Year: 1866

J. s. SLOAN, Van Buren county.


Central Committee lst Con. Dis





THE GREAT ISSUE.


The great issue before the country 1t the
outbreak Of the War divided the people, in
the words of Douglas, into two parties
"patriots and traitors" The appeal to arms
TO overthrow the Government drenched the
land in blood, and the issue involved not only
the perpetuity of our Government, but the
cause of civil liberty the world over. In the
progress Of such contest there could be no
neutrals, and on the one side were arrayed
the embattled hosts of the traitor oliearchy
and their sympathizing Copperhead brethren
of the North, with the aristocracy of Europe,
and on the other the patriot soldiers and peo-
pie, North and South. with the friends Of
freedom in all lands.


The contest was hotly waged on the battle
fields Of Ii. South and in the arena Of the
public opinion Of the civilized world with va
Tying success and at an immense sacrifice OF
life and property. till the sympathizins friends
Of the Rebels had the semelty to declare in
their National Convention at Chicago that
four years had demonstrated the war fail
ure. But the President Of the United States,
yielding to the earnest and overwhelming
demand Of the loyal millions. had issued that
great Proclamation Of Justice and Liberty
which has rendered his name immortal, and
thenceforth the God Of Battles crowned our
arms with unvarying success until the final
surrender of the Rebel Armies. But on the
eve Of final victory on the battle field, Cop.
perhead and rebel hate accomplished the fell
purpose Of striking down the great champion
Of liberty and the savior Of his country.
Henceforth the contest was renewed in the
field Of politics and of craftsmanship. The
leaders of the rebellion confessed, perforce,
that the Rebellion had failed of its purposes,
but they openly proclaimed that they still
maintained and should forever uphold the
principles upon which it was founded. And
the dogma Of State sovereignty and the re-
sultant right Of secession is to day as univer-
sally popular in the South as at any time be
fore the war, and is received by large por
ton Of the Copperheads Of the North with
the same tolerance manifested by President
Buchanan when he declared that the Govern.
ment Of the United States had no right to
''coerce' sovereign State to lsy down her
arms and submit to the Constitution and laws.
Thus proclaiming the rightfulness of Rebel
lion and glorying in their treason against the
Government, the traitors of the South now
demand the right to govern the loyal people
Of the land through the arts and subterfuges
Of politics, Of establishing in practice the
principle which the loyal people Of this land
have shed 81 much blood and expended 80
much treasure to resist, during all the years
of this bloody war for the maintenance Of the
Union. And il the traitors are admitted to
make and administer our laws At once, and
without conditions. the result of the war will
have materially increased their strength to
wage the civil and political contest which
they are painting to inaugurate in the halls Of
Congress. The emancipation Of the slaves
of the South doubles the power Of every
white traitor in South Carolina, Mississippi
and other States, and very nearly doubles the
representation in the late Confederate States
in the Congress Of the United States. Hence
under the deceptive watchwords ofthe equal
rights of the States,' and a white mans gov.
ernment,' one traitor has an equal right in
controlling the policy Of the Government with
two white loyal men. Is this what we fought
the battles of the Union for? Did We demon
strate on the battle fields of the South the
abeurdity of the boast of the chivalry tha,
one Southern man was equal to Eve Northern
men. only to concede the more dangerous and
practical absurdity that the voice Of one white
traitor in the South is equal to that Of two
white 10y al men in he North in the govern
ment Of the Union? Shall the loyal peopL
of this land, will our living soldiers insult
the memory of their brave companions in
arms Who died on tie field of glory, BY thu.
tamely yielding to This arrogant demand o.
the lately defeated rebels? Shall Southern
traitor. be permitted to count stheir negroes
as equal to Northern white men in fixing the
basis of representation in Congress and II
the Electoral College, and then turn arounc
and deny this equality 20 far - they are con
cerped, and BY robbing the negro ofh rieh
Of franchise. constitute one white traitor o
the son,h equal TO two white loyal aoldiers O
the North at the polls.


But besides being unequal and unjust, such J,
policy "my policy as it seems now by specia
message Enforcement, is likewise unsafe 70
the country and rerilous to oil the interests o
the Union, involved BY the war and its re
suits.


This contest in regard to the right Of secea
sion Il an open question, 10 proclaimed .
still in issue and to be decided anew throag
the ballot box, in the Halls Of Congress, IN
BY the Executive and Judicial Department
of the Government The leaders Of the let
rebellion in coancil and in the Geld, vice
President ErEsHEks and General Lee hav
both deliberately declared that theaeh beate
= The feld Of battle sAey still maintain ID
right pf secession, and the rebels of h
Sod agrss With thsir Isadsrs. And u


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