Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-02-24
Shall We Go Backwards! =!

THE speech of Governor Morton, of In
diana, in the United States Senate, yester-
day, in answer to the preposterous action
of the Democratic majority in the L0gis-
lature of his State, for the annulment of
the Fifteenth Amendment to the Federal
Constitution, enfranchising men of color,
may well be called "the keynote to the po-
litical campaign of 1872" He showed most
conclusively that the mission of the Re
publican party was not ended-that so
long as the Democratic party, under the
leadership of those who were either en-
gagged in or sympathiZed with the slave
holders rebellion, persist in attempts to
undo the great and good works which the
armies of the Union and the Republican
party have performed for the nation and
the people during the past few eventful
years, there is the same urgent necessity
for united and resolute opposition, on the
part of the true and patriotic men of the
Republic to Democratic ascendency in the
government, as there was during the late
war. If we would preserve to the nation
the benefcent results of the political pro-
gress that has been achieved during the
last decade the vindication of the nation
al authority against rebellious attack, the
overthrow of the insolent slave power, the
abolition of slavery, the enfranchisement
of an emancipated race, and the recon
struction of the disloyal and rebellious
States upon n basis of Republican equality
and universal justice-then is it very evi-
dent that the same great party through
and by which these results were attained
must maintain its organization, and con-
tinue to fight and put down the same cid
enemy it has so often vanquished in the
past
The copperhead Democracy of Indiana
are not alone in the design of forcing the
government and the Republic into a retro
gressive movement. They are not alone
in their purpose Of pushing back the car OF
| political progress from the advanced point
to which the Republican party has so
nobly piloted it. The entire Democratic
party of the nation is animated by precise
| ly the same spirit, and is bent. on precisely
the same objects That party as a whole
is as disloyal to-day as it was when, in tie
| midst of the rebellion, it treacherously de-
clared the war for the preservation of the
Union failure, and proposed to surrender
| the country to jeff. Davis-is as closely
welded to the remnants ofthe lost cause
as it was in sympathy identified with it be
fore it was lost; and we equally believe
that it would now, if it had the power, re-
store the ex-rebels to authority in the gov
| SAhnShti duu uauCC Supp1C ODSulSAOO "
their wishes, even to the extent of re
establishing slavery, nullifying all the re
cent constitutional amendments, repudiat
ing the national debt which was incurred
in supPressing the rebellion, saddling upor
us the rebel debt which was incurred il
trying to overthrow the Union, and indem
nifying the rebels for their losses.
We have only to read Democratic news
papers, North and South, or listen to thu
expressions of Democratic leaders in anC
out of COngress-such as Frank Blair
senator Thurman and others-to find con
victing evidences of the internal dRiB1u
of that party-a party which, as such
proved false to the country in its creates
time of need, and which, if the peopl
should allow themselves to be so far i'm
posed upon, or so far forget their patriot
duty, as to trust its leaders with power
would prove even more false to 1t in tn
future.
The mission of the Republican part
has not been accomplished. 1t has
sacred mission for the future in keepin
the nations enemies out of power, and il
keeping the Republic and the government
in harmony with civilization, progress
justice and liberty OAicGgO JouT7lal, Eel
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