The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1867-07-04
Established 1925.

cebsaIlOn OF DO5tlilJleS, IL aQV0ca
ted negotiation with those VIII,
spurned reunion, even If they wer,
TO be offered q blank sheet of pa
per to write their own conditions
on. The UeTy existence of such q
party in the North Tds a pogerfu
ally and a standing encouragement
10 the wdr and secession party in III,
South. The calculation was TO hold
out until a December reaction
should take place in the North. -
"If our Northern friends" so they
reasoned, "are restored to power,
the cause Of the Confederacy will
be safe" This alone accounts for
the otherwise inexplicable tenaci.
ity Of the South. But the defeat Of
Mcclellan broke the moral power
'ofthe rebellion. 1t was the death
knell Of the Confederaey. The
hopes which the Democratic party
had Dourished in the Southern
mind, had proved false and delu.
sive and vain.
The war being over, conditions
unparalleled in their magLanimity
were proposed by Congress to our
defeated adversaries. Negro sof.
frage or military reconstruction
were not dreamed Of then. The
lives, The liberties, the property,
and even the feelings Of the ex.reb.
els were 10 be spared. Simple SC.
curity for the future was to be ex
acted, consisting Of civil rights to
all classes. just basis of rcpresen
tation, a weak and lenicnt censure
of perjury, and a guarantee of the
national, with reputation of the
rebel debt: Had the Southerners
accepted these conditions, they
would now be restored to almost
their former political power. The
constitutional amendment would
not have worked any material so.
cial or political change. 1t was
an offer perhaps dangerous for us
TO make. 1t was incomprehensible
folly and blindness for the South
to reject it. But the Democratic
party was again at work. The ser.
pcnt had again twisted herselfa
round Eve, whispering poisonous
counsel into her ear. Again the
South was told to wait for a Dem.
ocratic reaction in the North
"Hold out" the serpent said, "until
| am in power again, and will
admit you without any conditions.
| will exact no security for the fu.
ture.' And again our deluded
countrymen of the South listened
to the voice of the serpent and re.
iected the constitutional Amend
ment as they rejected the olive
branch so many times before.
The result is known. AS the spu.
rious and illegitimate State oragn-
zations which Mr.. Johnson had
arbitrarily called into life failed to
attain the ends Of govern ment, the
security of person and property, it
devolved upon Congress to estab-
Iish that security. AS the local au-
thorities failed to protect those who
are entitled to our protection, it
became the duty of the Federal
Government to protect them. As
The civil power had proved INSULT
,ient, the military power had 10 be
employed. AS tho whites would
not relent in their determined hos.
tility to Union and freedom, the
aid of the blacks had to be invoked
in the work of reconstruction.
1fall this be distasteful to South.
errers, let them thank the Demo
cratic party for it. Let their "cur
ses deep or loud be aimed at their
Mephistophslian advisers. Let
them consider that those are re.
sponsible for it who instigated
them to reject the mild and inno-
cent conditions of the constitution
oil amendment. Let them realize
that they owe il not to those whom
they unjustly suppose to be their
Republican or Radical enemies but
to their own fatal mistake in fol-
lowing the insidious advice Of their
Democratic friends.
l Irejoice to see that the South
has begun to realize the true state
Of affairs, and that the scales are
falling from her eyes ut last. Hav-
ing advised against the constitu-
tional amendment, the Democratic
party now advises against submis.
sion to the Congressional measures
Of reconstruction. 1t still urges
passive resistance with view to
future disturbances. But happily
for the peace Of the country, its
power over the Southern mind is on
The wane. The Southern people
begin to perceive that they owe
their great ,st calamities to the
b. eacherou course of tho Demo.
cratic party, before, during. and
since the war; and the day is not
lar distant when they will tell.that
party, depart, Satan |! Thou hast
led me into ruin and misery ? ]
now reject and spurn thee, and
will listen TO thee no more"
CONCLUSION.
The men who now lead and Of
icer the Democratic party are the
most dangerous enemies of the
country, of Its peace, prosperity
and welfare. Let both sections oil
The country unite to give a final
blow to the influence Of
Democratic leaders. Let the SER
pent be fully expelled from Para
disc, aud our country will soon be
q Garden of Eden again. Let u.s.,
reference to side.issues,
com mbine to settle the last remain.
ing issues of the war, 20 as to make
rnnn FIR the ouestions of peace