St. Johnsbury Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1867-1919, 1876-09-01

It's actlOnS,-are responsible before the
country for the inception of the re-
helllon and for the prolongation of the
war.
Tilden and THE War a Failure" Resolution.
The present democratic candidate
for the presidency was Il member of
the Chicago convention, and of the
committee which reported the resolu-
tion To which have referred. II is now
claimed 10y his friends that he did not
originate the resolution, and it is even
denied that he favored it. but there is
no public record of his dissent On the
contrary the resolution went out to the
public as the opinion and utterance of
Mr.. Tilden, as well us of his colleagues
and of the party of which they were
Leaders. Its effect upon the public
mind, and its influence upon the strug-
gle then pending, were precisely the
same aS if he had originated it in the
committee room. He ought not aud
cannot escape his just share of respon-
>ibillty foI this unfortunate declaration.
1t II he true. as Is now asserted 10y
his friends. that Mr.. Tilden did not op-
pose the resolution, but acquic>ced in
II 10y his silence, so far lis the public
know, for the sake of harmony in his
party.-this only serves to show that in
the hour of his country'> danger. he ac-
"Wledged allegiance to his party par
amount to his duty as IL patriotic citi-
zen To his country. The occasion was
no ordinary one, nor was the principle
involved or the tendency of such scnti-
mentS at that time of so little couse-
qucnce that one could afford to Weld
his individual opinion for party pur-
poses. There are occasions in the his
tory of nations and in the lives of men
when the duty of hearty and active
support of the government rises above
all other considerations of Il public ma
ture. When hundreds of thousands of
our fellow-cltlZeuS are suffering the
rici>>itudeS and confronting the dan
gers of open, tiagIant wal. and all are
hearing heavy burdens of taxation. and
earnestly praying for the success of the
cause which involves the very existence
of the government. Il party which meets
IN convention and proclaimS that the
whole movement Is Il failure is guilty
of great political crime. and shows it
self unworthy to be trusted with power.
The leaders of the party who permit
"r promote such declarations are not
the men of whom presidents are made
This resolution of the democratic
party WAS not exceptional or inconsis-
tent with its known wishes and pur-
poses throughout the war. Since it
proclaimed through its administration
that there was no constitutional right
"r power To prevent the dissolution of
the Union 10y csercive measures, it has
continued to he Il party of obstruction
and ne%ationS. 1t not only failed as Il
party organization to give hearty and
terrcnt support to the war for the pres
cIvatiun of the Union. but at every step
II threw obstacles in the way of its sue
ccSSful prosecution. Who that observ-
ed the progress of the war can doubt
for Il moment that the conduct of that
party gave encouragement to the rebels
III arms. or that il prolonged the war
and added millions to its cost. besides
increasing largely the numbers of those
who nohly died in the cause of their
country