, 1861-02-11
2HooNEERuCT1oN AGAIN.

no Aal99A& 1ay or tWo since to tho
doctrine Of Reconstruction, - in terms that
could not he misunderstood. We recnr 10
atagain for the purpose Of making our con
dennation Of that last Of the political here.
ssee TO which the false, fallen and mis-.
named Democratic party are committed, il
possible still more emphatic.
ssnoe the adoption Of the Federal Con
satutaon, the career Of our favored country
n ~ that concerns material prosperity has
hesn unexampled; and il, in that time,
there has been any cheek upon our ad-
vancenent-any impediment;1p the higl:-
;44# happiness to which people may in
this age attain- it has grown out Of the
atmotmn1 and disturbing influence Of Hu-
man Slavery and its direct antagonism to
rhe theory upon which our government
was founded But in spite OF that barbar-
ism@hie mimic of which does not occur in
thu fundamental 1aw-we have Progressed
~ no pa1ioa has ever progressed before. It
has been weight and a clog, a practical
denla1 Of the heaYcn-born truths which our
fathers asserted; it has usurped in legisla.
ton'the place which ought to have been
Iiven to the consideration Of the practica-
h1fty Of cnlarging the sphere of hnman
xaghta; and 1t has made US the shame AID
reprosch Of nations which would not rec
gmze the circumstances under which the
!: Institution was planted. But in spite Of MI
thia fhe freedom, the individuality and Il G
secnity guaranteed by tie Law, have
MrenElit their goed. work and. while we
have been reproach to some and warn:
fng4o others, We have been TIC astonish.
mani Of al the peoples Of the earth. Our
progress is due, not 10 our constitutional
sape.5sity, 10 climatic influences, to local
associations. Other people have more
than oar physical health and vigor, others
note;equable and hcalthfu1 climates, md
Others atill the historic associations which
tmpA the emufation Of great desds. We
have BEEN prosperous because we hare
bean free; because the dogmas of despot-
ism have been far removed from us; and
bec&s,sswe had implicit faith that whatev
'eF tho drawbacks Of to-day there was
sill more glorious future in store, in which,
III forms Of oppression and tyranny being
removed, every man in all this land, pro-
tected and encouraged by that Constitu-
ton which We reverence, would stand up:
- 0od made him to stand, accountable to
10 human being for no act, no word which
did not infringe upon the law OF right and
1aznny which the Creator made. Thus
nnch II due to the government under
which We live and TO the Constitution
which fs the inspiration Of our politica1lifa.
Hh proposed to change all this-in obe-
d3ence to beaten and degraded party, to
. n 'eoustruct," to amend the organic law,
aomaks It the wet-nurse Of dspotisrn, the
s+sndaza by which tyrants who would op-
psess their fellow men, shall regulate their
dec1ees- word, TO incorporate recoe-
nftton Of the right Of one man 10 own, to
buy, to sell, to work without pay and 10
whip without responsibility anothe:, in that
yas* md yet mupeop1ed domain which
Liberty e!aina a her own, It Is proposed
to alter the framework and basis of The
dovtrhment, and to dig out the. corner
stone, Liberty, upon which it rests, md
defying Heaven, our national traditions,
tte hopes Of the future and the obligations
of tbs present to make Slayery the basis
apm which the Union is hereafter to be
iaafntalnedi We protest God has given :
tuthe Eafld no such blessing as Freedom.
HhGnan wisdom has given to mankind no
auch chart as the Constitution under which
We live We Ni1l'n surrender one or ttha =
ether Wa live for both-we win fight and
dte ftT aathsr.:
Lot those who think with us come to the
rescue Of the country In this hour Of it,
lnuae =. 1tsnnaineat perl-when re-appearing
31any-the' harblnger Of unnumbered
de.eatlsnns, b showing its- hateful head.
TMH Coxszr1pE1uH ~ IT q, is sufficient |