Year: 1864

gers for many years (for Presidential


bribes and the like) to give over the in


terests of this nation, in its every de-


partment, to the very men who are IN ar
med revolt against US For forty nine


out of the seventy years during which


the Government has existed, Slavery has
filled the Presidential chair; and, for thir
teen wears more, it has dictated the con-
duct of that Office. 1t has controlled


with absolute sway the army and navy of
the United States; it has distributed the


political patronage in all departments of
the Government; it has prescribed every


man, in every section of the country who


held slavery to be an evil; it has dictated
the legislation of Congress; it has soiled


the ermine of the Supreme Court; it has


depraved the organization and action of
political parties, and through them, it has


sought to make Slavery permanent po-


litica power 1t has grasped at the com


plete control of the Territories of the


United States, to create the basis of new


extensions Of political power All this


it has achie ieved and aimed at: yet, during


its entire and controlling life, it has been


an interest distinct from, and hostile to,


the other great interests of the nation


and the Slave holding class have consti-


tuted less than one-fftieth part of the


population of the United States; and; in


every legitime regard, the slave interest


has been far inferior to every other in


terest of the Government. With this in


terest the fortunes of these leaders are


leagued Unhapily, lamentably, such


is an unvarnished, incontrovertible his


tory of the acts, conduct and antecedents


of the controlling spirits of what is cal


led the Opposition Party. Can such men


be trusted?


And the painful fact is forced upon US


that these very leaders, and for this very


end, are now lifting the canvas of a tat


tered tent where a war stained hero re-


poses, on a distant shore, all over cover


ed with laurels, and whose deeds reflect
back the radiance Of the stars that smile


upon and honor him: a man whose glory,


whose thoughts, whose fame, whose use
|


active service of his country. The ma


ton has rewarded him promptly and


unanimously-by the highest badge of


distinction in its official power, and, AS


this, so far any external recognition


goes, no Jewel is so dear to the soldier.


Even were he a trained civilian, to re-


move General Grant from such a field
would be a revolt aginst the plainest
maxims of prudence. What will such an
Opposition do with such man? Do they


propose to black ball him with their pos
itively infamous record? To associate


his name with that of such men as Val
) landigham and Fernando Wood? Will


they crawl over and around his new


made fame, befouling it with their Shiny
tread? VIII they seek to sting the inn
} mortal part of him to sudden death, as


by the venomous bite of the tabled asp?
: Or do they design to subject his reputa-
} ton to the more and disgusting and in
!, sidious process by which the vampire is


said to suck the life blood of its vic
tins?


If General Grant were to consent to
become the political leader of such par


ty, at a period like this in our political


affairs, then would his deserved and gilt


tering renown fade and disappear in


night that would know no roseate morn


ing. We say this because we have de-


monstrated the fact, which is now the re-
: corded history of our nation, that the


leaders of the Opposition mean no good
They are not only true to their political


antecedents with the rebels: but. from
the beginning of their opposition to the
J war policy of the administration. their


exclusive aim has been, now is, and to
, the end will continue to be, to grasp the
J spoils of the treasury and the political
power Of the people. 1t is painful to
pursue this speculation, as connected
with General Grant; nay, it is absolutely
revolving. Long, long be it before SER
pents shall rear their envenomed heads
on the moss grown base of Grants mon
t ument, Let US all devoutly hope that


the proud fabric may stand, until it shall
, moulder into imperishable worth.


We have dealt at some length upon
what We call the Opposition party. for
the reason that we wish strongly to i'm
press all Union men with the great neces-
sity which exists, that they shall make


sure that the destinies of this country
shall fall into no peril, such as would at
tend them in the ambitious. selfish and


unrighteous keeping of these political
f freebooters- Nor are we without strong
= hopes that we have presented such pic
ture of the past conduct of these un-
} scrupulons men, as will awaken many an
honest (so-called) conservative to rub
: his eyes, to shake off his lethargy, to
arouse fully recovered from his heavy
: and dreamful sleep to see with quicken