National Republican., 1883-10-02
"Reminiscences OF ohio Democracy.


thero was something wrong at Pensacola
"Reminiscences Of Ohio Democracy.
Tho Post is very innocent journal. 1t
never knew, until told two or three days ago
by THE REPUBLICAN, that peace democrats
in 1861 denounced tho American flag as a
black republican emblem. 1t attempts to con-
found the faultfnding of Greeley and Sum
nor with the fragrant moral treason of Vallan-
digham and the peace domocracy.' 1t says of
this great leader of sedition:
We suppose the name of c. L. vnllandigham, of
Ohio, would occur to almost any one ns that of
the most prominent "pcncc democrat" He
thought, ns did Mr. Greeley, that the waywArd
sisters" should have been permitted to go in
peace" lie had the courage of his convictions
and pushed his opposition to the war 30 far that
unlawful and utterly uniustilable means were
used to ofl;ct his influence
We thank the Post for its frankness in
agreeing that Mr.. Nallandigham was tho
most prominent peace democrat" We have
now only to ascertain what Mr.. Nallandig-
ham did to know what peace democrat was
in the estimation of tho national democratic
organ.
We especially invite the attention of our
confederate friends to the history VIC are
make study of the character of the northern
political tribe whose braves encouraged seces-
sion by promising it free and unresisted
sway, and who wcre rs perfidious to one side
as to the other when war came. Our un-
sophisticated neighbor, who seems to have
been either too young during the civil war to
be cognizant of events or TOO old now to
remember them, cheerfully remarks that
there were more democrats than republicans
in the rank and file of the union armies.
The truth is that the democrats for whom
the Post volunteers defense, were bitter
enemies of both the government and
the army, and that the union mon of
democratic antecedcnts who volunteered
were the objects of their most venemous and
unrelenting hatred. This hatred did not stop
even at the grave. A copperhead or "peace
democrat in New Hampshire tauntcd be-
reaved father at the burial of his son with
the brutal remark 81 told you he would be
brought home in box" The confederates
held in great contempt the southern union
men who refused to Ego with their states,"
and applied to them the epithet of scala
wag." What can they expect northern
unonists to think Of northern secessionists
who denied their opinions and babbled
waged upon their country These northern
scalawags not only went against the nation,
but against their states. They thus gave the
lie to their pretended devotion to states
rights. They not only derided the flag as
black republican emblem, but tried their best
to prevent democrats from taking tho union
side by applying to them the then hated name
of "black republican" They had not the
courage of their opinions, but tried to con-
ceal thom. They claimed to be the only real
union men, and stabbed tho union at every
opportunity. We accept Mr.. Vallandigham as
the most conspicuous leader of this faction of
unprecedented and unparalleled meanness,
and cite from President Lincoln the story OF
his Opposition to the war;"
On the first of May, 1868, this arch con-
spirator and leader of conspirators made a
speech at Mount Vernon, Ohio, in which he
denounced the government as q despotsm
defed military order forbidding certain
disloyal practices issued by Gen. Burnside
declared his own purpose to disobey it, and
called on his audience to resist and defeat itt
execution. Gen. Burnside, who was wal
democrat, ordered the arrest of the offender
He applied for writ of habeas corpus which
was refused by United States judge who
received his commission from President
Jackson. This judge, in rendering the deci-
sion, said: "Those who live under the pro
lection and enjoy the blessings of our benign
ant government must learn that they cannot
stab its vitals with impunity."
| Nallandigham was tried before military
commission and sentenced to confneme N
President Lincoln modified the sertenc,
by sending him within the lines of the enemy
in whose cause he, as union peace man, hat
been SO earnestly engaged. Complaint beinj
made of this by some New York democrats
President Lincoln addressed them letter OIL
the thirteenth of June, 1868, from which tn
following is an extract:
Mr. Vallandigham avows his hostility to the wa
on the part Of the union, and his arrest was mad
because he was laboring, with some effect, to pre-
vent the raising Of troops to encourage dcsertion
| from the army, and to leave the rebellion withou
an adequate military force to suppress it. lie wa
not arrested because he was damaging tn
political prospects OF the administration, o
the personal interests of the commandln
general, but because he was damagin
the army, upon the existence and yigo
ofwhich the life of the nation depends. lie wa
warning upon the military, and this gave the mill
tary constitutional jurisdiction to lay hands upo
him. d Long experience has shown that aImiC
cannot be maintained unless tlcsertons shall b
punished by the severe penalty of death. Tn
case requires, and the law and constitution sant
tion, this punishment. Must shoot IL simpl
minded soldier boy who deserts, while must NJ
touch hair Of II willy agitator who induces hiI
to desert? This is none the less injurious whe
effected by getting a father or brother or fren
into public meeting, aud there working upo
his feelings till he is persuaded to write the so
der boy that he is fighting in n bad cause, for
wicked administration of u contemplate govern
mcnt, too weak to arrest and punish If he sha