The Van Buren press., 1867-10-25
What Did III

| The Republican papers have adopted va
rious methods of accounting for the change
in the popular vote shown by the recent
elections but the best explanation We have
, seen is the following from the Belfast (Me. J
, Journal
a war began in this country six years
and halt ago. Ten states of the Union
4 declared they would go out cfit--that they
had they nigh, to so, and the power to go,
and they would go. Abraham Lincoln,
then President, said they couldn't go lie
said the Union was perpetual aud indissol-
uble, and they couldn't go. Congress said
they couldn't go. Seward said they couldn't t
go. Chase said they couldn't go. Fes-
sender said they couldn't go. Morrill, said
they couldn't. SO did Blaine and Pike
and all the radicals All the Governors
OF the states and all the legislatures said
they coulin't go out All the radicals said
the same. The small fry politicians and
hangers on OF the party echoed the cry
They can't 90 om ! THEY mustn't co
OUT! THEY SHAN'T Go OUT!
The ministers prayed that the states
might be kept all in the Union. They i'm
plorcd the Lord to aid in comprising that
end They asked him to counsel, direct,
and aid everybody who was trying to keep
the states from going out of the Union.
The radical party claimed to be the par
ty that was going to keep the states in the
Union. Mr. Lincoln said the party that
elected him was strong enough to do it,
No one was allowed to doubt that the par
ty was going to keep the states in the I'm
ion. If any one said he had doubts about
it, the cry was, {" Mob him Tar and
feather himi KNOCK HIN DOWN, KILL
HIM r.
/ Men mere mobbed, and beaten and killed,
and their murderors acquitted. because they
doubted il the party meant to keep the
Union together Jails, and prisons. and
forts, were full of men who said they doubt
ed it. Men who couldn't persuade them
selves that the radicals meant to do it,
were habitualIy slighicd, ill-treated, in
suited. They were called coppcrheads,
knsvcs, fools, Williams, traitors. They were
annoyed. insultcd, and injured in every pos
sible way.
liza newspaper doubted that they would
keep the states in the Union. il was speed
! lily mobbed, its presses broken, its type
thrown out Of doors. its furniture burned
by ruilians, superintended by very respect
ble'radcals in the ek-ground. Or else
they indicted the editor by a jury of dirt
eaters, and then refused him trial
TO keep the states in the Union immense
armies were raised There was enlsting
there was volunteering--there was con-
scription--there was drafting. Nothing
was heard but the din of arms. Steamers
and trains carried men to the front and
brought back corpses, for four years.
TO keep the states in the Union, as they
said. money was raised by the thousand
millions. Bonds were sold. Greenbacks
were made. Honest men were made poor.
KnaveS got rich.
For four years this fair and heretofore
happy land was made hell on earth-to
keep the states all in the Union
At last the rebels yielded, and surrend-
cred one day under an apple tree at Ap-
potamax Court House-acknomledyed that
they couldn't get out.
The acknowledged that secession was
beaten out Of them-thst rebellion was no
more-that the confederacy had gone up.
THEY ,cere willing 10 stay in tie Union.
Wasn't the question settled then? Set
tied that The Union was kept together?
Oh, no! The radicals in Congress said
the war had been glorious---had been bril-
liant in achievement--ha been wonderful
IN result--but, after all, the states HAD Go1
OUT! The rebels had accomplished their
object? The Union was not perpetual
1t could be dissolved
The people of the south sent us senators
and iepresen;atives-Union men---men
who never believed in ccession-soldiers
who had been in the federal army. Con
gross didn't know them ! Congress said
their states had got out, and must stay out
WHAT A sHECTACLE
A half million OF men in their graves
who died to keep the states in Hundreds
of thousands manned for life, in efforts to
keep the states in The country filled with
mourncrs, ravaged by war, impoverished
by taxes, loaded with debt AND THF
UNION NOT SAVED.
More than that. The men who perse-
cuted those who could not believe that they
intended to keep the states in the Union
are now equally vindictive toward those
, who insist that the states are still legally in
} it. Did they dare, there would be agair
t mobbing OF mcn--there would bo tarrinl
=. and fcathering-therc would bo shooting
5 Men would DO again imprisoned Printing