The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-09-05
s. SPEECH OF
Senator Morton,
aa ! OFINDIANA, sa Il
AT Col uMRuS. OHIO. AuG. u,

FELLOW CITIZENS OF OHIO The
party calling itself Democratic is
again asking for the confidence and
support Of the people Of Ohio, and
it is not only proper, but important,
to investigate title upon which they
put forth their claims.
AS public political organization,
it is the right OF the people to exam
inc their history, to look into the
career and principles of their candi-
dates, and to understand the spirit
and purpose OF the politicians and
leaders who will control them if
elected. ~ -
1t is proposition which can not
be denied by any intelligent OBJ
server ofevents for the last ten years,
that the so-called Democratic party
was thoroughly and completely iden-
tilted with the origin and progress
of the rebellion; that, as a political
organization, it was part Of the re-
beilion, acting as counselor, sympa-
tizer, furnisher of supplies, and do
ing everything in aid o. its prose
cution that could be done in the 10y
al States.
When l speak thus I do not mean
to say that all it's members, all who
vote with it, are e-equallg guilty; nor
do I refer to that patriotic host, who,
when the rebellion broke out, left
the democratic party, and went
over to the side ofthe country. The
masses of the people Of all parties
intend to do right, and would if
they were let alone; but / mean it's
politicians, it's leaders, those who
form it's opinions, and give shape to
it's action.
While they have been the open
and avowed enemies to the people of
the North, they have in the guise of
friends, been the most deadly foes
of the South, and have by their
treacherous and pernicious counsels
led them, by criminal and treasona-
ble paths to ,.ishonor and destruc-
ton.
DEMOCRATIC PARTY RESPONSIBLE FOR
THE WAR.
To 60 no further back than the
campaign of 1860, we find them as
suring the people of the South, by
speeches, newspapers, and resolu-
tiDns of Conventions, that Mr.. Lin
coin was sectional candidate, and
that his election as President would
be III violation Of the Constitution
of the United States that the Re
publican party of the North, if they
succeeded to power, would, without
provocation Or excuse, oyerturn the
institutions of the South, and that
the South would be justified by ev-
cry principle Of honor and self-pres-
ervation, in resisting even by force
of arms, their accession to power
These wicked and monstrous
falsehoods were reasserted in every
possible form enforced by all the
vehemenee of passion and the gra-
ces Of rhetoric, and the question
may well be asked how the people
Of the South could refuse altogether
to believe the persistent declarations
Of large body OF professed friends
in the North, who claimed to speak
from superior knowledge Of what
was going on in their midst.
Immediately after the election of
4 Mr. Lincoln, the slaveholding reb-
els of the South, protesting to be
animated by profound belief in the
truth Of the declarations and proph-
ecies of the Democratic leaders ~ot
the North, went forward in the work
Of the rebellion, and proceeded to
declare the secession of State aftel
State. In this they were enthusias-
tically cheered and earnestly en-
couraged by the Democratic leaders
81 the North -
They were assured that the right
If secession existed under the Con.
stitution, and that they were in the
exercise Of legitimate powers whel
they assumed to marshal their sew
eral States out of the Union; anC
President Buchanan,-in his annua
message in December, 1860, solemn
iy declared that the Government o
the United States had no power t,
c)erce State to remain in the Uni
on. This REASONABLE and blood,
atterance was indorsed by ever,
Democratic Senator and Rcpresen
tative in Congress, save two; by ev
Y Democratic orator and newspa
perstllroughout the North by ever,
! Democratic member of a State Leg
i i;lat,re, with a few exceptions b,
? every Democratic convention hell
| throughout the North during tn
| winter OF 1860 and 1861, of which
have any knowledge.
The people Of the South wer
; urged forward in the work Of seces
sion and rebellion by the assertion
: If thousands ofpolitical leaders tha
the Government should be held still
4 and powerless until it was consum
2 mated and that the presence of
powerful body Of friends in tn
} North would prevent the passage 0
| an army, or of a single regiment t.
| the South, to engage in the wicke'
e and unconstitutional business of co
} efcin9 sovereign State to remain
9 in the Union. In January, 1861, a
e the very time the Confederate Gov
: eminent was being formed, the Dem
ocratic State Convention of Obi,
e passed a resolution pledging tw'
+ hundred thousand Democrats, tina
: not until the North had done justic
a to the South would the Government
e be allowed to coerce the South
/ This gave notice the rebels that
e the Government attempted to SUP
fpress the rebellion, two hundre
e thnuSanl mon in Ohio would b