The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1888-05-11
WHO WERE PArRIoTIcq

views the anti-wsr, 'tcopperhead," peace rec
ord of Melville w. Fuller. nominated to be
Chief-iustice of the United States which
shows that, as member of the Illinois Legis-
Iature he opposed the war, denounced the
Emancipation Proclamation, demanded that
peace should be made on any terms. and as
serted that the war was and would be fail
ure, adding
"The attack on Judge Fuller for his honor
able and patriotic record as q member of the
Illinois Legislature during the war is not the
result Of malice of partisan bitterness
No sane Republican of the present
day condemns anything in this brilliant rec
ord of patriotic Americanism.'
We call especial attention to this and put
it alongside of the Endorsements Mr. voor-
hees is receiving from the Democracy be-
cause Of the exposure of his similar record
during the war by Mr.. ingalls,. We also
range with these the appointment of Lamar
to the Supreme Bench, and his confirmation
by the aid of two Republican Senators on the
ground that the war is over and that Lamar
was as good Democrat as could be found
We also array with these the fact tina. many
Republican newspapers, particularly the Chi
cago papers. which are trying to lead the
Republican party and the country into q
quagmire, are asserting that it is ridiculous
to resurrect the record of Mr.. Fuller, and
charge it against him at the present time.
All these facts, and others of like nature
and tendency, are worthy careful study. The
ST. Louis Republican reveals the animating
idea of it all in what we have quoted Mr..
Fullers record of opposition to the war is "a
brilliant record of patriotic Americanism;" it
is an honorable and patriotic record" If so.
then, likewise, is the record of Daniel w:
Voorhees, and Clement L. Vallandigham, the
latter being the more brilliant honorable and
patriotic because the more outspoken. If it
was brilliant and patriotic Americanism" TO
oppose the war, to declare the war failure,
and to demand peace on any terms while the
federal armies were on the point of closing
with rebellion in the last and victorious strug-
gle, then the men who favored the war, who
were against peace except with an unbroken
Union and an acknowledged government
were unpatriotic. The Journal is not
an alarmist; but it is not q fool, and tries
to keep its eyes and ears open to the trend of
current events. We have not infrequently
alluded to the determined and persistent effort
of the Democratic party-North and South
to reverse the verdict and judgment of history;
to make it appear that the war to put down
rebellion was huge and bloody mistake; that
the "cause" for which the South fought was a
sacred one, and that the real patriots were
those who were on the side of the South,
either in open arms or in sympathy and ef-
fort to obstruct the federal government. In
this effort the Democracy is assisted by class
of Republicans and others who think it an
evidence of patriotism to forgive and forget
where there is not only no repentance, but
blatant assertion; who affect it lad
vanced" thought to ignore the principles
at the bottom Of the greatest event
in modern history; who assume it to be philo-
sophical to dismiss four years armed con-
fiict in which hundreds of thousands of men
were killed, and the country ridged and
| scanned with wounds and scars that can never
be obliterated. and who delight in dishonor-
ing the survivors of the governments side Of
that conflict by every choice epithet that po-
litical dilettsnteism can invent. This is the
school which thinks it wrong to protest
against the violent overthrow of the Constitu-
ton in certain States; the r,urderous sup
suspension of law" whilo equal rights are
trampled into the dust and who insolently
yell bloody shirt" against those who think
that great wrongs like these cannot be- COM
mitted and condoned with safety to the peace
and welfare of the Nation.
The Journal calls attention 10 ''the brill
liant record of patriotic Americanism" of
Melville w. Fuller, of Daniel w. Voorhees,, of
Clement L. Vallandigham, and asks the sober
4
Indiana. whether, in the year they are building
grand monument to the memory of the two
hundred thousand men who left their homes
to support on the field of battle the cause Of
the government, they are ready to concede
that that whole gigantic conflict was huge
and bloody mistake on their part; that there
were no vital principles involved; that moth.
ing came ont of it that should be sacredly and
previously conserved; that no deep and i'm
portant lessons are to be impressed upon
future citizenship, with malice toward none
but with charity for ELL" and that the best
way to heal the wounds of war and to develop
and perpetuate government of the people.
by the people. and for the people is to permit
to 60 unchallenged the damnable iteration
that opposi ton to the war was brilliant and
patriotic Americanism," and those entitled t.
the chief honors of the Nation ara the men
most conspicuous for their anti-war records