Bloomsburg democrat. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1867-1869, 1867-05-01
REACTION.

REACTION.
We have often called attention to the
wicked provocations which brought on the
late unhappy civil war. GARRISON, GREE.
LEY, PHILIPS, STEVENS, and others of the
puritan school of political morals, com.
menced the agitation against negro slavery
more than thirty years ago-taught disobc-
dience to the Constitution-hostility to the
Union, md melted a general disregard in
the North Of the bargain under which the
Southern States united with us in forming
a common government. They knew civil
war must be encountered before the negro
could be set free; but they thought war and
all its bloody and financial consequences,
mourning, debt, taxes, distress, sacrifice of
more than million Of lives, should all be
encountered and incurred to accomplish the
freedom of the negro. Before they could
move in this destructive enterpris it vase
necessary to overthrow the Democratic
party. The process Of doing this, and its
consequences arc before the country. How
we prospered under the rule of one, and
how we have been oppressed and misgov-
erned by the other, are equally well known.
We give succinct narrative to freshen the
recollcctions of our readers on these mat.
tcrs.
The Democratic party was organized and
came into power in 1901. With brief inter-
walls it continued in power up to 1851
During all this time no nation was more
prosperous than this, no people more happy,
no government less burdensomc; its re-
straints were SO light and impcrccptible that
some people who wished to SEQ the iron
hand Of power in motion, doubted whether
we had any government at all, and urged
violent measures ''to see whether we had q
Government. Taxes were lighter than
under any other government in the world !;
labor was better requitted, and political and
religious liberty more universally enjoyed
There was union among the States and hap.
piness and prosperity among the people.
When these bad men sought to destroy
the Union in order to abolish negro slavery,
their first blow was at the Democratic party.
They could only hope to accomplish their
object through the defeat and destruction OF
party which stood upon the constitution
and maintained all its guarantees as the first
and last of all duties. They acted in con-
cert with Southern men, stirred up to hostil-
ity to the Union by their own crafty acts. -
BY dividing the counsels Of the democratic
party they secured its defeat.
That was seven years ago, and what have
we to-day? A broken Union, ten of the
States undera military despotism political
sind religious liberty by-word; the burdens
of government more crushing than any on
earth. Laboris remunerated in deprecated
promises to pay, and the necessarics of life
are at fannie prices. Crime has increased
q hundred fold. and vice is clad in purple
and fine linen, occupying seats in hipb
places and bloted with rewards of corrup-
'ioi lc SloiiSo We WedT; tic ioV'S We Cav
and all necessaries Of life are taxed to the
last point Of endurance-a what have we
gained? Besides freeing the negro, nothing
-igfnitey worse Atm nothiug.
Is itnot time for the people to think Of
these things? Is it not time that the mem.
ory Of the glorious past awakened the peo-
pie to an ambition for glorious future :?
What the country was, the democratic party
made it; what it is, with its burdens, and
taxes and bad government, is the work Of
the enemies Of that party. Is it not time
that the people began to reflect upon the ne
cessity Of restoring that party to power, and
with it restore the country to both individ-
ual and national prosperity. The signs Of
the times as manifested by the numerous
elections held of late, indicate that reason is
resumng its throne, and passion, prejudice
and hatred are passing from the minds of
the people-that constitutional government
is again desired in place Of the arbitrary rule
Of Rump Congress tlrou-n brigadicr
Generals and military commissions Weekly
Post.