St. Cloud Democrat. [volume] (Saint Cloud, Stearns County, Minn.) 1858-1866, 1860-08-09

out, "Forbear! Better suffer little error
and corruption than see the stars tumb-
ling about our ears just now" Thus has
attention been drawn away from present
duties to prospective consequences, until
the climax Of corruption has been reach
ed in the councils Of the nation. Extre-
mists on either hand have been looking
away into the upper regions ''scarching
what manner of time" the celestial har.
mony will be disturbed, according to sub
lunary indications. "When you shall
have elected your sectional Speaker" said
the Southern press, shat will be the first
g'eat Ilow (aud only two are to be struck
on t'e wedge that shall divide in twain
this Confcderacy. When you shall pro.
coed to inauguratc your elected sectional
President, that will be the last, and the
fair fabric falls ~
Before the striking Of the first blow
there were great quakings. When the
Republican party took its position and
with manly dignity maintained it, a fercer
cutlery Was raised and more determined
efforts made against its steady and unwav-
ering columns than may be expected in
the future, should that same dignity and
6rmness continue. How many will trust
in Truth in the coming struggle? Be-
tween those who fear that the heavens
may fall, and those who would much rath-
er see item fall than see the slave power
halt in its aggressive march even for a
day, how many will be found standing firm
in Freedoms ranks, and agree to let the
heavens take care of themselves, as they
have never yet failed to do? But thou
sands everywhere of that substratum of
society whose votes can never be located
until on or near the day of their casting,
will be under different influence than
either Of those we have intimated. I'm
PEELED neither by fear Of disaster nor by
hope Of reform, they hold themselves ncn-
committal until the comparative power and
prestige of the different parties shall be
more clearly defined. Thousands who
have found themselves all unawares the
constituents of divided party, will wait
on the progress of fusion efforts to ascer.
tain which piece of the stranded vessel is
most likely to outride the storm, ere they
make the final decision.
We look forward to the coming struggle
with hopefulness, not because there is a
prospect Of large majority in the Right.
In the sitting Of principles, either in civil!
or religious affairs, the truth may not be
tested by the question Of majority and mi
nority. Were this question to influence
our opinion in any degree, in our search
for truth, justice and equity, We should,
in Judging from the past, incline ever to
the minority in our investigations. 1t is
not that there is prospect before US Of
overwhelming numbers who shall be faith
full to our country's best interests, which
makes disaster to the cause of Freedom
less imminent than heretofore. 1t is be-
cause the house of error and corruption
is now seen divided against itself; and be-
cause it is SO, proof is furnished that He
who sits above the storm has beni6cent
purposes concerning US, Notwithstanding
all our crimes. Our hope abides in the
that there shall not fail from
among US those who shall not dismiss con-
science from their patriotism nor suffer
their patriotism to be too much tinged
with sectional and selfish interest; and
that these shall stand whether in major
ity or in a minority, firm, united and
mistaken phalanx. Let such take their
position irrespective Of consequences. Let
them know that if justice is done the
heavens will not fall. The stars will shine
down from their eternal thrones as hereto
fore, only all the brighter, while We all
here to the fundamental principles Of the
Declaration of Independence and rigidly
preserve the policy of the trainers of tho
Constitution If the Union is in danger
from any cause, that cause is to be found
in trucking compromises and c'inging
subserviency to the slave power. The is
sues now before the country are easily
eomprehended. No one who can read his
mother tongue can be innocsotly ignorant