Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1908-09-05
AUGUSTA REPUBLICANS
HOLD ENTHUSIASTIC RALLY.
Who Cheer t
John Ken
Emerson.

Four years lapse and we find ol1ra
selves involved in conflict, success
full issue on the Democratic side OF
which would have involved the disrup-
ton of this republic. l wish to exclude
from my consideration of this record
those unhappy and misguided persons.
Democrats to a man, who openly took
up arms against the Union. Whatever
their fault in the light of history, they
at least fought for principle as they
saw it and we knew where to find them.
1t was another class of Democrats in
those days that l wish to speak of,
and these We're not so easily
smoked out and do you recall what
they are called? 1t delights me to
think that the people of that day were
capable of applying to them a term
which was absolutely. accurately de-
scriptvc of their character and quality
when they called them "Copperheads."
And why We're they called Copper
heads? Because since that beautiful
day when the original mother of us all
went walking in that beautiful garden
and was invited to sit down and join
the original Democrat in a dish OF
fruit, we have known nothing meaner
in the line of serpents than that same
Copperhead.
With the patient Lincoln devoting
himself 10 an untiring effort to bring
terrible conflict to an end and to win
victory for the cause of the right, these
men We're secretly doing all in their
power. many of them in the safe en-
Nironment of Canada, to thwart him
in his purpose to put down rebellion.
l have no particular use for the man
who is eternaly waving that sanguin-
AIRY garment that we used to call tho
bloody shirt, and my respect for the men
Of principle who fought in the South
land for the lost cause sacrificing their
Ives and their fortunes for the main-
tenanCe of all that they believed to be
right, is deep but for the Copperhead
who would risk his precious person
on neither side and who did all that
lay in his power to embarrass the no.
bic Lincoln and impede his progress
to a solution of the awful problems
which confronted him, l hold All equal
~ great contempt. and l ask that DEM
ocrat vino sits within hearing of my
voice tonight what there is in this part
of his party's record that appeals to
his loyalty or his pride?
And when this war was brought to
its glorious conclusion and under the
influence of that sober second thought
that should have brought the Demo-
cratic party to a realization of it's du-
ty. whom did it nominate for the Pres
idency of the United States? Some
Democrat of the type of Stephen A.
Douglas. who, having been defeated
hv Mr.. Lincoln for the Presidency at
the outbreak of the war; loyalty and
generously went to him and said "Sir.
YOU have defeated me at the polls: we
have been opponents in political con-
flicts for years. l have fought you to
the best of my abilities in the past. but
in the face of this conflict my best
energies, mental, moral and physical.
are yours to command
Did they put a Democrat like that
in nomination.? Some man who had
been unwaveringly loyal to the trium-
phant cause? No. They chose for
their standard bearer Horatio Seymour
Of New York, a man who because of his
narrow partisan bigotry misrepresent-
ing that loyal Empire State, had chos-
en- of his own volition to rcpell every
friendly advance of Mr.. Lincoln, and
placed New York effectually in the at
ttude of opposition to the necessary
measures for the suppression OF the
war. and did everything that he could.
rot to help, but to impede. 1t was not
disloyalty, but narrow partisan
bigotry that impelled Horatio Seymour
to that course and he pursued 1t in faco
IF the most pathetic letters from Pres
dent Lincoln logging for his assist
ance. that have ever been recorded In
the archives of any nation.
In naming such man for the Presi-
lency of the United States at time
when the sanity Lincoln was resting
in his grave. the victim of an assassin.
! the Democratic party endorsed him and
CONTINUED on Page Four.)