Year: 1867

Democratic DisIOyaIIy.


We endeavored to show the other day
that the sole object of the so-called
Democratic party during the war was
to aid the cause of the rebellion by every


means in their power As we think
this an objectionable sin, we propose
that our people shall not be permitted to
forget it, feeling assured that while
memory lasts it will never find forgive
ness. In order to fully comprehend the
enormity of the crime OF rebellion,
which our Democratic neighbos sought
to strengthen, let us examine some of
the expressions OF the rebel leaders as
indicative of their object in inaugurating
civil war.


Alex. II. Stephens, whose recent
apotheosis as model Union man has
been trumpeted forth in such grandose
style by a sharp newspaper writer, made
speech in Savannah on the 21st Of
March, 1861, from which we quote:


"Atrican slavery was the immediate
cause of the late rupture and the present
revolution. Jefferson, in his forecast,
had Anticipated this, as the 'rock upon
which the old Union would split lie
was right. What was conjecture with
him is now realized fact But wheth-
er he fully comprehended the great
truth upon which that rock aooJ and
Staada may be doubted. The prevailing.
ideas entertained by him and most Of
the leading statesmen at the time Of the
formation Of the old constitution were
that the enslayement Of the African
was in violation OF the laws of Nature,
that it was wrong in principle, socially,
morally and politically. n = THOSE
atsas, horerer, ,oere Fundamentally ,croag.
" " Ownew governments found
ed upon exactly the opposite ideas"


The Democratic platform recon-
mends ga frequent recurrence to first
principles" hence our quotation from
one who may be considered at least the
godfather Of the Confederacy, in one of
his first speeches after secession had
become an established fact. Deny it as
they may, no sane man doubts that
slavery was the corner stone Of the
Contederacy, and its perpetuation and
aggrandi2ement was the sole cause of
the rebellion But the Democracy.
justified secession, and aided it so far as
their cowardice would allow; therefore
they wrought for the elevation Of slavery
above freedom


In furtherance of this atrocious
scheme, we find them at work through
every stage Of the war, by means most
foul and damnable. You could never
open Democratic paper during the
war but the aaia,aS of the party was
in every column. Whatever
scheme of the Government for prose-
cutting the war happened to be upper
most in public attention, came in for
most unmeasured abuse Was Union
officer punished for refusing to obey
orders to press forward with vigor
against the enemy, the press Of the OPP
position praised him as a patriot of
purest character, who could not be
moved by the lashings Of fanatics. Was
a disloyal press suppressed by military
power, the papers rung with the out-
rageous violation Of one Of the plainest
teachings and guarantees Of the Con
stitution They charged upon Aboli-
lionists all the horrors of the war, and
the blood of the slain. They sneered
at negro soldiers, and embraced every
opportunity Of holding them up to ridi-
cule. All this, and more of the same
character, constituted the daily literature
of the party which to-day asks to have
the custody of the State returned to
them. Yet in all that time, no word
ever appeared in any organ of the party,
condemDatory of the treason of the
South, or indicative of the existence of
a spark of loyalty in the Democratic
editorial heart.


We are sometimes met by the asser-
ton that Democrats were in our army,
and fought valiantly for the integrity of
the Union. 1t is undoubtedly true that
many of our most trustedsoldiers were
identified with that party before the war,
and it is no less true that their joining
the army was considered as a formal
sundering of their old party affiliations.
Grant and Sheridan, were members of
that party before the war, but no demo-
crat will be SO foolish as TO claim them
now. 1t was the party we condemn
that run Vallandigham against Brough |
in 1868, and gave him $4,000 votes.
Vallandigham was and is the represent
alive man of that party. He was never
known to utter a loyal sentiment during
the war. No one ever heard of his
saying single word Of laudation of the