Year: 1865

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During the war the Southern Democracy


were in arms to overthrow the Government,
and the Northern wing Of the party rendered


such aid and comfort to their brethren as they


dared, by keeping up brisk fire in the rear.


And now that the war is over, the two wings,
the rebels and the Copperheads are hasten
| ing to reunite in order to get the control OF
the country again. And in ordsr to defeat
the Union party, every possible device is re-
sorted to, as only in the defeat and division
of the Union party is there the slightesthopes
of success for rebels and Copperheads.
1 Hence, in accordance with the advice of
Judge Mason, the leaders are striving might
lily for that end, by whatever means seems
best adapted to the particular locality in
which they operate.


In New Jersey, where the Copperheads
were never beaten during the war, the leaders
run straight-out Copperhead ticket on q
StAte rights sesni-secesh and semi-repudiation
platform while in Iowa, where the Copper
heads have been thrashed out of their boots,
they employ a corporals guard of sore head
military officers to inaugurate a soldiers ticket
in the interests of Copperhead leaders.
In New York, however, the party leaders
made a still bolder dodge, nominating in their
State Convention strait-out Republicans who
had never voted Democratic ticket and
| placing them on platform, the like of which
| was never heard of before in Democratic
Convention.


And in the following brief extract from the
New York World, We have the motive and
reason for these varied Copperhead tactics.
We quote:


g What is the main political question in
this important juncture? By the consent of
all parties, and of men belonging to no party.
of our own citizens, and Of foreigners. It is
reconstruction. Which is more for
the interest of the Democratic party, that the
Southern States should be Immediately re-
stored and exert their full weight in Federal
politics, or that they should be kept out of
Congress, and excluded from participation in
the next Presidential election - =
Supposing. then. the Democratic party to
look merely TO party success, We repeat the
question, whether il Is. or is not. for our in
| terest that the Southern States shall be at
once represented in Congress? whether it is.
or IS not, for our interest that their full weight
shall be felt in the politics OF the country.
and especially IN the next Presidential cleo
ton


Ii they are sincere in their accusation tha.
the Democracy were party of pro s.avery
doughiaces previous to the war. and of pro-
rebel partisans during its prosecution. they
must admit that the Southern people would
be likely TO know their friends and act on
their knowledge. when re- admitted to Federal
politics. The more strongly the Democracy
are charged with Southern sympathies the
less surprise ought TO be felt by their accusers
that they wish to strengthen their party by he
, aid of Southern votes.


Most certainly, there is nothing
which would so powerfully contribute to the
| re acquisition by the Democracy Of It's old as
cendancy in national politics; and only polti.
cal shutters will affect to doubt it. II it, then.
so surprising thing that the Democratic par
ty should act with a view to its obvious in
terests?


There is, to be sure, tendency in all po-
litical parties to continue to repeat dead form
ulas, to which habit and association had at
tached them while those formulas had sgnifi-
canoe and vitality; and the Democracy Of New
York may fairly lay claim TO the sagacty





| and living questions. and readily conforms its
action to new circumstances. *


The World further claims that it is a cum
ming stroke of party tactics to prevent black
suffrage, which it says would be fatal to the
aseendancy ofthe Democratic party, and it
admits that the cause of the Democratic oppo-
sition to enfranchising the blacks is that they
would vote against the Democratic party. We
quote:


The substance of the Albany platform is,
that the Democratic party wish the Southern
States restored Immediately to their Federal
privileges, and restored without negro suffrage
Now, as the advocates of negro suffrage claim
that the negroes would vote with them against
their former masters and against the Demo
craIic party it is piece of indescribable fatu-
ity for them to talk as if the party were acting
inconsistently in tryingto expedite the return
OF the States without negro suffrage.
There is the whole thing in nut shell; the
Democratic leaders are anxious for the resto-
ration of political rights to traitors, and the
refusal of political rights to loyal blacks of
the South, in order that the Reunited North
crn copperhead and Southern traitors who
sympathized and collogued together during
the war, may elect the next President and
control the destnies Of the country.


That is the programme, and every soldier
and every loyal citizen who votes against the
Union party, on whatever pretence, is giving
direct did and comfort in carrying that pro-
granime into effect.


The Des Moines Register publishes the let
of George Washington Lafayette Jones tn