The Russellville Democrat., 1879-05-08
The Republicans and Democrats
 and the War.


 lican speeches in Congress, all the tunes of the Republican organs, have this for their theme. One would suppose that the war only ended last week, instead of fourteen years ago. The treatment of the fruitful topic is as peculiar as it is persistent. Brief ly stated, it is this: all the blame of starting the war belongs to the Dem ocrats; all the credit of closing it be- longs to the Republicans. Conse- quently, the former ought to be eter- nally abashed, and the latter eternal ly exalted. Let us look into this characteristic argument little.
 The war originated in a sectional agitation on the subject of slavery. That agitation, it IS hardly necessa- ry to say began among northern Abolitionists, who afterwards helped to form the Republican party and gave it all it's aggressive policy and power. Democrats had nothing to do with the movement which culmi- hated in civil strife, accept to oppose it by every possible device. Natur- ally this Abolition Republicanlsm provoked retaliation in the South, and the effort to destroy an institu- tion recognized by the constitution and the laws was met by a cores bonding effort to consolidate and ex- tend that institution. Out of the mutual antagonism, in which democ racy as such was not concerned, came the flame which soon developed into a national confagration. Mir. Lin coln was minority President. His party was in the minority in the North and had no foot hold whatev- CT in the South. Suppose northern democrats had taken advantage of their position in 1861, and refused to aid the republicans in maintain ing the authority of the Government what would have been the result? Suppose Douglass and other Demo cratic leaders, had used their influ- ence in behalf ofDemocratc neutral ity. instead of rallying their follow CTS in defense of the Union, what would have been the result? Sup pose none but Republicans had car ried muskets under the old flag from 1861 to 1864, what would have been the result? The authority of the government would have been hope ,essly crippled; the Union would have been forever broken. The old flag would have waived over only one-half the country. That the re- bellion was not a success, that seces- sion did not triumph, that the Re public is one and indivisible, is due 
 to Democratic patriotism; a patriot ism which loved the country better than party, and sacrificed party prejudices and party hopes on the nations altar. Democratic money and Democratic blood turned the scale of battle, and brought victory where there otherwise must have been defeat, Yet these republicans who in 1861 begged on their knees for Democratic assistance, and hail ed it with shouts of greateful joy, now have the supreme impudence to assert that the republican party is entitled for the conclusion of the tremendous struggle. Abolition Republication originated the war, and the northern democracy furnish ed the endorsements winch proven ted that war from accomplishing na- tional destruction.
 While the Republican party held undisputed possession of the govern ment, It was comparatively easy task to cram Republican lies down the popular throat. But democrat ic supremacy has changed the situa- tion. The lies, manufactured as in dustriously as ever, are no longer swallowed. The people understand the war history thoroughly. They are able to seperate truth from false hood. They know where the main responsibility rests, g
 the chief credit belong
 tical result of this
 shown in the cleo
 ic President and
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 A bachelor
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