Year: 1861




IC PARTY.


Certain pretended organs of the Republican
party in this State, says the Harrisburg Union
whose proprletors are filling their pockets from
the Federal Golfers, and who therefore care not
how long the present troubles last, see nothing
in the majestic rising of the people in defence
of the Government but splendid opportunity
OF making money for themselves and political
capital against the Democratic party.


These same men, who employ all the time
not devoted 10 robbing the Treasury TO charging
the Democratic party with treason and stirring
up the extinct emberS Of old controversies,
were moi always so much in love with the u
MON and the Government. They used TO speak
lightly OF the Union, and talk about letting it
side in certain contingencies. They inceSsant-
ly rIdiculed Democrats for expressing anxiety
for the preservation ofthe Union. They laugh
ed at the idea of danger. They denominated
all men who were SClcitouS for the future OF
the country as '' Union savers'-a phrase to
which they attached peculiar degree of odium.
They not only Stnbbornly refused to assent to a
peaceful settlement of our national troubles
when that was possible, but showed their dis
trust of the people by denying them the privl-
ege of voting on the question. The Chicago
platform Was their {" higher law" placed far
above the Constitution. Perish hundred u
MONS, they exclaimed, rather than give an inch
of this party platform. They chronIcled and
applauded every Iniracton of the fugitive slave
law. After The cotton States seeded from the
Union, they were in favor of letting them drift;
and they published articles 10 show that war
would not restore the Union.


Such was the spirit and temper of the class
of newspapers previous to the great events that
aroused the nation to the necessity of war for
its own protection and preservation. The as
saultS upon our flag, the reduction Of Fort Sum
ter, the immediate danger OF the Capital, al
once excited and united the people. Past po-
litical distinctions were forgotten in the pres
ence of peris that threatened TO plunge US into
anarchy, and TO destroy the glorious fabric Of
government reared and strengthened BY success
sive generations of statesmen and patriots. The
watchword flew with more than electric speed
from State 10 State, for it was the common i'm
pulse OF patriotism that the Union must be pl
served and the Government sustained. All
classes and conditions of men, without respect
10 their political opinions or preudices, with
out pausIng TO discuss the origin Of our national
troubles, without stopping TO determine where
the greatest weight oil responsibility should rest,
o5eyed the summons of the nation TO arms. -
Democrats did not hesitate or hold back We
say it in no boastiu spirit, but as an undenla-
bic truth, that no political party in the country,
and even The party that triumphed at the last
election, furnished as many men for this war
as the Democratic party. The same fervent
love for the Union which mpelled that party
to labor and plead for the preservation of the
Union by peaceful means, constrained its mem
bers 20 enter the ranks of the army after all
hopes OF saving the Union by compromise had
vanished, and the Government was asSaIled by
armed foes. They did not waste time in dis
cusslon and denunciation, or wait to conquer
their prejudices against the party in power !;
nor did they pause to deliberate as TO the pro-
priety of assisting an Administration in whose
elevation they had no hand, and from whose
domination they apprehended fearful consequent
ces. But thev recognized their obligations 10
the Government without regard to those admin
istering it, and their obedience was willing and
spontaneous.


Surely, il ever there was time when the
voice of faction should be hushed, and when
the partizarS OF the Administration ought 10
cease their warfare upon the Democratic party,
whose members compose large proportion of
The army, this is the time. And we are glad
TO say that thse malignant assaults do not come
from men actually engaged in fighting the oat-
Ties OF the country. They invariably come
from the class OF patriots who stay at home to
rob the treasury--from contract-jobbers; fur
hIsheTs OF rotten clothing and worthless shoes
pensioners OF the government men who hold
Sinecures at Washington and are let loose TO
Vi!iy better citizens than themselves public
tnieVes who have in turn belonged TO every pollt
icai party, and are ready at any time to sell out
10 the highest bidder wretched political pros
'ltotes, despised by those whose wages they re-
eieVe' This is the desrieable class Of adventu-
FerS wRo endeavor to convict every Democrat
oi sympathy with secession and treason who
VIII not deny has political faith, by subscribing
10 the most ultra dogmas of the ianatical wing
O. the Republican party.