Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1876-09-04

United States protected slave property, the same
as other property everywhere. The South was
defeated, and then appealed to arms. In mo-
ment all their energies were directed towards the
menced the war-they fred upon the flag that
had protected them for nearly century.
The North was compelled to decide instantly
between the destruction OF the nation and civil
war.
The division between the friends and enemies
of the Union at once took place. The government
began to defend ITSELF To carry on the war
money was necessary. The government borrow.
Democratic party in the North sympathized with
the rebellion. Everything was done to hinder,
embarrass, obstruct and delay. They endeavored
to make rebel breastwork of the Constitution;
to create a fire in the rear. They denounced the
government; resisted the draft shot United
States officers; declared the war failure and an
outrage; reJoiced over our defeats, and wept and
cursed at our victories.
To crush the rebellion in the South and keep in
subJectIon the Democratic party at the North,
thousands Of millions of money were expended
the nation burdened with q fearful debt, and the
best blood of the country poured out upon the
fields of battle.
In order to destroy the rebellion it became
necessary to destroy slavery. AS matter of fact
slavery was the rebellion. AS soon as this truth
forced itself upon the Government-thrust as it
were, into the brain Of the North upon the point
of a rebel bayonet-the Republican party resolved
to destroy forever the last vestge of that savage
and cruel nstitution-an institution that made
white men devils and black men beasts.
The Republican party put down the rebellion;
saved the nation; destroyed slavery; made the
slave citizen; put the ballot in the hands of the
black man; torgave the assassins of the Govern
ment; restored nearly every rebel to citizenship,
and proclaimed peace to and for each and all.
For sixteen years the country has been in the
hands of that great party. For sixteen years that
grand party, in spite OF rebels in arms-in spite of
the Democratic party of the North, has preserved
the territorial integrity and the financial honor of
the country. 1t has endeavored to enforce the
laws; it has tried to protect loyal men at the
South; it has lsbored to bring murderers and
assassins to justice, and it is working now to pre-
serve the priceless fruits of its great victory.
AS soon as the slaves were free, the Republican
party said: "They must be citizens, not va
grants" The Democratic party opposed this just,
this generous measure. The freedmen were made
citizens. The Republican party then said, These
citizens must vote; they must have the ballot to
keep what the bullet has won." The Democratic
party said "No. The negro received the ballot.
The Republican party then said, "These voters
must be educated, so that the ballot shall be a
weapon Of intelligence, not of ignorance" The
Democratic party objected. But schools were
founded, and books were put in the hands of the
colored people, instead Of whips upon their backs.
We said to the Southern people, "The colored
men are citizens; their rights must be respected;
they are voters. they must be allowed to vote;
they were and are our friends, and we are their
Ali this was accomplished by the Republican
party.
1t changed the organic law of the land, so that
it is proper foundation for free government; it
struck the cruel shsckles from four million human
beings; it put down the most gigantic rebe lion in
the history Of the world; it expunged from the
statute books of every state, and of the nation, all
the cruel and savage laws that slavery had en-
acted; it took whips from the backs, and chains
from the limbs of men; it dispensed with blood
hnn nd inc trnyp npts of
to the memory Of barbarism the slave pen the
auction block, and the whipping post; it purified
the nation; it elevated the human race.
All this was opposed by the Democratic party;
opposed with bitterness compared to which
ordinary malice is sweet. l say the Democratic
party, because l consider those who fought
against the government. in the fields OF the South
and those who opposed in the North. as Demo-
crats-one and all. In other words, Democrat
with musket was rebel, and rebel without
musket was Democrat. The difference consisted
not in the man, but in who held the musket. The
Democratic party has been during all these years,
the enemy Of civilization the hater of liberty the
despiser of justice.
The present question is, whom shall we trust !?
To whom shall we give the reins of power
What party will best preserve the rights Of the
people! What party is most deserving OF our
confidence There is but one way to determine
the character of party, and that Is, by ascertain
ing its history.
Could we have safely trusted the Democratic
party in 1902 No. And why not? Because it
was q believer in the right of secesson-a believer
in the sacredness of human slavery. The Demo
cratic party then solemnly declared-spcaking
through its most honored and trusted leaders
that each State had right to secede. This made
the Constitution nxdum pdctum, q contract
without a consideration, Democratic promise,
wall of mist and left every State free to destroy
at will the fabric of American government-the
fabric reared by our fathers through years OF toll
and blood.
Could we have safely trusted that party in 1864,
when, in convention assembled, it declared the
war q failure, and wished to give up the contest
at . moment when universal victory was within
the grasp Of the Republici Had the people, put
that party in power then, there would have been
a Southern Confederacy to- day, and upon the
limbs of four million people the chains of slavery
would still have canked. Is there one man
present who to. day regrets that the Valandigham
Democracy of 1864 was spurned and beaten by
the American people Is there one man present
who to-day regrets the utter defeat Of that mix
ture of slavery. malice and meanness, called the
Democratic party, in 1864
Could we have safely trusted that party In 1868 Z
At that time the Democracy of the South was
trying to humble and brighten the colored people
OF exterminate them. These inoffensive colored
out mercy. The white Democrats were as relent-
less as fiends. They killed simply to kill They
murdered these helpless people, thinking that they
were in some blind way getting their revenge upon
the people OF INC NOTtn NO toukuc can CAoksC otO
the crueltes practiced upon the helpless freedmen
of the South. These white Democrats had been
reared amid and by slavery. Slavery knows no
such thing as justice. no such thing as mercy.
Slavery does not dream of governing BY reason,
by argument or persuasion. Slavery depends
upon force, upon the bowie-knife, the revolver,
the whip, the chain and bloodhound. The white
Democrats of the South had been reared amid
slavery; they cared nothing for reason; they
knew Of but one thing to be used when there was
a difference of opinion or . conflict of interest,
and that was brute force. 1t never occurred to
them to educate, to inform and TO reason. It was
easier to shoot than to reason; it was quicker TO
stab than to argue; cheaper to kill than to edu-
cate. A grave costs less than q schoolhouse
bullets were cheaper than books; and one knife
could stab more than forty schools could convert.
They could not bear to see the negro free-to
see the former slave trampling on his old chains
holding ballot in his hand. They could moi not
and wormwood to think of slave occupying q
seat in Congress; to think of negro giving his
ideas about the political questions OF the day
And so these white Democrats made up their
minds that by reign Of terrorism they would
drive the negro from the polls, drive him from all
Official positions, and put him back in reality in