Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1869-10-01


When the oligarchs Of the South declared the
Union at an end, the Democratic Party sanction
Ell their secession. declared that there was no
mower in the Government to coerce their otedi-
epce. urrei them by promises Of physical alll-
ance to take up arms in the cause Of treason,
threatened revolution At the North, should the
administration dare to uphold the laws by force,
and in every way exhibited an active hostility 10
the Union cause, and an earnest sympathy with
those who we're leaguei for the destruction Of
Republic.
The above may do very well as campaign de-
clamation, but it is unworthy the able and can
/ did Journal from which we take it. The writer
Is either very ignorant Of facts or very careless
in the use Of words. We quote the passage as
sne,imen Of the e1trayaEant and i'll considered
ALLEGATIONS which pass among many for argu-
ments If the Journal intended to describe only
/ the general tendency Of the Democratic party,
iii guilty Of gross exaggeration if it intended
to make specia, charge Of disloyalty, it Is
guilty Of something worse. This style Of war
/ fare is certainly not sanctioned by the Republic
c,n partv. That organization is honorable
enough to he Just and strong enough to despise
such pitiful weapons. We rely upon the h
publ,cans Of Vermont, then, to uphold US IN
denying that the Democratic party sanctioned
secession; that It denied the power Of the Gov
/ eminent to put down rebellion; that il offered
the rebels physical ass,tauce; that it threatened
revolution at the North; that it exhibited an
active hostility to the Union and an earnest SYM
patby for the rebels.
We desire At the outset, however, to distin-
yuf.b between the Democratic party as repre-
.entel tv the declarations of It's leaders, and the
Democratic party As represented by the acts Of
the -reat BODY Of it,. members We shall not AZ
tempt to ezeulpate iudiyiila's like Yallandieham
and Peui'erou. Frank Pierce or FeiHando Wood.
Webeartily sympathize with that offended patriot
ism which condemned these men. Their record Is
UNANIMOUSLY clear If they were not positively dis
,oval their loyalty was Of a questionable ehara'-
ter tbat III becomes the true patri t. We have
ALWAYS believed that the encouragement held out
10 the sscessioni-ts by these men AMI others ike
them made rebellion an actual fact. - far as
the leaders could engage the party, it was IN
ioubtelly pledged to the re'el-. Frank Pierce
assured the Southern c.n>firators that if there
was war it would begin at 'he North and
other Democratic leader. made similar bloody
threats. In the same spirit these men organized
peace conventions, opposed recruiting, voted IN
f Congress against supplies, rej5.,el at rebel VIC
tories. and employed all the means ia their power
70 make the war a failure ana iisulion sue
cess.
So much for the leaders O.. the party We 20
. as far as the Journal in leuuucati3n Il them.
But DO Indictment which. taking these iuii7ida-
al case. as types, prou.uaces ole half Of the
northern people traitors, can tie sustained.
~ reflective person believes the charge TO lie
true Nei,ler tie declarations uor che record Of
the Democratic party justify 1t. It is tue that
the party ofen opposed NJ. Lincoln ami his
measures. AMI il is also true that in msny Of
the critical days Of the war Actious opposition
Of this character was almost crime. Yet hos
,litv 70 Lins5lu's aimiuist-atian was not usoes-
sarilv an evidence Of lostilityto the government.
Fidelity to the Union required no supporter Of
Douglas 70 reaoluce 'ae Baltimore P'..''''-- VI
1850 Nor was opposition 10 VT
auti-saTery measures inconsistent WIKI ''-'
stAnchest loyalty. Indeed the ol''eres' AZ
tacks upon his administration were lH4-e " .-'
foremost enemies Of the peculiar institution ."
DO not al.u4' 20 sueA men rs 0AIi-70- anu
Phillips, but T. Statesmen AM hsla'-.''is IKE
Ben Wade henry WINTER JAWS anu ''-''''
The most Jealous patriots might diiieF' not only
about the particular MEASURES ou' even ABOUT
the genera, policy Of the vernmeHt ana tins .
difference ld not authorize one man to call an .
other traitor. 1t is even ''1eeira''e mat d .
loyal man should sincerely believe 'Ha' the .
Union could be most speedily restored by peace .
ful means. We do not, OF course beiie'e thA'
the peace movements Of ceriAH Democratic poll
uci2ns were OF this hsh character We only
assert the P5sst'iifg Of their beng So
The fact that men Of doubtful PATRIOTISM were
candidates Of the Democrats in some States
should not expose the mass Of the party to
sweeping charge Of disloyalty. If the election
Of yallaniigham to Congress from Ohio tainted
the whole party, or even his own constituents