Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1880-08-05
To the Voters
Of Wood County!
Why the Republicans will
Succeed.
[ [

We were left wondering, at the con-
clusioI Of former article, when it
was that the Democracy reformed and
demonstrated their wurthiness to sue
cced to the control of the government.
We could find no trace of such refor-
nation during the rebellion, nor at its
close, and yet we find that party now
shouting enthusiastically for a candi-
date whose only claim to distinction
rests, as they admit, in the fact that
he has rendered some service, as a
Union General, to cause which they
opposed to the last Is the fact that
the Democrats have nominated a man
who fought for the restoration of con-
stitutional supremacy, while they
opposed it, sufficient evidence that
they are now worthy of confidence f.?
If that is the only evidence of their
reformation, then the conversion is
altogether too recent to entitle them
TO be placed in charge of the Govern
mcnt Gen. Hancock S candidacy is
but few weeks old, and it can hardly
be possible that the people will dis
place the party that has piloted the
ship through the storms and perils of
twenty years, only to place it in the
hands Of party who sought during
all those years to swamp it, but who
within the past few weeks have pro-
fessed change Of heart. If the
change is real, they are no better than
the Republicans, and the country can
well afford to treat them to little
honest Methodist probation, and try
them by the test Of time. If the
change is not earnest and sincere,
every consideration Of public interest
requires that they be not permitted to
succeed. This leads again to the in
quiry whether there has been in fact
any change in the purposes and policy
of the Democracy by reason of which
the interests CT good government
would be safe in its hands, and if SO,
when such change took place
The slaves were practically freed
during the war by the Emancipation
proclamation of President Lincoln.
issued as a war measure, This was
denounced at the time By the Democrats
as unnecessary and unjust. The
Democrats Of the North so denounced
1.-THE Southern wing Of the party
being at the time engaged in open re-
bellion. After the war closed, IN
December 1865, the 18th amendment
to the Constitution was adopted. incor-
rorating in that instrument provision
abolishing slavery forever within the
territory and jurisdiction of the United
States. 1t is unnecessary to elabor-
ate the spirit Of that amendment
but it was a solemn and irrevocable
declaration by the people of the United
States who had been and then were
loyal to their Government, moved by
a devotion to liberty which four years
of terrible war brought on by slave
holders had inspired, that in all time
to come no slave should exist within
the limits Of the Republic, but that
thenceforth and forever the regal dia-
dem of citizenship should sit unchal-
lenged upon the brow of every man,
white or black, high or humble, who
remained steadfast and true to the
principles and government of his
country. aud who forfeited such right
by no criminal act of his own. It
was expected that all parties and
classes would acquiesce in this 4; that
it would be accepted and acted upon,
however distasteful to those who had
striven to erect Government upon
the opposite theory and failed, as the
Legitimate and rightiul result of the
suppression of the rebellion. 1t was
the policy also of the loyal masses
that the leaders of the rebellion should
take back seats" at least until the
Government thought proper to forgive
their crimes It was not the purpose
to try and punish those guilty of trea-
son, but simply that the leaders-those
who had added the crime of perjury
to that Of treason-~should return to