Now that war was over, the Democrats insisted on the offending States being instantly re-invested with all the rights of loyalty, without promise and without condition.

At the beginning of the war and after its close, therefore, they had been hand in hand with the offending rebels, practically working at both periods to bring about the result desired by the South.

Their policy, in short, seemed to have the interests of the guilty authors of the Rebellion more at heart than the safety of the Union.

Their efforts now to clothe the Southern conspirators with fresh power and to take no note of the crimes which had for four years drenched the land in blood, constituted an offense only less grave in the eyes of the Republicans than the aid and comfort given to the Rebellion in the hour of its inception.
These were the accusations and criminations which were exchanged between the political parties.

They lent acrimony to the impending canvass and increased the mutual hostility of those engaged in the exciting controversy.