Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1867-06-19
A Scrap of History.
hen the Democratic Party was in Power.


We are continually and hugely amused
with the boasting of certain Copperhead or
gaus as TO what the Democratic party did
when it was in power. The people are told
that the radicals are destroying the Govern
ment, depreciating the value of property,
and seriously damaging all its resources OF
wealth. THIS, calculate the cOpperhead or
gans. acas not the case lcten the Democratic
party 1CaS IN potcer But those who reck-
lessly charge corruption on the radicals, and
claim purity for the Democracy, are as bar
rem of facts to prove their charges as they
are to establish their claims.
1t is a historical fact, that while that par
ty was In power, in every department OF
the Government, the scheme of secession
was concocted by the leading Democrats of
the South, who controlled the Government
and managed the Democratic party of the
country Long before Mr. Lincoln was in-
augurated President of the United States,
aye, on the very day it was announced to
the American people that he was elected
President, and before his policy of Govern
could be enunciated, it was telegraphed from
South Carolina to Washington that the Sc
cession of that State was foregone conclu-
sion. Not only that, bat December 20, 1860,
South Carolina seeded; January I, 1861,
Florida seeded; Mississippi went out Jan
uary 9 January IL, Alabama seeded on
the 10th of the same month Louisiana sece-
ded; Georgia on the 18th of January Ar
kansas May 6; North Carolina the 2lst of
May, and Tennessee the Ist day of May
Texas February 5; Virginia April 9th.
Erery one Of these ,ce,e Denocrahc States,
constituting the main strength Of that party
,chich no,0 claims to be the only sd-vdtion Of
the country, and nearly all Of them seeded
from, the Union before NJ. Lincoln tods III
augoUated and under q Democratic admin
istr0fton
But let us 90 further, and see what these
Southern people did while they yet had all
the power in the Government, the Irt aSury,
archives, Army and Navy. These States
went into rebellion on the days we have
given, and began their deeds of capture and
plumber as was their plan. January ID,
1861, South Carolina troops took possession
of Fort johnson; Fort Pickens, December
y, 1860. This fort cost the government
S53, sos. Anderson was compelled to evac-
uate Fort Moultrie December Goth, 1860
January 3. 1861, Fort Pulaski, in Georgia,
was seized, costing the government, as it
did, 1899, $50. Fort Jackson, costing the
government SlS2, ,000 was occupied January
3, 1861. Fort Marion, St. Aug ustine Is
land, Florida, January I, 1861, cost s5l 900.
Fort Barrancas, Pensacola, January 18th.
1861. Pensacola seized January II, 1861
Fort Morgan seized January 4, 1861, cost
81 .242, 552 Fort Gaines was seized Janu-
AIRY 4, 1861, ccst 1921, 800. Fort on Ship
Island January 20, 1861. Fort st. Philip,
near New Orleans, seized January 10, 1861, !,
cost $26S, 734 Fort Livingston seized Jan
uary Is, 1861, cost $500, 81. Fort Brown,
Texas, March ), 1861 Fort Smith, Arkan-
sas, taken April u, 1861, with stores. &C.,
valued at $500, 900. Nearly the whole of
this unlawful and rebellious work had been
done while the Democratic party was in
power
We have given the dates and the facts of
of history. Our enumeration of the wrongs
of the Democratic party, when in power,
forms but portion Of the dark crimes
which hang over the career of that organi-
zation In its attributes as political or
ganization it may fairly be accounted as the
Beast of the nineteenth century, because
its course has been marked by brutality and
it is covered with the blood of the noble and
the brave who died for the safety of the
Government 1t would be as well at least
for Democrats hereafter, not to boast of
what the Democratic party did when it was
in power.