Year: 1866

VHE UNION PAHT1 FUN XH0 WAEk&


or THE UNION.


During the past Eve years the Democratic
party, which was rent in twain by the rebel
lion, has found Jordan hard road to tiAveL
The grea. controlling wing of the party en-
gagged in open and bloody var to overthrow
the Government, and the Northern wing were
restrained from rendering active aid and COM
fort by fear Of the consequences. "They let,
dare not wait upon, would, likethe eat in the
adage,' and instead Of taking up arms, they
confined themselves for the most part to SIM
pie, peaceable opposition to the war, and
open denunciation of the measures Of the
Government, and to final, solemn and tri-
umphant declaration in their National Con.
vention at Chicago, that the war bad proved
failure.


In our own State, being weaker and wick
eder than in most other States Of the North,
the leaders of the anti war party have shifted
their platform and changed their name annn-
ally. and at some periods semi annually
from the opening of the war to the pr sent
time. Their FIRST State platform in 1861, was
anti-war, ont and out, and their nominee for
Governor was Hon. Charles Mason. who was
subsequently Withdrawn, because some of the
prominent members Of the party openly de.
nounced him as ''disunionist." Thereupon
the leaders organized "Union party" with
piebald ticket, which was buried SO deep by
the people at the fall election that the names
=. IL
no longer survive in public recollection. Sub.
sequently these same leaders organized
kind of loyal Lincoln war ticket, with General
Tutle at its head, who proiessed to be more
in favor OF the war and its vigorous prosecu-
tion than the war party itself. But these
same Copperhead leaders were running the
machine, and they had placed two of their
own number on the ticket with Tuttle and
so the people of Iowa Indignantly buried the
concern in oblivion.


Last year the Copperhead leaders resorted
to another dodge-charged the name Of the
party once more to the Soldiers party
and INDUCED their party in the sacrifice of
another Brigadier Of the Union army.


But this miserable crew Of unpatriotic
thimble- riggers, who MANIPULATE the Cop
perhead party of Iowa at their pleasure, have
not exhausted all the .sdodges' of their in
ventive genius, nor assumed all the phases or
names accessible to their versatile talents.
This spring ~ dub their party the John
son party,'' and under this new disguise they
are striving once more to deceive the people
with professions of devotion to the Union, as
vain to do under semblance Of loyalty and
love for the soldiers. by putting forward Ma
jor Generals and Brigadier Generals for their
leaders. The game is too shallow and too
transparent and the gambling politicians have
worn their oft turned coats too threadbare, in
their avocation of humbuggiug, to admit Of
their deceiving the people in the present in
stance.


President johnson was elected on the Union
ticket by the Union party in the blaze and
thunder Of the sswar failure hosts who raj
liedto encourage their Southern brethren in
their waning efforts against the 'boys in blue.
and the Union men at home. President
johnson is supported by a cabinet of loya
Union men, every one of whom has received
q thousand hroadsides of vituperation and
hillingsgate from these same latter day .John
son men,. That same Union party of which
President Johnson and his cabinet are dis
tinguished leaders, are backed up by Unor
majority of more than two to one in both
houses of Congress And the Governors ane
Legislatures Of all the loyal States, with two OIL
three insignificant exceptions, belong to the
same glorious Union party who ase bound
together as with bands OF steel, by the trial,
and the trlumphs of a five years war which
will render its name and its fame immortal


With such brilliant record, and such ar
inyincihle party as the Uniou party, neithe
President johnson. nor the humblest mem
Der Of the party, can have any greater induce
ment to take refuge in the camp or fly to the
embraces Of Copperheads and rebels now Q
when our arms have been crowned with vic
tory, than they had during the bloody pro
gress of the doubtful war, no odds what NAM
those same rebels and Copperheads may
choose for their party.