The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1883-07-07
Facts Against Assertion.

! Republican newspaper scribblers and stump
speakers have for twenty years been charging,
whenever occasion presented, that the war
between the states was inaugurated by the
Democratic party, and asserting that the Con-
federate army was composed of Democrats
and the Federal army of Republicans. These
reckless and incorrect statements have time
and again been denied, and successfully de-
MED, but ignorant or reckless Republicans
still assert to the contrary whenever they
think that such statements may have point
cal benefit. A spirited debate, if not dis
graceful one, occurred in the Pennsylvania
House of Representatives during the closing
hours of the session on this very subject.
The congressional apportioument bill was
under discussion land the politics ofthe soldiers
was lugged in, and Democratic and Republi-
can Federal soldiers grew warm, giving
each other the lie and throwing the House
into confusion and disorder. A Republican
ex-Federal soldier declared that ''the whole
Rebel army were Democrats, and a Demo
cratic ex-Federal soldier shouted ''you are a
liar!''
There is no need for such warmth and such
epithets on matter which facts can easily
settle. To declare that the Federal army was
composed of Republicans or that the Conted-
crate army was composed of Democrats, Is
simply to declare in opposition to facts easily
produced. Maryland contributed to the Fed
eral army perhaps 10000 men, yet the Re
publican vote in this state in the fall OF 1850
was only 1900, so at least $4,000 OF them
must have been of some other political faith
than Republican. Gen. B. f. Buffers COM
mand, from Massachusetts, was composed al
most entirely of Democrats, and from every
state every command had more or less Demo-
Gratis in it. In the Federal army Wings and
Democrats constituted the majority. They
constituted the majority Of voters in the states
that did not secede. Some of the ablest Fed
eral generals were Democrats-Grant, Nc
ClelIan, Hancock, Slocum, Corse-and some
of the staunchest financial hackers OF the
government were Democrats.
Looking to the South we find that in ante
bellum days vast proportion of the popua-
ton were Wings. In 1910 rs of the electoral
votes of the South were given to Harrison,
| Wing, and only 49 to Van Buren,, Democrat
In 1914 the Wings received A electoral votes
and the Democrats 81, several states voting
Democratic on the Texas annexation ques-
ton In 1913 the electoral vote stood Sc for
TAYLOR Wing, to % for Cass, Democrat. In
1860 the Southern Democrats voted manly
for Breckenridge. but the vote shows that Ken
lucky went for Bell the Wing candidate, so
did Virginia. so did Tennessee, and 80 Of the
electoral votes were given for Bell to y for
Breckenridge. In 1860 many Southern Wings
voted for breckenridge on the sectional issue,
just as they atterward joined the Confederate
army on sectional issues. 1t is safe to state
that at least half, or nearly so, of the Conted-
crate forces were Wings.
The fact is, the war nearly obliterated poht-
zeal lines Wings, Democrats and Repubh-
cans were generally united in the North
against the South, the Wings and Democrats
opposing secession and the Republicans de-
string to free the negroes. In the South
Democrats and Wings, and all parties, were
united to resist armed invasion and subiuga-
ton. The great Lee was opposed to seces-
sion, but deemed his duty was to his state,
which had joined her fortunes with her South
ern sisters. Virginia, too, was strongly in
favor of the Union, until Lincoln issued his
proclamation calling for troops Stephens,
Hill and many others, Democrats as well as
Wings, opposed separating from the Union,
but they went with their states and section
when war was inevitable
Both armies were composed Of all political
parties. and the assertion that the Federal
army were Republicans and the Confederate
army Democrats is simply nonsense.