Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1856-10-15
A MODEL DEMOCRATIC CANDI-
DATE.

John G. Breckenridge. the Democrat
ic candidate for Vice President, in .
speech at Hamilton, Ohio, on the End
inst, thus attacks the Declaration Of In
dependence:
"TRe Declaration IS an abStraetion.-
Put it in the Constitution and what
would follow ? 1t would follow that the
Constitution must protect every man IN
his riaht to life, liberty and the pursuit.
of Happiness i = You
would find it interfering with the institu-
,ions of the States. and it would lead our
country rapidly to destruction. But why
do speculate upon what it would do 7!
Long before this our Union would DO
obIiIrrated forever It would become
as INTOLERABLE and HATEFU L
as lis past has been beneficial and glors-
GUS
We are not surprised at this. The
day has come when we are surprised at
nothing from the lips of modern DEM
ocrat. We daily hear principles avo"-
ell By them that, if consistently applied
would justify any despolism the world
has ever yet seen. Nero, the elect OF
the Pre:orian Guards, confirmed BY
serFiIe Senate, could have wanted no bet
ter apologists or advocates than The ty-
rant Territorial Legislature cf Kansas
has been having since the first day 1t
commenced framing its edicts. It's not
true that the Federal Constitution IS at.
variance with the Declaration of lnds-r
pendence. 1t is not true that Benjamin.
Franklin, Roger Sherman, and others.
when they signed the Federal Constltu'l
ton, recanted a syllable of what they
had solemnlv pledged their lives. their
fortunes and III ir sacred hesor to, when
twelve years before they put their names
to the Declaration of Independence
They simply completed the work then
commenced; they applied the principles
then proclaimed. The Declaration Of
independence was manifesto OF the ev--
ellas ing principles of political justice
and freedom: and, as if to prevent all
mistake in regard TO their continued de-
votion to those principles. the trainers OF
the Constitution solemnly set forth their
motives in the follow ng preamble:
1--WE, the People Of tie United States,
in or,ltr 10 form more p rfect Unlon'
E,TApLIsn JusTIcE, insure domestic tran
guilty provide ior the common defence.
promote the general welfare. and secure
The BL.ssIxGs OF LIBERTY to ourselves
and our po5teri,y, 60 ordain and sstao-
Esh this Constitution for the United
States Of America
The Federal Constitution, OF course is
limited in its scope, for it divests the
States OF only certain powers OF sover-
eiuuty: but so far as it does extend,
there is nothing in it that conflicts with
the principles Of the Declaration. The
whole structure Of the Constitution Is
shaped in reference to those principles,
and woe to the liberties OF this country
when it ceases to be practically conduct
ed in consistency with them. The De-
cIara,ion Of Independence, made by our
Revolutionary Fathers. is not a barren
abstraction, but the most teemln5 OF all
resliies. L. contains the great central
political truths to which all other poiit-
cal truths are to be referred and BY
which their Iuihfulness is to be tested.
Political history is 10 be judged by It.
ani political Partie-; and The party or
the candidates who scout at those prln- ,
ciples as abstract in essence and ''lntol-
cradle and hateful in application. only
proclaim their own miserable degenera-
cy, and. before the bar OF a free people. Z
irreyocably seal their own condemna-
;iou.-.E. Y Courisr aal Enqarer.