The Jackson standard. [volume] (Jackson C.H., Ohio) 1847-1888, 1884-07-24
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The Democratic Party as a Friend
Of Traitors!
Shall Rebel Soldiers be PGnSi0nGd?

It is a matter Of history that while
a large proportion Of the Democratic
party announced themselves in favor
of vigorous prosecution of the war
andsmany Democrats took active part
in the suppression of the Rebellion
the party as party was decidedly in
sympathy with the aims and objects
of the Rebellion. The National plat
form of the party in 1864 declared the
war failure while the victorious
cheers of the victorious boys in blue
were resounding throughout the
Sunny South. That convention was
held in Chicago; and NOW, twenty
years afterward, the same party which
then declared that the Rebellion could
not be put down, comes squarely out,
and advocates the pensioning of the
Rebel soldiers. Read this, from the
platform adopted at Chicago, and upon
which Cleveland stands, asking the
votes OF Une people,
"The system of direct taxation
known as the Internal Revenue is
war tax, and so long as the law con-
tinues, the money derived therefrom
should be sacredly devoted to the re-
lief Of the people from the remaining
burdens of the war. and be made
fund to defray the expense of the care
and comfort of worthy soldiers disa-
bled in line of duty in the wars of the
Republic, and for the payment Of such
pensions as Congress may from time
to time grant to such soldiers, like
fund for the sailors having been al
ready provided; and any surplus should
be paid into the treasury"
Note carefully the wording Of that
reference to soldiers Not soldiers
of the Union;" not Federal soldiers;"
but soldiers Of the wars of the Re
public" That takes them all in-the
gray as well as the blue. If one Of
John Morgan's horse thieves was shot
and wounded by Union soldier while
the horse thief was in the act of steal
ing your horse, you are now, accord
ing to your faith in the Democratic
party, to pension the thief, wounded
while stealing your property.
The Democratic party has Travelled
as fast as it dared in this direction.
The pensioning of the Southern trail
tors by the Government they sought
to destroy, has long been a favorite
idea with them. Now that almost
twenty years have elapsed since the
close of the war, they deem it safe to
come squarely out and advocate the
pensioning of the gentle and lovely
gray back.
Behind this entering wedge there
lies vast heap of claims for property
taken by the Union armies from the
Southern traitors. In due time these
will be presented for payment, and the
United States Government, after all
the vast amount of life and treasure
sacrificed in putting down the Rebel
lion, will be called upod to remuner-
ate the traitors for any losses occa-
stoned to them by the brave boys in
blue who had to go South and shoot
good behavior and obedience to law
into them. Let any Union soldier
who was wounded during the war
consider for a moment the pensioning
Of the traitor who shot him.
Contrast the traitorous declaration
Of the Democratic platform, with the
bold and manly declaration of the Re-
publican platform in favor of Union
soldiers and sailors. Upon this plat
form stands the gallant Logan, who
was shot down while storming the
Notifications Of the traitors who were
in arms against the Government. We
are entirely unable to understand how
any decent Democrat could vote with
snch a crowd this year, and ever look
a Union soldier in the face again.
The first draft of this Democratic
platform had the word "Confederate"
in, but that was deemed little too
strong, and it was stricken out. The
next great work of the Democracy
will probably be an attempt to pen
sion every traitor who contracted a
diarrhea while rnnning from Union
soldiers when he was member of the
Knights of the Golden Circle.