Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1868-07-23
The Great Llama.

The Great Issue.
The Democratic Convention of 1884
declared the war failure. The loyal
people scorned the words and fought on
to an unconditional victory. The DEM
ocratic Convention of 1868 declares the
war debt shall be repudiated. And their
words will be equally spurned by the
same honorable people. In 1854, upon a
| platform of surrender to rebellion, the
Democrats nominated the conspicuous
military failure of the war. In 1868,
upon a platform of reputation, they
nominate pure Copperhead. In 1864
the men who thought 1t possible to pre-
vent victory directed the convention.
In 1868 the same men who think there
Is at least chance of disgracing the
victors controlled 1T. There is no doubt
7 as to the issues of the campaign. Shall
the ex-rebels and their political allies
dishonor the national name by repudiat-
ing the debt and betraying the loyal
citizens of the Southern States? Shall
all the work ofreconstruction he undone,
and the country plunged anew into the
excitement of organizing the Union?-
Shall the policy of subjecting the loyal
population to the late rebels be substitute
ed for the policy of reconstruction upon
equal rights which Is now in process of
accomplishment?
These are the questions fairly put to
the good sense and patriotism of the
American people by the two platforms
and the conditions. Nor does 1t matter
that IL may be denied that the Demo-
cratic platform explicitly opens the ques-
ton of reconstruction. It's declaration
| Is, that "the reconstruction acts $50
called) of Congress are essusurpations, and
unconstitutional, revolutionary, and
| void.n Any man or officer who refuses
to acknowledge them is justified by the
Democratic platform. Coming into pow
er the party must treat those acts as void
or belle its declarations. Ifit>acts as it
processes to believe 1t will set the acts
aside. II ii chooses to belle its words,
| IL will let them stand. But in what
manner 1t is likely to respect or enforce
acts which 1t denounces as void? If the
reconstruction acts are to be overthrown,
let the Democratic party come into pow
er. If they are to remain, which will
most honorably maintain thcm-the
party which believes in the principles
they embody, or that which derdes the
principle and declares them usurpations,
revolutionary, and void?
The attentive and reflective reader
will also remark that, according to the
Democratic platform, the present situa-
tion of the country; If not altogether
what might be wished, is wholly due to
the Republican party. That men like
Wade Hampton and N. b. Forrest and
General Hoke, and a hundred other
rebel officers who sat in the Convention,
have directly or indirectly done anything
to disturb the national tranquility or in
crease the public debt, is not remotely
suggested. But words were feeble in the
mouths of the Committee upon Resolu
ton to describe the enormous offenses of
q party which had led the country in its
noble and triumphant resistance to the
rebellion, whether in the field or in Cop
perhead councils; which has removed
the unspealSable strain from the naUionai
character, and which, without a stroke
of vengeance, has restored the Union
upon the enduring principles of liberty
and justice. 1t has not made Wade
Hampton and his companions the ar
biters of the fate oftheir loyal neighbors;
and the Democratic party, which four
years ago clamored for surrender to
Wade Hampton and Forrest and Hoke,
now denounces the party that prevented
the surrender, and that honors all loyal
men In the land.
The issue of reconstruction raised by
the Democratic Convention IL precisely
that for which Andrew johnson has
been contending; namely, that when the
rebellion in arms was Overthrown the
only national right whatever within the
recovered States was the right of prose-
cutting for treason, and that every State
might reorganize itself as it choose. The
Republican ground of reconstruction Is,
that rs there was no authority left in
any Southern State after the surrender
but that of the United States, no step
toward civil government could he taken
but by their authority, and that they
were bound in reorganizing the States to
take such measures rs emancipation and
the general welfare of the country re-
quired. Upon this principle the Gov
ernment proceeded. It moved slowly,
for only gradually could the real disposi-
tion of the Southern States, upon which
so much depended, be ascertained. 1t
did not act upen any abstract theory,
for 1t was peculiarly subject of practi-
cal craftsmanship. 1t has now restored
all but three of the States that made
war upon the Uuion. The complete
paclfication of those States, their adnpta-
tion to the radical changes wrought by
the war; and their renewed industry
and prosperity, are results that can be
only slowly attained, but are not attain
able at all until after their political or
ganization. 1t Is this which the Demo-
cratic platform denounces as void. 1t Is
this which the American people will
sustain precisely as they sustained the
war, against the declaration of the DEM
ocratic platform of 1864 that it was q
failure.-Harper's Weekly.