the largest number
of slaves in proportion to population, were almost unanimous for
rebellion. Western Virginia, Eastern Kentucky, East Tennessee, had
few slaves, and love of the Union and hatred of secession in those
mountain regions was nearly universal.

The counterpart of this was found everywhere in the North. In
counties and districts where the majority of the people had been
accustomed to defend or excuse the practice of slave-holding and
the aggressions of the slaveholders, there was much sympathy with
the rebellion and strong opposition to the war. Men who abused and
hated negroes did not usually hate rebels. On the other hand,
anti-slavery counties and districts were quite sure to be Union to
the core.

In Ohio, as in other free States, the Democratic party could not be
led off in a body after the peace Democracy. Brough, Tod, Matthews,
Dorsey, Steedman, and a host of Democrats of the Jackson school,
nobly kept the faith. Lytle, McCook, Webster, and gallant spirits
like them, from every county and neighborhood of our State, sealed
their devotion to the Union and to true Democracy with their life's
blood.

They believed, with Douglass, in the last letter he ever wrote,
that "it was not a party question, nor a question involving
partisan policy; it was a question of government or no government,
country or no country, and hence it became the imperative duty of
every Union man, every friend of constitutional liberty, to rally
to the support of our common country, its government and flag, as
the only means of checking the progress of revolution, and of
preserving the Union of the States."

They believed the words of Douglass' last speech: "This is no time
for a detail of causes. The conspiracy is now known. Armies have
been raised, war is levied to accomplish it. There are only two
sides to the question. Every man must be for the United States or
against it. There can be no neutrals in this war--only patriots and
traitors."

As the war progressed, the great political parties of the country
underwent important changes, both of organization and policy. In
the North, the Republican party, the great body of the American or
Union party of 1860, and the war Democracy formed the Union party.
The Democracy of the South, for the m