The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1867-02-19

can recall no Instance or DemOcFaIlc Tepuhe
to those who were openly, austentatlously
conspiring and arming to resist the Union,
which they proclaimed already dissolved.
VIII. A Confederacy of the seeded
States having been formed, leading North
ern and Western Democrats openly ad-
vocated the secession of their several States
from the Union and their accession to the
Southern Confederacy.-"If the Union is
to be dissolved" SAID George w. Wood
ward, Democratic candidate for Governor
in 1862 Il want the line to run North of
Pennsylvania" Elk Governor Rodman Nj.
Price of New jersey wr lp and printed a
letter elaborately urging that New Jersey
should forthwith unite her fortunes with
those of the slaveholding Co',federacy. S 'e
it liz american Con4ict, Vol. l., p 439)
And Ex-Governor Horatio Seymour of this
State privately argued that New York
should likely unite with that Confederacy
whose head was Jefferson Davis. 1t was
held by leading Democrats that the Union
mis- ght thus be reconstructed without blood
shed or convulsion-only New England,
and perhaps two or three of the more fana
tical States of the Northwest, being ex-
cluded therefrom, as unacceptable to Oil
Southern brethren.
TX. Actual hostiIities were commenced
by the rebels-not by firing on Fort Sum
ter, as is often asserted, and as Pollard now
pretends, but months before, while Mr.
Buchanan was yet President. They seized
and appropriated the forts, arsenaIs, armor
les, ordinance, arms, munitions, custom
houses, post Offices, sub-treasuries &c,
throughout nearly half the Union, without
a shadow of resistance-his Democratic
Secretaries of War and the Treasury being
conspicuous, active diSunionSts and he
himself, with most of his councillors, play
things in their hands. Before Texas was
out of the Union, according TO rebel COM
putation, the bulk of our little army had
been betrayed by its commander, General
Twiggs, and ,urrendered to three Rebel
CommiSsioLers-Feb lS, 186l-a fort
night before Mr.. Buchanan went out of
office. If ever Government forbore, till
snltten on both cheeks and till tobacco
Juice had been spit IN its eyes, that did the
Federal Government before graphing with
the Shareholders Rebellion. And vet,
from first to last the Democratic journals
and canvassers represented the war for the
Union as waged by Mr.. Lincoln and the
Republicans, and assumed that the Rebels
were assailed and standing on the defen-
sive
y. Democratic protests and Demon
strances, public and private. against the
war as cruel, Iratriclda, wicked, revolving,
abhorent, &c., DC, were abundant through |
out the struggle; not one of them so far as
We can recoIect, addressed to the reneII
chiefs, but all assuming that Mr.. Lincoln
and the Republicans were waging hostilities
needlessiy y If not wantonIy, and might have
an honorable peace whenever they would.
Thomas h. Seymour of Connecticut was
the author of one of these paralyizing mis-
Slves; and he was nominated by accIama-
tlon by the Democrats of Connecticut as
their candidate for Governor in 1868, and
his election enthusiastically supported by
the party.
HI. In this city, one of cur Democrtic
journals, The Daily News, was an open,
unqualified contenner of the war on our
side aud champion of the rebellion, from
first to last 1t did its utmost to prevent
enlistments in the Union armies, eulogized
the rebel chiefs and proclaimed that they
never could be subdued; Systematically |
magnifed their successes and denied or be- |
lifted their reverses; and was well under
stood to be their stipendiary and tool In
lull view of these facts its editor was in
1852 made the regular Democratic candi- |
date for Congress in oneUf our strong Demo
cratic districts running on The same ticket
with Governor Seymour and receiving near
ly the full vote of his party; and he has
since been chosen by that party to seat
in our State Senate
XII. As to the propositions, speeches
acts, and votes of Valandigham, Bavard, |
Bright, May, Josh. Allen, Jack Rodgers,
and other Democrats in Congress, incud
ing Benz. V Harris's vaunt that the REBEL
ion never could nor ought to be put down,
we leave them to Mr.. Ashley or whoever
shall see fit to answer Messrs. Winfield and
Hunter nat according to their folly. Just
word, however, to the former of these
gentlemen. One of the very foremost
Democrats in his district is (or was) Gen.
Archibald G. Niven, who, very early in the
war, wrote letter 10 a nephew who MED
itated enlistment to fight for the Union,
urrIu,v him not IN IN So an1 rarrasanti0cr
the war on our side as cruelty oppressive
and unjust. That letter was published and
thereupon Gen. Niven was made the Dem
ocratic candidate for Senator (io Mr.. Win
fields precise dstrict) and received the full
Democrtic vote, bv which he was returned
elected but the Senate, on contest gave
the seat to his Republican competitor,