Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1871-08-18
INDICTMENT AGAINST THE DEMOC
RACY


The Albany Journal brings the following
heavy Indictment against the democratic par
ty. The allegations are familiar, but they
bear repetition remarkably well with every
body but democrats
The history of the Democratic party for the
past ten years has been history Of disloyalty
and crime.
1t was responsible for the Buchanan Ad-
ministration, under whose eye the rebellion
was inaugurated. Democrats filled his cabi-
net, and used their power to weaken the gov
eminent and strengthen the hands of its en-
emies.
The Democratic party encouraged secession
by denying that the general government pos
sessed any authority "to coerce sovereign
State" Its President officially recognized
| and proclaimed this pestilent heresy, and
presented it as his apology for not making
formal preparations to arrest the threatened
rebellion. russell. .a,-
/ When, after assuming the Executive Office,
Mr.. Lincoln called for seventy Eve thousand
troops to protect the Capital, the Democratic
party and the Democratic press denounced
him as q ''usurper," and the act as ''usurpa-
ton" infinitely more offensive to Democrat
ic principles than the treason charged against
those who desired to peacefully withdraw
their States from the Union"
4 When war was initiated at Charleston, and
when people demanded that the rebellion
should be put down Sat all hazards and at
any cost, the recognized leaders of the Dem
ocratic party maintained their attitude OF
hostility to the principle of coercion" and
did what they could to embarrass the Govern
ment and afford said and comfort to the enc.
N.Y." t..-.
Every new call for troops and money was
opposed and denounced by the same disloyal
men.
They rejoiced when the rebels triumphed
and only mourned when they heard Of Union
victories. - i2'
} They denounced the brave men who were
fighting their cOuntry's battles as ''Lincoln's
hirelings," and complimcnted our most sue.
cessful Generals as "Union butchers."
They encouraged treason, infused new hope
into the hearts Of traitors and protracted the
, war for years by their open sympathy and
their material aid.
When 1t became necessary to recruit our
armies by resort to the draft, they de-
nounced the measure as illegal, uncunsttu-
tional and not to be tolerated. They exerted
all their energies to make it odious and to
embarrass those entrusted with the enforce
ment They counseled resistance, excited
riots and addressed as ''friends" the mob
whose hands were reekng in the blood of in
nocent men.
In its direst need, when the Government
appealed most earnestly to the people to come
to the rescue of their bleeding country, the
Democratic Governor of the State OF New
York held up his official hand in solemn pro-
test, and appealed to his fellow citizens to
''pause" before they proceeded further in the
prosecution of this fratricidal war.
| When President Lincoln issued his procla-
nation OF Freedom he was again denounced
as ''usurper," and as a traitor also, for
daring thus to divert the war from its origi-
nal purpose. No words in the language were
strong enough to give expression to their
hostility to proposition which looked to the
abolition of slayery--''an institution over
which the General Government had no juris-
dietion, and whose abolition, in the hour of
war would let loose and give unrestrained
iicenee to four millions of lustful and brutal
barbarlans, ripe for rapine, murder and car
mage"
The proposition to arm the negroes that
they might have an opportunity to prove their
patriotism and courage, was secuted rs n yio-
iatlon Of the principles OF civilized warfare
and as an insult to the chivalry of the South.
When the thirteenth amendment, affirming
ing the abolition Of slavery, was submitted
ior rarfcation, this same Democracy opposed
WIN all their might, and afterwards sought
TO revoke the sanction given TO il bv the State
Of New York. s..rI,1'| - Vs. ~'"''
4 They opposed every Law enacted for the
reconstruction of the States, -
They did what they could to defeat the
XVIII and XVIII amendments, which guar.
anteed equal rights to all men, and the ballot
to every citizen.
They have justified or excused all the muir
derous acts of the Ku- KIux Khan Of the South !;