The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-10-29
THURSDAY, OCTOBER %, 1868.
democracy in 1864 and 1868.

THE rallying cry of the democracy in 1864 was,
"The war is a failure--let us have peace"
Peace then meant humiliating surrender to
the Rebellion Its leaders haughtily declared
that In no event would they recognize the
authority of the National Government. They
refused to entertain all negotiations which
were not based on dsunion. The Northern
Democratic leVders, however, favored the idea
OF reoonstructing a new Union, after the Con-
federacy was firmly established, by trans
ferring free Commonwealths to the control Of
jeff. Davis as speedily as they could be in
duced to submit to this degrading ordeal
Protesting devotion to the Constitution as it
is and the Union as it was, the only practical
method suggested of accomplishing their
avowed object was the most shameful sur
render recorded in history Of brave, power
full, and virtuous people to band OF AFRO
CANT, pretentious, and wicked conspirators.
Such a new Union, founded on the ruins Of the
original Republic, was openly advocated by
Vallsndigham, and Seymour intimated his
readiness to support it, when he gave express
sion to his admiration for the Montgomery
constitution. Republican determination,
Republican valor, Lincoln's wisdom, Grants
military genius, and the heroic devotion of
the American army, crushed the Democratic
platform of 1864 into atoms, and made it the
scorn of brave and honest men throughout
the civilized world. Before its condemnation
of the war as ga failure" was fairly circulated
in the remote districts of the country, Sher-
I Ill
of triumph from the centre to the sea, Grant
had completed his combinations for crush
ing the head of the secession serpent
at Richmond, ard the people beheld one
grand triumph following another in quick sue
cession, until the browning victory at Apo
mattox terminated the conflict. Amid all these
mi itary movements, it was well understood
on both sides that the most powerful
cause Of the triumph of our arms was
the reelection of Abraham Lincoln. The
emphatic expression of the determination
of the people of the North to subdue
the Rebellion at all hazards, was referred to
at the time by General Grant, in an Off ial
letter, as an event of deep military as well as
political significance; and although the Rebels
did not Immediately surrender, they aban
doned all rational grounds of hope, and fought
on from sheer desperation.
AS the Democracy in the Presidential cam
paign of 1864 adopted rallying cry devised
and intended to cheer the Rebellion, so in
1868 they enter the contest with the declaration
that "Republican reconstruction is failure -
let as have war to overturn it," Our readers
are familiar with the many disadvantages to
which the policy of Congress has been sub
jeoted, and with the incessant difficulties
which have been caused by the interference of
Andrew Johnson. With Grant in the Prssi-
Dental chair very different results may be
anticipated, and we apprehend that he
will be as successful in completing the
work Of reconstruction as he was
in crushing the Rebellion. Andrew Johnson
has unfortunately encouraged and iu-
cited the turbulent spirits of the South to
renew, in various forms, opposition to the will
of the nation. The Democratic platform also
invokes them to overthrow the newly ests-
blished State governments, and Blair has
promised that a Democratic President will
destroy these governments by force of arms.
The vain hope is thus revived that Rebel rule,
with all its horrors, iniquities, and Injustice
its massacres and murders, and its undying
hatred of the Union and true Union men, will
be restored in the whole territory south
of Mason and Dixon's line. The election OF
Grant will dissipate this delusion finally and
forever, and as soon as it disappears recon
struction will become an easy task. The
Southern people will learn to be just to their
fellOw-oitizens and loyal in their relations to
the National Government, and they will
speedily find that their best interests can be
best served by graceful submission to their
inevitable destiny. They will gain thou
sand times more from acquiescence in Grants
maxim, "Let us have peace" than from a
response to Blair's Indictment to another war
DEMOCRATIC JOURNALS that faltered in their
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