The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1868-06-24

These, then, gentlemen, are the
standard bearers the National Union
Republican party have presented to
the people of the United States and
of Kentucky for their suffrage.
A QUESTION OF VITAL IMPORTANCE TO
l..s.g e.f. KENTUCKIANs.
The deeply interesting question for
us to- answer is,s hownUnioR men or.
Kentucky are going to actln TINS con-
test? With reference, perhaps, to
large portion of the Union body at
| least, there can be noquestlons They
have always been in the front OF the
right wing of the Union party
throughout this whole contest. But
It is al iitefestiDg question withore
gard 10 another very res peCtabie and
influential body of the Union men of
this State to know what part they are
going to take nm this contests wllel
they Will pitch their tent q where tt "
will choose their company for the (
ture, because things have proceeded
in our State politics to the point
where we must decide between what
they call the Democratic party and
the National Union Republican party.
There are many persons of Union
sentiments who think it the duty of
the Union people of the State to give
their support to the Democratic party,
as they call There IN this Common
wealth of ours. fHefc " 2
The first task / propose to myself
is to examine the reasons why any of
US should do SO; and / propose to do
this In spirit of candor and frank
ness, but with respect toward the gen j
tlemen who differ with me, and, /
trust with respect to that party itself.
If l should happen to say anything
that sounds too harshly, it must be
attributed to that ardor which some
times renders speech uncomfortable.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY DIssECTED.
The Democratic party of the United
States governed this country for thirty
years, almost without interruption.
You are my witnesses that they mis-
governed it. You are my witnesses
that they sowed broadcast the seeds
Of the bloody harvest we reaped In
the war just closed. Voice, That's
all so. You are my witnesses that.
this party, honored so beyond meas
ure by q generous and confiding pco-
pie, at last betrayed their trust, aud
broke this people in pieces by cruel
aud bloody war. For many years
prior to 1860, the controlling element
of the party had been molding public
sentiment, and shaping the policy of
the Government with view to Sc
cess ion and rebellion ending so
fa,ally to the people. sffar,.4a4 =
% oSIAvERY-ITs LIES BLOOD.
They governed the country for
thirty years upon the slavery question,
and exalted the institution into par
amount authority and invincible pow 4
er In the land The institution made
Presidents and made Cabinets; tore
IN pieces a compromise sanctioned for
years by the common consent of the
people; prosecuted and stoned to
death the prophets of the people be-
cause they would not worship it.
au9 eo A SUICIDAL ACT.
When, at last, majority of the
people OF the United States had got
tired of being thus ruled, and elect
ed to power a party opposed to the
spread and rule of slavery, this |
same imperious power revolted
against sthe only friend the institu-
ton had in the world-the Constitu-
ton of the United States. Giving |
up the support of this Constitution, /
with the Supreme Court and a ma
jority of the Congress to back it,
the rulers and upholders of the |
Democratic party for a generation
revolted. drew the sword of civil war |
against the, Union, the ideas and
tendencies of the. age, and the Fa-1
Their of men. For nearly thirty
years, the Democratic party had |
governed US here in the South, With !
rod of iron, in the sole interests of
slavery, with-a view to secession.
This party organized a Presidential /
campaign in the interests of secession /
and rebellion, with Breckenridge as
leader, that Douglas might be defeat
ed, or Mr.. Lincoln more surely elected.
having long before declared that if he |
was elected they would revolt and dis |
solve our Union. They destroyed
their party to precipitate the destruc- |
ton of their country They went
into the rebellion upon the fact of Mr.. |
Lincoln's election, and the Democrats |
Of the North, spurned and abandoned |
by their rebel allies, lost all power
and influence in the country.
THE WAR AGAINST THE UNION.
War broke out, and all right mind |
ed people, under the lead OF Lincoln |
and Douglas, Crittenden and Guth-
RE, rose up to nleet this daring attack |
upon the Union and the freedom |
and progress which it represented.
The people everywhere rallied to the |!
country's cause, and when 10000 men
mara On led for ahnue 200 600 came to |