New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1867-01-28
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY And THE LATE
REBELLION


and virtual allies of the late Rebellion, compels
us to ask attention toncertain historical facts.
If any one can contradict them or break their
force, we beg him not to hide his candle under
a buslel.
|. Secession was first inaugurated in South
Carolina, directly after the popular choice of
Presidential Electors early in November, 1860,
whereby the accession of Mr.. Lincoln to the
Presidency was assured. The men who inaugu-
rated it were all DemOcrats-that is, they had
supported for President Van Buren, In 1910,
Polk in 1874, Cass in 1913, Pierce in 1852, Bu-
chanan in 1856, and j. G.. Breckenridge in 1860
There may have been one or two exceptions,
but we know of none. There was certainly no
Republican among them, whether in that or
any other State. And, whatever their impulse
to Secession, their pretert for it was the
triumph of the Republicans in the choice Of
Mr.. Lincoln aforesaid.
III. Other States-at least ten Of them-fol-
lowed South Carolina in her so-called Seces-
sion. Two or three more pretended or were
claimed to have done so. In every instance,
this so-called Secession was substantially the
act of the Democratic party of those States
respectively. That is to say: the great body
of those who had previously run" the Demo
cratic machine were early and ardent!Secession-
lists, while the mass of the opposite party was
either adverse or lukcwam. Thus every Demo-
cratic Governor Of State, those OF Delaware
and Kentucky excepted, was at the head OF the
hunt for Disunion; and of the exceptions,
each openly cOntemned all forcible resistance
to the movement.
NJ n no who
in the hands of the Democratic party, save that
the House of Representatives was tied-Wm.
Pennington moderate Republican, having at
length been chosen its Speaker by one majority.
But in no single department did that Govern
ment oppose any earnest resistance TO Secession.
President Buchanan in his Message of Dec. 3,
1860, squarely proclaimed that Congress had no
right to use force to prevent the withdrawal OF
State from the Union, nor to compel her to
Weld obedience TO its laws. To do this, he ar
gued, would be to make Wdr on q State,
which Congress had no constitutional
power to do. (See american Conflict, Vol.
J., p. 370) This proclamation of National
anarchy was backed by formal opinion from
his Democratic Attorney General, Jcre. S. Black,
who was afterward his Secretary Of State, who
affirmed that the use of armed men to enforce
the laws, in the existing state of things,
would be "wholly Illegal He further urged
that an attempt to make a seeded State full
fill her Federal obligations would be, ipSo tdctO,
can expulsion of such State from the Union"
(The very sophistry which we hear every day
from the Democrats of 1867
" During that memorable Winter Demo-
cratic Conventions were held in several States
that in this State (held in Tweddle Hall,
Albany, Jan. 81, 1861 being one of the ablost
and strongest that was ever convened. But
from none of these Conventions, [nOr from the
Democrats in Congress, nor from the thousand
to fifteen hundred Democratic journals pub
lshed in the country, was a voice raised IN
depreciation Of,fOr dissent FROM these disorgan-
izing doctrines On the contrary, they were
generallyTreechoed and almost universally ac-
guessed i'll.
V. Seven States having seeded before Mr..
Buchanan's term expired their Democratic mem
bers vacated their seats in Congress, with very
rare exceptions OF their few anti-Dem0cratic
members, nearly or quite every one remained
to the close.
W. Mr.. Lincoln was inaugurated on the 4th
of March, 1861 and his Inaugural Address was
mainly devoted to the incubation or doctrines
regarding Secession and Coercion the exact
oppOsites of Messrs. Buchanan and Blacks.
Mr.. Lincoln was well known to hold Gas we did
and dO) the right of the People to modify or
change their form of government as transcend
ing all written constitutions OF charters but he,
with great clearness and cOgency, yet in perfect
kindness, demonstrated that President must,
to the utmost limit of his ability, cause the
laws Of the Union to be respected and
obeyed in every State and TeTTtOry-that,
should collision of forces result his position
would be strictly defensive and conservative
that the consequent war would be made upon
him, not by him. Never was manifesto more
firm and lucid never was one less irritating.
Either its doctrines were sound, or any State
might at any time dissolve the Union. Yet, of
the five hundred Democratic journals within
our reach, we believe no single one approved
and sustained the positions of Mr.. Lincoln.
VII. Throughout that Winter and the ensu-
ing SPRING all the organs of Democratic opin-
ion within our observation reprobated Mr.. Lin
coin and the Republicans as disturbers and
disunionists, because of their intent to oppose
force by force, if that should become necessary
to maintain the integrity and authority of the
Union. We can recall no instance of Demo-
cratic rebuke to those who were openly, osten-
tatiously conspiring and armng to resist the
Union, which they proclaimed already dis
solved.
VIII. A Confederacy of the seeded States
having been formed, leading Northern and
Western Democrats openly advocated the Sc
cession of their several States from the Union
and their accession to the Southern Confeder-
acy. eff the Union is to be dissolved" said
.Judoe Geo. w. Woodward Democratic can