Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1867-11-28

ed. This is fair statement of the record
made by Congress and its allies during the
war. It is embraced in the justly celebra
ted Crittenden resolutions. which were a
formal, solemn promise and appeal to the
country and the world. 1t was enacted
into law when Congress apportioned the
Southern States during the war for purpo-
ses of representation, and received from
them members and Senators. When for
judicial purposes the entire South at the
same time was districted, and when for
revenue. purposes those States were taxed
as in the Union under the Constitution,
the Cabinet of Mr. Lincoln were in open
accord with this policy, and Mr., Lincoln
himself acted upon it in his recognition
of Louisiana and North Carolina, and in
all the various proclamations which he az
dressed to the country But why do re-
call these well known and familiar facts Of
history to this reading and highly intelIi-
gent audience? do so in order to prop
erly characterize the present attitude of
false and treacherous party, and by the
light of It's broken promises and lepudiated
pledges, determine it claims to the future
confidence of the people, Its position to-
day, tried by the standard of its own DELHI
crate and reiterated committals and decla-
rations of its principles, is one of wholesale
perfdy and universal betrayal of public
plighted faith. tn the history of political
parties throughout the world, we search in
vain for a parallel to the audacious and
brazen wickedness with which the Radical
party has cheated and defrauded the AMER
lean people out Of the just fruits Of victory
and the hopes which peace inspired
The leaders Of this party will stand gull
ty before the tribunal of faithful history Of
obtaining the money and the blood of the
country under false pretences. By their
present policy the soldier at Shiloh and the
Wilderness gave his life in a cause to him
then unknown. He was willing to die fcr
the policy of a constitutional Union Of the
States then proclaimed Could he leave
his narrow and nameless bed and revisit
the earth, and the light revisit his rayless
and darkened eyes, would ne behold the
flag in its ancient splendor. each star blaz-
ing in all its original beauty, and harmo-
NOUS and prosperous Union under It's pro-
tecting folds? Would this blessed vision
greet him as the purchase of his precious
life | ask the soldier who escaped death,
though perhaps with deep scars, whether
he fought for the triumph of the principle
of secession? The Union is not restored
States are declared to be out of the Union,
and in process of horrible prepare ton for
re-admission. What Southern power and
courage, under the lead Of Jefferson Davis,
failed to do. Nothern Radicalism, under
the lead of Thaddeus Stevens, hes done.
Lee and Jackson. Beauregard and johnson
lead their devoted followers through four
years of perpetual carnage, in the vain at
tempt to wrest one single State from the
embrace of the Federal Government, or
tear one single star from the bright enbla-
zonry of our national colors. They sur
rendered in despair on the enriched and
Redeemed fields of Virginia. Open warfare
against the Union was at an end The
willy arts, however, Of the crafty and am
bilious Jacobin Immediately followed, and
we to-day confronted delivered Union,
and, instead Of the golden fruits Of peace,
we are tasting Dead Sci. apples, filed with
the bitter ashes Of oissap ointment. Fer
this wretched condition OF public affairs,
for this cruel trihing with generous peo-
pies blood and treasure, for this sy'3stternat-
ic aud cowardly deception and gigantic
! falsehood, the voice Of condeI nation is
now arising against the Radical party, and
will continue to arise and swell in volume
and wrath as the years roll It cones
from the lips Of the living, and bursts forth
from the tombs Of the dead. until tie very
air is filled with righteous nlaiediction ag-
ainst the betrayers Of the people. Aeoas-
ing spirits start FROM every battle field and
shrek into the shrinking ears Of Radical
fanaticism, tFalse, hecting, aud pegiurea!!'
Time, too, will but deepen this awful YER
dict. There is no oblivion for such stro-
cious perfdy. Tie people were promised
bread and have received stone. They
were promised Union and have received
disunion; and they have arisen in judg-
ment But let us inspect more closely the
plan which Radical Congress has adopt
ed to reconstruct, as they allege, dissev-
cred Union, and let us grasp its revolving
details. Letus approach end look the pre-
sent policy of Congress fully in the face.
Never before, in all the wide realms of his
tory did the citizens of a republic gaze up
on such spectacle in their own midst. In
ali the tide of time no other government
calling itself free ever before in period of
profound peace, subjected one-third of its
territory and eight millions Of its inhabit-
ants to the absolute control of the bayonet
Such appalling crimes against civil liberty
and the hopes of mankind have hitherto
been solely the handiwork of the execrated
despotisms of the earth In our school
books we learned to mourn over the cruel
fortunes of Poland, and to fame with in
dignation against her great barbarian exc
cutioner; the funeral and the wailing sha-
dow Of murdered Hungary convulsed this
continent a few short years ago, and made
the name of Austria hateful to the ears of
the civilized world the perturbed spirit
of Irish liberty walks the earth at all hours,
in all its distant four quarters, adding ev-
cry disciple Of freedom in every cline be-