The Van Buren press. [volume] (Van Buren, Ark.) 1859-1914, 1868-11-24
TIE AMERICAN DEMOCRACY,

in the breeze. The issue, presented by
the platforms Of both parties and advo-
Gated by the candidates of each, we're
plain and unmis,aksble The twaddle Of
Northern prints that is but the reflex of
British sentiment, declares the issue TO
have been "Shall we abandon the results
of the war by electing Seymour and Blair,
or perpetuate them and their wholesome
effects upon our national institutions by
electing Grant and Colfax." Can any re-
feoting and candid American pronounce
this to have been the issuel Did not the
surrender of General LEE settle the war
questions, and could the country by any
policy rid itself Of the results? The war
WAS waged for the purpose Of maintain
ing the Union of these States, unimpair-
ed; and, as subsidiary OF this, for the de-
struction Of the institution of slavery in
the Southern States. The North waged
war for the pcrpetuation of the Union /;
the South for the destruction Of the Un-
ion, so far as it bound the Southern
States to the action ola Northern major
ity. The question of the existing right
of States to secede had agitated the minds
of our statesmen, for years long past
The harmony of our public councils had
been broken, and the soil Of Kansas and
Virginia had been baptized in blood. An
amicable settlement of this vexed ques-
ton had long been esteemed, by many,
as impossible. The election of LINCOLN,
upon a platform avowedly hostile to the
peculiar institution of the South, was the
toesin for the resort to the wage of bat
tle---so the people of the South viewed it.
The wage or mode Of trial offered, was
speedily accepted. The war was carried
OH for four years. Duringit its continuance
no one dreamed that the issue was other
than the perpetuation Of the Union, and
the authority of the Federal Constitution
over these Southern States, Total ex-
haustion, resulting from external force
and internal ineiliciency, if not corrup-
ton, overlook the so-called Confederate
cause. What, then, was to follow. All
the disputed questions were practically
settled. But, alas we found no restored
Union; we found none of the blessings
ofthe Federal Constitution extended us.
Reconstruction measures were adopted,
which were only the eloaks for virtual
Military Despotism, in the Southern
States Disputes arose Is to the right of
Congress- to pass these Reconstruction
Bills their constitutionaity was stoutly
denied, No voice was raised against the
Radical party, for their having brought
he war to successful termination. Then
how could the results of the war have
been forfeited and lost by the ousting of
the Radical party3 All parties acqui-
csced in the result of the war, and none
desired to renew it. The trial by battle
was ended the judgment entered and no
power ON earth could revere that judg
ment, except the power that made it final
Did its results, then, enter into the Presi
DENTAL contest just past lfso, in what
respect? What platform asserted a re-
suit which the other platform denied If
we, have understood the issues, the whole
fight was made, in this campaign, upon
the financial question and the policy of
the mode, adopted by Congress, to Sc
cure . perfect Union" The Radical
party, by their platform and past action,
deny the most important " results ofthe
war, namely, that the Union ras main.
taiped," and those States forcibly COM
PEELED to submit to the authority of the
Federal Constitution" The Reconstruc-
ton measures most emphatically negative
the restoration Of the authority of the
Federal Constitution, and deny the main
taiaance OF the integrity Of the Union
Tho father of these measures did not pre-
tend to claim that they were other than
in violation Of, or were unwarranted by,
the Federal Constitution. II, then, the
preservation of the real results of the war
was the issue involved in the late cam
paign, the country has refused to preserve
them. BY their action they have endors
cd the Reconstruction measures, and
those measures utterly deny, "that the
"a@intaiaasce Of Tie Union ras accom-
Jished by the wdr As before stated, the
Reconstruction Bills were only cloaks for
virtual Military Despotism, and the i'm
portant issue. in the late canvass, was one
that affects preserved Union, to. wit /:
Has Congress, under the Constitution,
any power to deprive State of its share
in representation in the Federal Councils /;
or, If not, has that body any authority for
such purpose other than such as is deriv.
cd from the Constitution The manage
ment of the finances was, Of course, a
vital question, but not SO much one that
affected our future national existence as
Republic. II, said the Democracy.
Congress can destroy q State Govern
merit, by wa rant of the Constitution, let