reactionary
movement or counter-revolution. They
hoped to bring such pressure upon the
Government as would compel the with
drawal of our armies from the South,
the recognition of Southern independ-
ence, and the reinstatement of the
blacks. The old Union being once bro
ken, the process of disintregation was
to be continued; the Northwestern
States were to withdraw from the I'm
ion and form separate Government,
preparatory to joining their fortunes
with the Southern Confederacy. These
things were avowed by many of the par
ty leaders, Mr.. Vallandigham among
them. His watershed" theory was
based upon this idea.
They went to the people on this issue,
and the popular verdict against them in
the loyal States was decisive-the ag-
gregate majority being about half mill
ion. That ought to have satisfied them
and settled the question, but it did not
They admit that they were defeated, but
insist that the popular voice settles
nothing They 60 further than that;
they claim that the issues raised by the
rebels, and decided by arms, are yet
unsettled
Mr. George H Pendleton is a gentle
man of fair ability and eminent respect
ability. He has more of the brains of
the party than any three members of it
who reside north of the Ohio river. He
is Vallandigham- er than even Mr. Val.
landigham. He is the oracle of the par.
ty in the Northwest, and is its probable
candidate for President. He and many
OF his friends felt indignant and humili-
ated because Mcclellan was placed at
the head of the "peace" Democratic
ticket in 1864, and they are determined
that no such thing shall occur again.
Sam. Cox might as well quit making an
ass of himself, in proposing to revise
the Democratic platform SO as to make
it square with the Union, and then place
some Union General upon it. No such
thing will be permitted Such a pro-
ceeding would inevitably result in d.
viding the fragment of the Democratic
party into still smaller fragments. Like
the Boston Radicals, "they assume
much-they believe and dare and do"
Mr. Pendleton and his friends have prin-
ciples. Sam. Cox has none. That is
the difference. ...
Well, Mr.. Pendleton holds that no.
thing except the fact that the rebels
were oyerpowered, and that the Repub-
licans have a majority in the Northern
States. lie holds that all the questions
which have convulsed the country during
the last seven years-the right of Sc
cession, the abolition of slavery, the
validity of the public debt, and the
constitutionality of all the acts of Con-
gress since 1861-are open questions,
which are yet to be passed upon by the
people, the State and National Legis-
latures, and the Courts. He not only
holds that all these questions are open,
but that all, or nearly all of the meas
ures taken by by the government for
the suppression of the rebellion were
revolutionary, wrong, unconstitutional,
and, therefore, void. Mr.. Pendleton
proposes to make those issues, and fight
it out on that line The Democratic
party will ignore these issues during the
present campaign, and it may be that
some of the small fry will deny that such
issues exist. But we apprehend that
Judge Thurman will not deny that he
agrees, in the main, with Mr.. Pendleton,
and that the foregoing are substantially
his principles and the principles of his
party.
Mr.. Pendleton and the men of his
school assume, and assume correctly,
that the country has passed Tor rather is
now passing) through revolution.
They gave the revolution its first i'm
pulse, and set itin motion in the interests
of aristocracy and slavery; but very
Unexpectedly to them, demo cracy and
liberty exhibited an astonishing vitality;
and, in the conflict, aristocracy and
slavery went to the wall. They at
tribute the result to accidental causes,
rather than to the intelligence, virtue
and patriotism of the. people. There
fore, they rely upon reaction to restore
them to power and reestablish the old
order Of things, beginning with the re-
pudiation Of the public debt, and ending
with the restoration Of the aristocracy
to the control of the government, and
the ownership Of the laborers of the
South. Thep hope that if the tide of
reaction once sets in that it will not ebb
until it has accomplished all these results.
They have precedent for it. In other
ages and other lands, disastrous reac-
tions have followed salutary revolutions,
and the aristocracy, by playing the
demagogue, have made the people the
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