The Tiffin weekly tribune. (Tiffin, Ohio) 1859-1868, 1867-09-19

4 ia
and that the loyal arm Of the nation
was strong enough TO crush rebellion
aud save the Government.
Tho declarations [ have quoted, as
showing the sentiments of the Dem.
ocratic party of Ohio in the begin.
ming of the year 1861, were in har.
mony with tho sentiments of that
party in all the free States, aud
sounded the key note of the policy Of
the National Democratic organization.
We have thus shown that lhia party
arrayed itself, in the beginning, on
the side of the rebels; and had the
leaders been successful in carrying
all the people who had acted with the
party, with them, do not hesitate
to say the rebellion would have been
a success, aud the Government woulu
have boou destroyed. But in the
hearts Of large proportion Of the
Democratic party the patriotic feeling
was more powerful than party associ.
ations, and they joined the hosts that
rallied under tho flag in defense of
their country. This movement up
set tho plans of tho leaders, disap
pointed the hopes of armed rebels,
and saved the country.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DURING THE
war
will not undertake hero to show
by quotations from Democratic
speeches aud platforms, that the
leaders who held the machinery of
the Democratic organization, adhor-
cd, throughout the war, to the treach-
erous policy laid down at tho begin
ming. IL is not necessary that it
should do so. You all know the
course OF that party during the war
how thoroughly its members sympa
thized with the rebels; how they
mourncd when Union arms were sue.
cossful; how they rcjoiced when tho
rebels gained victory; how they op-
posed and embarrassed the Govern
ment at every step; how they discour.
aged enlistmonts; how they deprecia-
ted the credit of the nation; how they
combined to run up the price of gold
how they declared that greenbacks,
5-20s, and 1905 were not worth tho
paper on which they were printodi
how they predicted the ultimate ac-
acknowledgements of tho independence
of the Southern Confcderocy; how
they resolved at Chicago in 1864 that
the war was failure and ought to be
stopped; how, by vote and yoice,
they encouraged armed traitors; gave
aid and comfort to the rebellion, and
kept up vigorous fire in the rear of
our gallant armies. These things are
known to the people, and to dwell up
on them with view 10 impressing
them on your minds would be "A waste
Of time. La every loyal heart sud in
the history Of our country this rec
ord of the Democratic party is writ
ten, and never can as it never should
be forgotten.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY or TODAY
Having seen what the Democratic
party was at the commencement OF
the war; what it was during the war,
we now como to inquire what it is to-
dayY | propose to show you that il
has not changed either It's leaders OF
its principles; that it is now as it has
been all along, in close sympathy with
rebels; and that as it desired the sue
cess of the rebels in the war, so itnow
desires the success Of the rebels in
peace. If there is present Demo
crat who loves his country, or a mar
who, having acted heretofore with the
Union party, now proposes, because
Of differences on minor issues, to co
operate with the Democratic party, i
is important he should know wha
that party is to-day, and where i
proposes to lead him.
THE PLATFORMS.
The first resolution of the Demo
cratic State platform, adopted at Co
lumbus on the 9th of January last
the doctrine of the right of secession
is plainly declared. This resolution
declares that the Federal Govern
ment is "a Government of limited pow
ors, and it possesses no powers bu
such as are expressly or by nesessar,
implication delegated to it in tn,
Constitution. Well, according t,
Democratic Interpretation the righ
to coerce State is not delegated t
I the Government either expressly o.
by necessary implication, Buchanan
in his special message to Congress
said the Government had no right t
coeree a State. The rebels while
armlng for the war and building theil
batteries around Sumter said the
Government had no right to coerce Z
State; the Democrats Of the free
States said you have no right to co
cree a State, Thus, according to the
principles of the Democratic party
as "expounded by the fathers and ap
J proved by experience" the Govern
ment is a rope Of sand; State has I
right to secede at pleasure, and aul
political party that loses powOr ma!
break up the Union. Such a Govern
ment would not be worth preserving
= But the question of the right of co
ercion was decided on the battle
field; and we must not permit thu
, rebels to unsettle it through the bal
lot box. 1t has been decided-an,
, the decision cost us over three humid
red thousand lives, aud a immensl
amount of treasure-that this is
nation competent to take care of it
self; that, in the words of the Unior
State platform, "the American peo
Pile are a nation, and not merely
cnnfadnracv nf snuareion and indie