The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1869-03-29
Moadsy Rvonins March 90. 1880.
THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY INDICATED

THE DEMOCRATIC PARTY VIHDl'NA "a
II isso seldom that a Radical Senator
says anything worth reproducing IN Dem
ocrstc journal, that We again introduce Sen
o,or spraguo, as a witness against his own
Marty and in favor Of the Democracy, with
no fear of surieitng our readers with
Sprague. II is not so much the man as the
position be occupies that gives importance
TO his utlorances. Ia his speech in the Sen
Ate on the Tcuure.ofofice bill few day.
ago he startled his Radical colleagues by
saying; ~ for one, in looking back upon
the past history Of the country-and the
people, whatever philosophers may say will
come to the same conclusion-haye come to
believe that your war has not been won
f0r the Liberties Of any class Of people you,
war that you have just partially c'a'''''o
has had no high yirtuous principle a. 'De
bottom oft Il has had simple contentious
for power, for place and for o'euP""on'com'
meucing here in this body, and permeat'ng
tbro7gbou, the country" He said many
other things in the same speech equally true
and JstastetuI to his Radical listeners but
this il sufficient for our present uses
Democrats have never doubted that re.
mote history and the general judgment Of
mankind would vindicate them as a party
from the charge Of disloYalty to the govern
ment on account of their opposition to the
Republican administration Of it during the
war, but they did not eApectit would come
SO soon. At the time, they were easily met
aud quickly overcome by the peculiar style
Of augmentation which then prevailed
imprisonment Of the person and spoIia'Ion
Of the property Of those who dared declare
the truth, as now admitted by Senator
Sprague No considerable number OF the
party ever opposed the war after II became
inevitable. On this point the public prints
Of thecouu'ry for I-6l2,he first year ofthe
war, are hlloteyidiuce. Until after the power
and resources ofthe government were divert.
ed from the declared and only proper purpose
of 'he war, the Democrats of the country, rs
a party, we're earnest aud efficient IN their |
cooperation with the administration in pros.
ccu,ug the war for the enforcement of the
aa- aud the preservation Of the Union. But
~ sooner had an effective force been called
into the field, THAI there WAS impaired to
,ap contest o. undisrl.sei and criminally
rar.izan character. This was manifested in
iauumerabe ways and ere two years had
elapsed FROM the firing Of the first hostile
g.a The capture and dispersion to the armies
d. 3D.. toaicieralcs came to be regarded
"a. ~ as a means Of carrying out the parti-
lna schemes Of the dominant party than as
o.. object Of the war. At this stage Of the
oa.n-, the Democracy protested against the
war poHey--not against the war--aud de.
maalel that the dreadful sacrifices of life
aud treasure involved in the struggle should
De made only for the suppression of the
armed resistance to the authority Of the gov.
e-amcut aud to preserve the integrity Of the
ualun, and for nothing else There was
nothing partizan or unpatriotc in this de.
lnaI nor in the spirit il which twas made'
i.y ), accorded strictly with the declared oh.
J.at, VI the war at the outset aud with the
impulses which induced the soldiery to vol.
untegr ia tls public service. But the party
Of tls administration had become so de-
haa.Aed with power and lhe prospects Of
prolract,ug its dominion that it could not
tolerate such plain and unpalatehle truths as
wcr uttered by Democrats TO enforce this
demand. Then it was that PRISONS became
the habltual abodes Of those who dared to
speak in the name of law and liberty. 1t
was not iuaptly sand of those dark and terri
bic days, that, to tell the truth was crime,
and one had 70 lie TO keep out of jail. This
wa- felt TO be a reproach to the civilization
Of the age aud to republican government
Democrats who, for declaring for the sacred
Urs- Of the constitution and civil Hbert.
were compelled to lauguish in loathsom
prisons felt the confidence Of assurance tina
unless free government should be uttcr
destroyed, the recital Of such outrages woul
call the blush Of shame to the cheeks Of III
children of those who perpctrated or al
plauded them.
Bot ere the enol,e OF the conflict has co,
pleteiy Disappeared, q Republican Senau
who supported the administration VIII
committed these dsgraceful crimes s
rounded by the representative men of
own party declares is his place in the Sem
Of the United States, that the war has be
waged for partizan purposes, and there
admits that the opposition to the mode a
TO the real objects for which 1t was CARR
On, was just and patriotic, aud that the ?
secu,ion, prescription and Imprisonment
Democrats was crime against civil ibe
and constitutional government