Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1858-06-16
THE PAST AND THE FUTURE.

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A modern writer has justly remarked, that
party spirit is the great engine of human pro-
gress 1t leads to the war of knowledge up
on ignorance the conflict of holiness against
sin, the struggle of freedom against tyranny.
|, has placed the Urited States in the front
rank Of the nations of the earth, and prcser-
we'd the freedom of its inhabitants unimpair-
ed, for more than three -fourths of q century
To the Democratic Party, the prosperity of
our country from the adoption of the Consti-
stitution of 1877 must be mainly attributed.
1t has from that epoch up to the present time,
with few solitary exceptions, been the ma
joriiy party, and those who administered the
Government looked to it's principles for their
guidance in the discharge of their duties OF
the justice, the wisdom and patriotism of
those principles, the history of our country
is the best evidence. Under their benign
influence, few isolated provinces of Great
Britain, dependent on the mother country
for protection and support, have not only be-
come a united, free and Independent nation,
washed on the one side by the Atlantic,
on the other by the Pacific, the first in
commercial Importance of the powers of the
earth, but also :he'happy home of more than
80, 900 900 of freemen, the asylum of the
oppressed of every cline, the anchor and
hope of the world. The Democratic party
has certainly reason to feel proud of the re-
cord which it can now present to the world.
Al
tertain no fears that its future history will
not show firm adherence on the part of its
members to the principles, the observance of
which, under the protection of Divine Provi-
dence, have made and preserved us nation.
The first great missioa of the Democratic
party has been, aud will continue to be, the
preservation of the Union The solemn ad-
monition of Washington, in his Farewell Ad
dress. fully expresses the sentiments of fra
ternal love with which the Democratic Party
it regards the Union, and the tenacity with
which it will uphold 1t, under all and every
circumstance. That illustrious patriot and
statesman says =
The unity of government, which consti-
tutes you one people, is also now dear to you
1t is justly so; for it is a main pillar in the
edlfce of your real independence-the sup
port of your tranquility at home, your peace
abroad. of your safety. of your prosperity, of
that very liberty which you so highly prize.
But as it is easy to foresee that, from differ
ent causes and from different quarters, much
pains will be taken, many artifces employ
ed. to weaken in your minds the conviction
of this truth as this is the point in your po-
litical fortress against which the batteries of
internal and external enemies will be most
constantly and actively (though often covert
ly and insidiously) dIrected,-it is Of infinite
moment that you should properly estimate the
immense value of your national union to your
collective and individual happiness that you
should cherish cordial, habitual, and im-
movable attachment to it; accustomiug your
selves to tLink and speak of it as of the pal
ladium of your political safety and proSpcri-
ty; watching for its preservation with jeal
Gus anxiety; discounteuancing whatever may
suggest even suspicion that it can. in any
event. be abandoned and Indignantly frow
ming upon the first dawning of every attemp
10 alienate any portion of our country from
the rest or to cnfeeblc the sacred ties whicl
now link together the various parts.
The Black Republican organization is cx
actly the counterpart of the Democratic Par
ty. 1t is sectional in its principles and oh
jects. 1t neither asks for expects any as
sstance or support south of Mason and Dix
on's line 1t embodies the principles an
sentiments against which Washington warn
his fellow -countrymen, in the above extrae
from his farewell address. A national ad
ministration conducted on It's principles ,woul
accomplish the dissolution of the Union in
Few months The moment it succeeds in OF
tsning the helm of State, the days of the Re
public are numbered. Its sole aim and OF
ject is to deprive the citizens of the Souther
States of the rights guaranteed them by th
Constitution. Although the Territories
the United States are the common property
the ,cAole country, it asks and demands tn:
the people Of the Southern States shall be d.