Rensselaer Union, Volume 3, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 June 1871 — Humor in Politics. [ARTICLE]

Humor in Politics.

The opinions of Mr. Vallandigham are only important as being those of the most , malignant of copperheads during the war, ■Who would gladly have seen the government overthrown and the supremacy of slavery assured. Sit years having elapsed since the surrender at Appomattax, Mr. Vallandigham has ascertained that the Union has been maintain d and slavery abolished, and he suspects that the country has no present intention of undoing the work of the war as embodied in the settlements. .He lias, therefore, issued a manifesto, which his friends of the Mobile Remitter, and others of the same sympathy, will ruefully ponder. It is an exceedingly lively and discursive document, .which might be summarized in this manner. 1 Whebkab, The Democratic party is composed of thoee who dnrlDg the late war were active or paseivp supporters of the rebellion j and whereas It Is reasonable to assume that the opinions of these persons are unchanged,; and whereas a rational aqlqratian does not requite that anybody should /Ofv continue to bold those oplnions-'-therefore resolved. thstbeiDg of opinion that the war was a 'wicked and unconstitutional assault upon constitutional right*. Mil tba settlement a tyrannical usurpation, we cordially invite all Republicans to - unite with ua in accepting the amendments as valid, and in restoring us to power. Mr. Vallandigham proceeds to resolve that the late amendments have enlarged , the poweiu.of tfce national Government, and to pledge the Democratic party to “ the enforcement of the Constitution as it now is, so as to secure ecual rights to all persons without distinction of race, color and condition,” and then protests against the legislation of Congress to secure those rig Mk—a protest which, from Mr. Vallanriighnm, is like the resolutions of his Inends doting tip rebellion, which ap-

proved the war and denounced all measures for carrying it on. Finally, he resolves that the Republican parly is no longer the Republican party nor the Union party, but merely an administration party. But lie happily refrains from revolving that the Democratic ia really tin- Repel) tican party, leaving that great truth to the' imagination of the reader The manifesto of Mr. Vallandighsm is a “ feeler.” The utter absurdity and hopelessness Of the Democratic position are apparent even to him, and ho therefore proposes this humorous acknowledgment of the facts of the situation. But he does not saye himself, nor can ho save his party. For the case is very simple. The country will maintain the settlements The Southern wing of the Democratic iwtrty denounces them. The Northern wing agrees that they are unlawful and abomiuable, but begs tbe Southern brothers to keep quiet to tide over the election. The Republican party, which made the settlements, i 3 a unit in their maintenance. Why, then, should the, country choose the party which contains all the elements of hostility to the amendments, and which either declares it or keeps sib nee merely to obtain power V The question of the campaign of 1N72 will be, which is the greater risk for the country —the re-opening of tin issues of reconstruction, or the continued ascendency of the Republican party? For, even if the Democratic Convention should declare its acquiescence, the country knows exactly the elements of the party, and that four years ago its Convention" pronounced -the settlements unconstitutional, revolutionary and void.— lfrrrjlrr's Weekly.