Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1878-04-19

ocrats, not Irish, who have learned to
admire and respect man who has
gone through two wars for the United I
States Government, and has come out |
of each with serious wounds; such DEM |
ocrats will not, any more than the Irish |
Democrats, sanction an insult to man |
like Shields merely to advertise the SUI
preme power of the Confederate ele-
ment. The case is peculiarly aggra-
waiting to Union Democrats, because the
nomination of the Confederate Field
was forced down the throat of the eau
Gus after Gen. Shields had been NOM
mated. Had the caucus previously
agreed upon Field, or any other Con-
federate candidate, and Shields had re-
ceived an independent nomination aft
erward, the Northern Union Democrats
might possibly have justified their rep
resentatives in Congress in voting
against Shields on account of their eau
Gus pledge and the political necessity
of united action. But that was not
the situation. Shields had already
been nominated in the House. The
Democratic caucus had notice that he
was candidate, and would even re-
ceive the Republican votes as against a
Confederate candidate. Notwithstand-
ing all this, the Confederates went into
the caucus and proclaimed that they
were determined to have q Rebel can
didate and no other. And it was to
this overbearing dictation that the
Northern Democrats in Congress gave
in an unanimous and pusillanimous adj
herence, confessing their abject sub
mission to the Rebel will.
| 1t may be seen that the Confederates
in Congress desired to show that they
could find one of their former associ-
ates in rebellion fit to occupy the posi-
ton of Doorkeeper of the House. They
had tried two others with poor success
-Fitz Hugh, the "biger man than
Grant" and poor old Polk, who was
the victim of their rapacity. Their ma
terial must have been scarce, for their
third choice fell upon man who had
never earned any distinction even in
the Confederate service, but who was
at the same time the most conspicuous
specimen of the unrepented rebel.
Field was one of those who had re-
ceived an education at the hands of the
Government, and used it in the effort to
break down the Government. After the
war was over he preferred to enter the
service of foreign Prince rather than
sue for forgiveness, and it is still mat
ter of doubt whether he did not again
forswear his allegiance in order to Sc
cure a position in the army of the Khe-
dive of Egypt. At all events, it is only
within two months that Fields disabili-
tv, as a West Pointer turned rebel, has
been removed, so that his selection was
evidently owing to a desire to select
the most conspicuous and obJectiona-
BILE Rebel candidate that could be found,
in order to show beyond all controversy
the absolute sway of the Confederate
|, element over the Democratic party OF
the United States.
The country will accept this mani
festation of power, but it may be wei
/ doubted whether it will rebound to the
credit or advantage of the Democratic
party. The effort made to wipe on
! the disgrace of the Northern dough
faces by voting to put Gen. Shields OF
: the retired list as a gadier-Genera
t was disengenuous expedient not like
/ ly to<deceive ANYBODY. 1t is doubtful
! whether Gen. Shields will ever receive
2 any benefit from this empty honor; but
whether he does or not, the fact remain
/ that the Confederates insisted upol
showing aside MANNED Union soldie
e of two wars to make room for the wors
} specimen of a rebel, ready to fOrswea
! his allegiance even for foreign service
| and that this was done for the avowe'
/, purpose of establishing beyond all dis
t pute the Confederate dominion over tn
: Democratic party of the country. CHI
t cdgo Tribune.