Buchanan County bulletin. [volume] (Independence, Iowa) 1869-1891, 1876-10-27


States. To that Gen. Dix addressed
himself in his speech to the Boys in
Blue; and who more proper to listen
to such an address than the late sol
diers, who fought the battle of the
Union and saved it and put down
the rebellion?
The history of the past sixteen
years, and the disloyal attitude Of the
Southern Democracy renders the
election Of the President next No
vember one of the most important
events since the foundation Of the
Republic. A mistake now may be
irreparable. If Mr.. Tilden can so
manage to slur his record as to make
people believe that he could safely be
trusted to be placed at the head of
the nation, why should jeff Davis be
prosecuted? Why should that gen
tie rebel, who once defended himself
when charged with abandoning his
Democratic principles because his
neck had been saved by Republican
lenity by saying that he had always
represented that the Confederacy
would be foreign power, and that
he and every other pro-slavery Dem
| ocrat that would form the Confeder-
ate population would be foreigners.
This doubtless was true. But Jeff
Davis was an open rebel, responsible
for the death, from wounds and dis
ease, OF upward of half a million of
men; and responsible, too, tor the
vast public debt which the people
will have to pay. The difference be,
tween jeff Davis and Mr.. Tilden was
not SO great as may be supposed
jeff Davis thought he went out Of
the Union and into the rebellion; Mr..
Tllden, with all his sympathies in
favor of the rebellion, remained IN
the Union-and for what? He
stood aloof from the North, though
mingling with the people, in the stu
pendous efforts made to save the
country. He was not quescent-let-
ting things take their course, and
watching to derive personal advan-
tage. He was an active opponent at
period when there was the most ur-
gent need that men should combine
their forces against a common foe.
Mr.. Tilden did not regard the rebel
lion as the work of foe. He com
batted the idea of resistance. He
denounced the war as an outrage
He said the rebel Democratic South
could not be conquered. He thus
stood among the men who, at a
great crisis Of their country's fate,
were resolved to do or die, sowing
distrust, weakening their efforts, and
misrepresenting the result OF the
contest. Every word he uttered
would have relaxed their hand. Ev.
cry movement he made was in favor
of rebel resistance. 1t was the hab
it of his life to sneer at the patriot
ism of the Republican party on whom
had devolved the duty OF preserving
the integrity of the Union, placed in
jeopardy by the rebellion of the
Democratic party. He was Cop
perhead of the most pronounced
character, when the service and in
fluence of every American patriot
were needed on the side of fthe Union
and its cause. But Mr.. Tllden was
not on the side Of the Union cause
He said the lovers of freedom could
not coerce state whose citizens
were pro.slavery Democrats and reb
els, and who had attacked the Re
public with the purpose OF dividing
it. Mr.. Tilden, a Copperhead, would
have consented to It's division. He
not only did nothing to protect 1t
but he wouldnot contribute anything
for its protection. He did not pay
his income tax. He did not give d
cent toward regiment or ship,bu1
was practically against all that did
Even his neighbors refused to take
him as an example. They appreciat
ed the difficulty and danger into
which the rebellion of the Democrat
ic party-Mr. Tilden's party-had
plunged the nation. And with :
warmth of patriotism that did then
honor, they put down their names
for many thousands of dollars ac
cording to their ability, and perhaps
beyond 1t in some cases; but Mr.
Tilden's name was not among tht
patriots.
The Boys in Blue had borne tht
distinctive mark of patriotism. They
had been soldiers of the Republic
They had fought for their country
and many of them had honorabl,
scars. Were they not a fitting audi
ence to listen to the address of Gen
Dix, soldier himself, on the charac
ter of Mr.. Tilden, the Democratic
candidate for the Presidency? 1
was just such men as Mr.. Tilden tina
prolonged the war; that kept the reg
lments of the Union untitled; that
; caused a draft riot. Mr.. Tildel
could not deny the truth of wha
was said by Gen. Dix. 1t was all OF
the record; and the Boys in Blue hal
earned the right of knowing the kin(
of man the Democratic party pro
posed to put in the Presidency
They had made the election of |
President of the United States posi-
BILE by preserving the Union. If th'
record of Mr.. Tilden is unsatisfacto
ry, soldiers ought to know it. 1t il
of no consequence whether the state
ment is IN good taste or not. If
question of taste arose at all, it la,
with Mr.. Tilden. His record as :
patriot was either good or bad; for i
must be conceded that none but /,
patriot should occupy the Presiden
,ial chair. If Mr.. Tilden had the bat
taste to be Copperhead, and sid
with the enemies of his country, 81
much the worse for Mr.. Tilden ant
the Democratic party, to which hi
belongs. Gen. Dix was right in say
ing what he did, especially for thu
information of the soldiers befor.
him; and Mr.. Tilden and his friends
may depend upon it that the soldiers
are not Indifferent spectators in thu
present canvass. Men that have shet
their blood for the Union mean t.
support the right men. The name o
Mr.. Tilden would never occur to