Preble County Democrat. [volume] (Eaton, Ohio) 1857-1859, 1857-01-29
psy-As External vigilance is the nrice

BG~As eternal vigilance is the price
of Liberty the American citizen should
make himself familiar with the nature
and design of his government and labor
to preserve it in its original purity
The patriots who in the late Presiden-
tial contest successfully resisted the as,
saults of sectionalism, must not now
throw down their weapons and retire
from the field. While the democratic
party has won a victory of which it has
reason to be proud it must by vigilance
fortify its triumph, and prepare for 9th
err conquests. The enemies of constitu-
tional liberty are active and ~persevering
and will spare no effort to keep alive
unjust prejudices. Their revolutionary
action during the last session of Con-
gress illustrates the reckless and treas
enable spirit by which they are ANNA
ted. Their recent attempt to prevent
Mr.. Whitfield, the legally chosen dele
gate from Kansas, to take his seat in the
House of Representatives, shows that
though defeated they are not dismayed.
Their bitter and malignant attacks upon
the President because he faithfully dis
charged his duty, and published to the
world the natural and fearful tendencies
of sectional organizations, prove that
they mediate the continuance of that
agitation which has already seriously
disturbed the rcPosc of the country and
threatened civil war. Although the
American people have spoken through
their ballot box in favor Of self govern
mcut and religious freedom. a combina-
ton of proseriptionists and agitators led
on by disappointed and desperate Office
seekers, is in the field and thirsting for
power. To expose and combat its her.
estes, and to make fruitless its efforts to
create discussions is the duty and should
be the pride of the democratic party
While the election of Mr.. Buchanan is a
triumphant vindication by the people Of
the doctrine of State equality, it is in
correct to suppose that that doctrine
will meet with no opposition hereafter.
Whenever it is proposed to organize ter
%ritorial governments on the popular
sovereignty idea, a gang of anti-slavery
fanatics will be found to condemn and
misrepresent the principle, for the pur-
pose of rendering it unpopular.
Every attempt of these men to prevent
the application of a just and constitu-
tioual doctrine in the organization of
the territories, should be boldly met and
defeated, so that each effort they make
shall weaken, instead of strengthening
them. All that the honest, fair-mindcd
citizen desires, is that popular sovereign
ty be permitted to shape the domestic
institutions of the territories, witho ut
interference from any quarter. Let Mr..
Buchanan 500 hat the organic law OF
Kansas is respected-that the bona fde
settlers of that territory enjoy unmolest-
ed the right of sclf-government, and
what reasonable man will longer deny
the correctness of the non-intervention
principle embodied in the Kansas Ne
braska act? Owing to the unlawful in
reference of Massachusetts, and Missou-
ri in the affairs Of that territory, many
have been induced to condemn popular
sovereignty, without rejecting that the
denial Of its fair exercise occasioned all
the difficulties there. Should Kansas
ask to be admitted into the Union with
a constitution excluding slavery. the
predictions of the so-ealled republican
party would be falsified, and its chances
of success materially diminished.