The States and Union. [volume] (Ashland, Ohio) 1868-1872, 1871-05-24
The New Departure.
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verbiage. Clement l.. Vallandigham,
S-tfc rcputed sntif6r3 e de-
parture; and it is intended,1 w yprs-
sumo, to forcshadow the First of June
Platform to be adopted by the Demoo-
.racy Of Ohio. 1t will be remembered
that Mr yIlandighsm, denied the
right q t6eIGo ssfpmenty 70 Seoehee
the seeding States, and justified The
withdrawal of the South from the
Union We always regarded the step
taken BY the South in 1861; rs nasty
ill-al9ised; and fatdi. with a Gear
majority, aided BY. the Democracy Of.
the North, in both branches Of Con
gress, Nh. Lincola, and the sectional
fire brands who surround d him could
have been rendered harmless, had the
Southern members remained. at their
posts but choosing to run away from
their rights, and Inviting thieves and
demogogues to enter and dev0ur, while
they made their fight outside, instead
of within the Union, the Democracy.
of the North were misled and placed
in a false position, while the sworn
enemies of the Constitution and the
Union were, made the champions of
both ~ We are to-day gatheringTa
harvest of mishaps in the attempts Of.
these same dis:dnionists to make a
EDictster of Grant, and rob the States
of the right of?lecai self government.
Nov that the war cloud has blown
over, and the Democracy are again
righting the old ship Of State, and
restoring harmeny, it is proposed that
the party shall debase itself by declars
ing its purpose to sacquiesce in the
fraudulent dndpretended constitutional
amendments which. were forced upon
the country by Intimidation and mill
tary di6tatioa against the wishes OLA
large majority of the American people.
And this, that the consuming ambition
of a few slippery political trickstcrs
may be gratified and Temporary place
and power reward their qualification
Why drag these things into the cam
paign of 1871? If they are to enter
into and make q part of our State
Platform, why not include all the
other acts of villainy and usurpation
of the Republican party, and declare
that we. acquiesce in them also; and
having done this, assert that all differ
enees between the two parties having
been removed, it will be the duty
of the Democracy to disband and join
the Republican party7 IF there are
no distinctive differences between the
two parties and if the people are to
be taught that the usurpations, frauds,
lanJ-stealing, de~falcations, %consolida=
lion theories, and the bold attempt to
convert this government into a despo-
tism, are to be a~cquiesced in,
"That thrift
May follow fawning,"
then it will be useless 30 continue our
efforts to organize the party. The
people are not cattle that they should
be led to the market and sold for
sIaughter-they can see and judge-if
the Republicans are right, they will
ljoin them-if We are right, and stand
by our principles like honest men,
they will join US. IF our leaders de-
sire to bury the past-which in our
opinion is impossible-let them cease
to agitate. If we intend to discard
dishonesty and hypocrisy, let the First
of June Convention deal frankly with
the people. Let the true issues be
pointed out in clear and unmistakable
language, and let the political trim
mers and hucksters go where they be-
long. Let the OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES its
policy on Governmental ~retrenchment
and reform-on Finance and Currency,
the Tarif-Local selfgovernment-
the Acquisition of Territory-on the
subject Of Land-grabbing and Other
Monopolies-in favor of universe
Amnesty and the restoration of the
States to all their rights under the
Constitution, and success will crown
our efforts.