The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-17
Ex-Gov. Boutwell, on National Issues.

ligence.
Ex-GOv. Boutwell, on National Issues.
PfoDl The Boston Post.
Since the opening OF the Presidential cam
paign we have read quite number of Repub-
lioan stump speeches replete with perversion
OF facts and misrepresentation of the real aims
and issues OF the canvass. But we are free to
say that we have never seen one 80 exuberant
in fiction, so studiously and meanly disinge-
nuoue, so bare-faced and unscrupulous in
mendacity-in a word, so crammed with dis
honest assumptions and hypooritical preten-
sions from beginning to end-as that delivered
by the Hon. George ). Boutwell,, as President
of the late Republican State Convention. 1t
bears upon its face the stamp of the dema-
gogue, who relies upon his wits rather than
upon the merits of his cause to make an i'm
preston, who cares not for justice to his oppo-
nents, and is ready at all times to fly in the
face Of political history, when the admission
of its truths would condemn him. Such a
palpably dishonest speech, in ordinary times,
would be hardly worth the trouble of review
ing; yet, in the present excited state of the
public mind, when the grossest falsehoods
pass for current facts, and are swallowed by
the credulous without reflection, it is neces-
sary that these attempts to mislead the people
should be exposed IN order that the issues
before them may be kept clear and distinct
single point
Mr. Boutwell, commences his speech by
saying, that ''the issues before the country are
the same, substantially, as the issues of 1854"
Either here is an unblushing brazen falsehood
to begin with, designed to cajOle the voters of
Massachusetts, into the support of the Republi-
can ticket or that party is an acknowledged
failure. In 1864 We were engaged in a civil
war, which was being prosecuted on the part
Of the North Gas the Republicans then said)
for the preservation of the Union and the Con-
stitution in their original rit and integrity.
The revolutionary designs and policy OF the
radical leaders for the permanent overthrow
of republican government had then hardly
begun to crop out, and the radical party sup
ported man for the Presidency who was
pledged to readmit the insurrecti0nary States
back to the Union, with all their rights unim-
paired, whenever they chose to submit TO
Federal authority. The Democracy, in that
campaign, supported as earnest a patriot as
Abraham Lincoln, and as brave Union
soldier as General Grant. They took issue
with the dominant party only on the ground
OF its eXtravagance, corruption, abuse OF
power, and arbitrary persecution of all who
dared to question its motive, or policy.
The war is now over, and has been for three
years and half; the Rebels have submitted
to all the conditions required of them when
they laid down their arms, and there is now
poses to reopen any of the issues decided by
that great conflict. The Democrats are in
favor of recognizing the fact that peace exists
and that the Union is restored. But the radi-
Gals continue to ignore that fact. A restored
Union upon an equal and constitutional basis,
does not comport with their ulterior and revo
lutiOnary projects; they have deliberately
turned their backs upon all the peace pledges
made by Mr.. Lincoln's administration, and
will only consent to the return of the Southern
States upon conditions which they know are
absurd and impossible. And now, Mr.. Bout
we'll would have the people believe that the
Rebellion is still unsubdued, and that the re-
tention of his party in power is the only
guaranty of peace, when it is notorious that
party has come to be the great and only OBJ
stacle to peace and reconstruction.
If the national issues are, as he asserts, the
same now that they were in 1864, what a
damaging commentary is the fact upon the
ability and patriotism OF the Republican party !!
| During all these four years he has held undis-
| puted sway in the councils of the nation. Its
| representatives in Congress have arrogated to
| themselves all the power and functions of the
| Government, and thsy have moulded its policy
without restraint from the Executive, the
Judiciary, or even the Constitution itself.
1t has organized military despotism, negro
| despotism, carpet bag crusades, and various
other tyrannical devices for ruling and crush
ing the South into abiect obedience. 1t has
deliberately overridden its own laws, (never
repealed) which prescribed the modes and
conditions for recognizing the Southern State
governments. During all this time the people
of the South have quietly submitted to these
dastardly outrages, and their military leaders
have scrupulousy kept their parole OF honor.
| No hostile arm has been raised in resistance
TO the execution of these mandates OF arbitrary
| power, which no European despotism would
dare TO iDfict upon its subjects.
And yet after all this costly experimenting
! in the work of reconstruction, after all this
array Of force, expenditure of treasure, and
extra constitutional legislation, the mouth
piece of this radical Congress gets up in a
Massachusetts State Convention, and makes
the humiliating confession that it has accom-
plished nothing; that the South still remains
| unrecOnstructed; and that "the issues are vir-
tually the same as in 1864.' If that is so, had
not Mr.. Boutwell, and his radical force better
have leave to retire from ths responsible posi-
tlons which they now hold with so little bene
fit or credit to the nation, and let some ablei
and more honest men undertake the work o.
restoring peace and prosperity to the ooun
try, in which they have so miserably failed
The Maine Election - The Cnrrent o.
Thought.
From the ". Y. Herald.
Although the Democrats could scarcely have
hoped to carry Maine they labored hard fo
the moral effect of reduction in the Repub
lican majority; but the decision is SO posi-
lively against them that they must be yer,