Weekly Calaveras chronicle., 1868-09-05
awhat Shall we do to be Saved %

| The country is now in greater peril than
when wars desolating sweep first broke over
it. All that is venerated and valuable in
our political system is at stake.-Ezaminer.
| The leading Democratic organ of the State
makes the declaration quoted above and we
do not wish to dispute the truth of the as
sertion. Any person who contemplates the
sad condition of portion of our country,
and reflects that the result of the pending
election may possibly place the control of
national affairs in the hands of those who
fought 20 destroy the Government, will read
lily admit that the future is pregnant with
danger to our free institutions. Foreseeing
the evils which threaten us, the question
naturally arises, what can we do to avert
them: The Democratic platform and tie
papers which advocate its principles, assert
that the present unfavorable situation of the
country is wholly due to the party in power /;
and that the only way to correct the evils of
the present and escape the perils of the fu-
ture. is to elect their candidate for the Presi-
dency. This may all be true. but the atten-
tive reader of our history for the past eight
years will require something more than bare
assertion to be convinced of its entire relia-
bility. At least, party which processes to
be able to accomplish so much in the future,
ought to be able to show a spotless record
IN the past. Let us see.
In 1861 the Democracy" Of the South
inaugurated rebellion, having for its object
the dissolution of the Union. Their breth-
rem of the North insisted that the Govern
ment had no right to protect ITSELF that the
States were sovereigns and could withdraw
from the Union whenever they thought prop
er; they declared coercion to be unconstitu-
tlonal, and would fain let the seeding Sis
tiers depart in peace. Horatio Seymour, in
public speech. declared that successful
coercion would be as revolutionary as seces-
sion." They went farther than this their
representatives in Congress voted against
the necessary supplies for the army, while
the humber members of the party INDUCED
in riots and forcibly resisted the draft. In
1864, the Democratic Convention which NOM
mated Mcclellan, pronounced the war fail
ure and declared that .the United States
Government should surrender to rebellion"
Failing to secure the success of the rebels,
what does the Democracy now demand >
Simply that the debt incurred i'll the sup
preston of their rebellion shall be repudiated
the reconstruction Acts of Congress declared
null and void" ard the State Governments
in the South "dispersed.' Such is a brief
review of the history of the Democratic party
for the last eight years. Judging from its
action in the past, and the policy indicated
to be pursued in the future, do the people
wish to place them in power: Not unless they
desire to lose all they gained by the war.
There can be no doubt as to the issues in
volved in the campaign. Every one must
understand what this election means. 1t is
to decide whether the loyal country or the
rebels won the victory, and which shall reap
its fruits whether the national name shall be
dishonored and the loyalists of the South
betrayed; whether Abraham Lincoln or JEFF
ferson Davis represented the national senti-
ment; whether justice and freedom CT wrong
and oppression shall prevail. The Whole
lump of Democracy is leavened with treason
and traitors of the deepest dye control its
action and shape its policy. If successful at
the ballot box, it requires no great depth of
penetration to divine what their course will
be. They are frank enough to foreshadow
it. They contended on the field of battle for
the accomplishment of purpose, but were
defeated; the election of Seymour and Blair
will place the country in precisely the situa-
ton it would have betn had the rebels won
the victory.
The Eraminer is right when it says "the
country is in danger" but the remedy i,
prescribes is worse than the disease. The
election of the Democratic ticket, which i,
counsels as a means of ..healing our national
difficulties. would open the old wounds
afresh. The people will never tamely SUBJ
nit to the reinstatement of the blacks, nor
suffer the national honor to be tarnished by
repudiation. An attempt to carry into effect
Blair's revolutionary doctrine would newt
| ably result in another civil war. Granting
that the safety of the country is imperiled,
the danger arises from the possibility that
the rebels may gain the ascendency and
plunge US again into a war to preserve the
Union. If Grant is elected, the questions
involved in the civil strife will be peaceably
and definitely settled. and seeded States re-
ha5ilitated in accordance with the Congres.
sional plan. No second opportunity will be
afforded traitors TO strike OF the life of the
Government. and the rights and liberties Of
all classes of citizens in the South will be
protected. The creditors of the Government
scattered over the four quarters of the globe
':illbe fairly dealt with. The election of Gran,
and Colfax will secure the country from the
peril which even the purblind Examiner can
see threatens US.
The Sacramento Reporter, in its issue o.
Monday last devotes column of abuse tc
Hon. A. P. Dudley, simply because tha,
gentleman refuses to support the Rebel Gen.
erals ticket, and has come out for Grant ano
Colfax. 1t refers TO the Hardy trial and
parades the names of bakers dozen of blat.