The Labor enquirer., 1884-11-29
a FALSE CLAIM.

a. i
No doubt the chief strength of the re-
publican party in the last campaign lay
in its war record and It's continued hos
tility to southern ideas or war issues,
which it claims are not yet dead The
/. democratic party is placed by republi-
cans, squarely on the side of the rebels.
This ridiculous arraying OF dead ques-
tions is carried 80 far that large part OF
the republican voters actually believe
that the democrats, on,e in power, would
establish all the rebelij fought for, or at
least pay them for their losses. Soldiers
seem TO hold as much enmity now as
they did during war times. They would
willingly go through ahe same slaughter
again for a like ofenso.
They will vote as they shot tor the
Q. o. o. that abolished slavery.
They established freedom for negroes
and that amply rewarded them for all
sacrifices.
These are the arguments of republican
soldiers, but they are not sound.
In the first place it is a question
whether the slightly improved condition
of the negroes is worth the sacrifice OF
half a million able-bo lied men, a greater
number wounded, and money spent to
the amount Of three times the value of
the slaves.
Law is the only thing that can make
slave. and law could have freed them
without blood. Not soldier went south.
not one gave his life, not dollar was
spent with the direct object of freeing
the slaves. Soldiers :an be found to-day
who will testify that they fought rebels
one day, and on the next caughtfHgitive
slaves; guarded them, and returned them
to their masters. This did not appear
like fighting for theil freedom.
The republican patty did not free the
slaves. The party was not organized for
the purpose. They came into power
= with determination to keep slavery
out of certain territory and to preserve
the union with or without abolishing
I slavery. 70 81.
True, there was In element in the
party known as abclitlonists, and they,
by their agitation alsrmed the south to
such degree that they took up arms.
but not one republican in ten was an
abolitionist. Abraham Lincoln issued
bis proclamation, not as an abolitionist,
nor as republ lican, but as commander
in-chief of the army. He could no longer
fight the rebels and protect their prop
erty at the same time.
When we hear republican soldier
boast that his party abolished slavery,
we may conclud that he is not acquaint-
ed with the facts. He may claim that
the republican party preserved the union,
but it abolished slavery as it would burn
bridge-to gain a fighting advantage.
The government went into the war with
the avowed intention of preserving
slavery if possible.
The party which our jealous veterans
wish 10 keep in power represents in no
way the men who preserved the union.
The republican party consists chiefly of
the men who grew rich out of the war,
They were not bv any means dead
heads in the enterprise, for they now
want one dollar fol every thirty-eight
cents invested, and zig interest in gold
on the one dollar. =
They did not eyeis furnish, money for
war expenses bnt' gathered ,spp, .gteen-
backs after they hat been issued Ior that
purpose, bought bonds with them at so
per cent and more discount, and now de-
mand gold fol both interest and princi-
pal. /,
It. is hard 10 believe that the demo-
Gratis are such fire eaters as the repub-
licans describe them If Cleveland s ad-
ministration is equal or superior to that
of any president daring twenty years
past, the bloody shirt will wave no
more. Republicans who are anxious to
take up important issues will no longer
feel compelled to vote to keep imaginary
rebels out of powe:.. Honest men will |
see that they have, enemies in both
parties and will see the need offs Peoples
party. Unless the democrats attempt
something similar tc what the rebels did
in 1851 there will be no excuse for the
existence of the republican party. 81.