The Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1855-1875, 1868-08-25
80 From Harper's Weekly. August is.
al the Point OF the Bayonet.,,

.sAt the Point OF the Bayonet.,
!, s.sEeerx asy makes it palmer that the
policy which The Democratic party has
chosen to submit to the public Judgment
in thisTcampaign is not one spf admins
tration merely, but Of absolute and fore
IDLE revolution. 1t proposes to reverse
all the national legislation of the last
three years, to subvert tae reconstruc
ton which the country has approved,
to dispense organized State governmen ts
by the bayonet; by the same means to
reinstate those who, 5fordt highest
crime against the commonwealth, have
been temporarily disfranchised; to de
sIpriyel hundreds Of thousands of new
citizens Of the ballot, and thrust them
back in a semi enslaved condition, a
y, project which can not be accomplished
but by the most ssanguinary measures.
Proclaiming q wholly arbitrary test Of
no citizenship in color---a test involving
caste and uncomfortable injustice, which
embraces the entire disafected class,
and excludes q large body of the loyal
people--it announces that il its claim is
disregarded it will appeal to, physical
force and place its candidate in the
White House at the point Of the bayo-
net -
It will not be forgotten that the party
which thus enters into political cam
n paign with a loud threat of civil war is
one that has previously made tire same
throat and ful61loH f,xf Lot t.,
1860 the Democratic orators said that
''the South could not be expected to
submit to the election Of Mr.. Lincoln
In 1856 Mr.. Fillmore, absurdly called
Conservative, had said the same thing
in view Of the election of Mr.. Fremont.
1t was not bravado merely. Whatever
2 the Northern portion Of the party may
have thought or intended, the Southern
portion was sincere and resolved, and
it was that portion which had entirely
controlled the party and dictated its
policy, because it was the positive ele-
ment.
This history repeats itself. In 1864
the positive element was the Copper
head majority represented by Mr.. Val
y landigham. Mr.. Valiandigham made
the Democratic platform of that year,
which was merely proposition to sue
cor the rebellion and secure its success
In any event it was revelation, and rev.
olution in the interest of the slavehold-
ing oligarchy. The national conscience
and sagacity, however, were too strong;
the Union and progressive free society
were saved In 1868 the same spec
tacle is presented. The war is over,
but the passion and purposes Of its
chief insigators remain. Defeat in the
effort to destroy the Union has not
taught them love of the Union. Pro
found hostility to the principles of soci-
40 ETY. which have prevailed, and to an in
depreciation of the character Of the
Government which has triumphed, does
not sink into acquiescence without fur
Their struggle. Fooled in the field, what
chance is there in political intrigue?
Oppressed with debt, strained by long
and severe exertion of every kind,
2 vexed by the delay of complete pacif-
cation, 10 not the country an army "a
tigued after its victory, sleeping upon
the field, aad fatally exposed to one
daring, desperate assault? This was
the question with which the old, posi-
tive, ruling element of the Democratic
party entered its Convention. Part of the
Northern wing, which that element de
spises, had suggested in advance some
"a Acknowledgements of actual events. The.
war, it said cautiously. may have been
a mistake, but it must be honestly paid
for. Reconstruction may be unconsti-
tutional, but is accomplished, add can
vides. The party, justly or unjustly,
has become such q stencil in the ma
tiona nostrils that it may be better to
take candidate from without its lines.
Indeed, said this wing of the patty,
with an air Of valor, on the very day
before the Convention met, if the South
ern delegates take part in the action of
the Convention, they must abide by it.
Ii may be imagined with what disdain
the Southern delegations read these
words in q paper which their mere dis
tant frown had forced to renounce its
candidate. They came to the Conven-
ton led by Wade Hampton, q relentless
South Carolina rebel, who declared,
upon his way to take his seat, that the
cause Of the rebellion was not yet lost.
Wade Hampton, the rebel, and Vallan-
bdigham, the Copperhead, combined,
ruled the Convention. Instead of rec
ognizing actual events. their effort was
fc undo the reault Of aeven wears The