The Union And Journal

The Democratic Convention.

On the day set apart by the President as a day of National Thanksgiving and Praise to God for the victories granted to our arms over the foes of the Republic, a convention was held in Portland by the open and avowed enemies of the Government, who could see nothing in the success of our arms to commend, nothing in the efforts of the government to preserve itself, to praise, and nothing in the treason of Davis and his conspirators to condemn. In order to introduce the action of the convention in proper form, we propose to give a synopsis of the twelve resolutions:

1. All men, irrespective of party, are invited to unite in terminating the calamities which now inflict our distracted and unhappy land.

2. The Union was formed in "fraternity and concession," and cannot exist in the absence of that brotherly spirit.

3. "We will earnestly support every constitutional measure tending to preserve the Union of the States," cannot, therefore, support the present Administration, its course being destructive of the Union and the Government.

4. The war is now being conducted, not for the restoration of the Union, but for the Abolition of Slavery and the destruction of the republic.

5. Under our form of Government the sovereign power is vested in the people, and rests on no other foundation than their will. The people are the only lawful sovereigns, and public functionaries are only their servants.

6. On the part of the rebel States, a disposition being shown to return, they shall be welcomed back with all their dignity, equality and rights unimpaired.

7. Asserts freedom of speech and of the press.

8. Denounces military necessity.

9. Lauds the traitor Vallandigham, asserting that he is a martyr.

10. Denounces the conscription law as unwise and oppressive but counsels obedience unless the Courts decide it as unconstitutional.

11. Commends the soldiers, widows and orphans.

12. Thinks Seymour, next to Vallandigham, the only man north of Mason and Dixon's line worthy of praise.

The loyal men of Maine are under obligations to the copperheads assembled for the bold stand they have taken in favor of treason and against their own government. We say under obligations, in as much as any mask they may have tried to wear, by these resolutions is thrown aside, and the "democratic" party of this State stands in its utter deformity, the apologists of traitors, the revilers of every effort to preserve the Union, the Federalists and Hartford Conventionists of the present day. Every person now aiding in suppressing the rebellion is denounced, while the fact that there now exists a gigantic conspiracy to over-throw the Government and forever destroy the Union of these States, is entirely ignored. One of the speakers remarked at the convention in speaking of the selection of a gubernatorial candidate, "All we want to know is that he is unalterably opposed to the Administration!" No need to ask, O, Verges! is he an antagonist of the rebellion, does he repudiate all sympathy with traitors, is he "unalterably opposed" to every effort to destroy the Government, will be under all circumstances vote to preserve the Union, keep step to its music and follow its flag? None of these, or such would be too patriotic! But the only requirement of you, Mr. Bradbury, is, are you "unalterably opposed" to the--Administration, will you, if elected Governor, embarrass said Administration by all the means in your power, so long as it continues a war against your democratic brethren now in arms against the liberties of your country?

Thus the democratic party in 1863 ripens into the Federal party of 1812, distinguished from it only in intensity. President Lincoln's Administration is not a whit more denounced, than were the administrations of Jefferson and of Madison by those blue lighted Federalists in the last war with England, who, by their conventions and speeches, lost no opportunity to declare that Madison was a tyrant, that French influence caused him to declare war without a pretext, that the conscription law was unconstitutional, that the war should be closed by compromise, that peace only could save the country, &c. &c.

Democrats, how do you like the parallel?

Whether the Federalists were wrong, we leave to the "democrats" to decide, for up to 1861 they have cursed them without mercy, and anathematized their memory until they have adopted the policy of the Federalists, without half their brains or provocation!

But whether the Tories of the Revolution and of 1812 were right or wrong, whether Nathan Dane, George Cabot, William Prescott and the other members of the celebrated Hartford Convention were patriots or not, one thing is certain, their political memories have been a stench in the nostrils of succeeding generations, and so will be the action of the Portland Copperheads, who, wriggling themselves into their accustomed subserviency to southern "chivalry", raise their hideous crests, and with forked tongue aim poison at only that government which protects them.
Do the people of Maine want an issue grander and of more importance than the one forced upon us by the disloyal citizens in our midst? Are we prepared to endorse that party who under Buchanan brought the country to the verge of ruin, and who are now clamoring for office, in order that they may complete their work of destruction? Can we intrust the Constitution and the Laws to the hands of those men who have tender words only for traitors, and denunciations only for those who are in favor of crushing the rebellion? Maine has seen and heard enough of the Bradburys, Macdonalds and Wigginses to satisfy its loyal yeomanry for three thousand years to come, and we have no fear for the result upon the ides of September.