Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-03-24
WOed's Labor Lost.

II is ludicrously useless for the gentle.
men who were the most notorious of the
"peace" Copperheads during the war, to
attempt to pose as patriotic Union men
now. In recent debate in the House of
Representatives, Mr.. Fernando Wood,
whose faithful contemporary portrait is
preserved in "The new Gospel of Peace"
rose to inform Congress and the country
that he was really the first men who had
practically responded to the summons of
the President, II was he who called the
Union Square meeting. 1t was he and
Senator Baker who made the speeches
upon that occasion. 1t was he who raised
the Mozart regiment, and paid for it money
which has never been repaid to him. So
ardent was bis zeal, that it is only wonder
ful that he did not lead the regiment in
person. Undoubtedly Mr.. Wood made a
speech at the Sumter meeting in New
York, as certainly as he regretted to Rob
ert Toombs that he could not send him
arms to be used against loyal citizens. Un-
doubtedly he said, in Union Square, that
the Union must be maintained, as certain
ly as he said, ina message TO the Common
Council, that the dissolution of the Union
was inevitable. And undoubtedly, if Mr..
Fernando Wood andhis friends could have
| succeeded, and the government have been
overthrown.
Mr.. Wood was too astute q politician
not to surround himself at such q time
with technical defenses to which he could
recur in pressing emergency; and he is
now so wholly a political figure of the
past that he is only useful as an illustra-
tion. But the noble army of Copperheads
may spare their pains. The people of this
country know very well who were loyal.
They have not forgotten whose souls sup
ported Abraham Lincoln in the stern trial
and whose tongues hissed treason and
doubt. They remember very well whose
"friends" burned orphan asylums, and
hunted negroes, and stroYe TO array the
city and the State of New York against
the war. They may even recall Mr.. Fer
nando Woods Peace Convention at Syra'
cuse, as they do the speech of the World:
great "War Governor" Seymour, at the
Academy of Music. Why do these
modern Tories wince? Are they ashamed
of their cause and of themselves? The
Tories of the Revolution did not try to
dodge history. The Woods and Vallan
dig hams and Seymours of those days die
not claim that they secured American in
dependence, because they knew that theil
sympathies and attitude were well under
stood. ~
Let the Copperheads of the rebellion
save their labor. They could as easily
prove Abraham Lincoln to have been {
rebel as persuade the country of their owr
loyalty. Who denounced the President a
every step, and decried the policy of Con
gress as unconstitutional and anarchical,
Who resisted every vigorous measure
and maligned every patriotic motiveY WhC
adopted with acclamation the surrende
platform at Chicago, and pronounced thu
war for the Union a failure9 WhC
sneered at the black soldiers, and canon
lied the rebel chiefs as Christian gentle
men? Who were those for whose success
at the election of 1864 rebels prayed an(
rebel agents plotted? Mr.. Fernando
Wood and his political friends may hav'
forgotten. But loyal hearts have lonl
memories. And while they accurately re
call the mien and tone of the Copperheads
they also perceive that the party to which
the men of that name now belong has no
yet honestly accepted the result of th'
war, nor acquiesced in the settlement o
the Union, and through its organs, deride
those of the late rebels who have don,
both while in Virginia, by strict part,
vote, it orders q portrait of General Lee
Carrying water In sieve is easy labo
compared with that of proving the pa
triotism of Copperhead.-Harper'
tTmoohky.