The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1861-07-20
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We take the following temperate anC
patriotic article, on question Of vital i'm
Dor :ance, from the New Hampshire Pa
triot, and give 1t In preference to any
thing that we could write on the subject
We ask the readers Of the DENocRAT tC
peruse It attentively and reflect on il re-
riously. The Patriot says: I'VE are
just entering upon great civil war, avow'
eddy for the support and maintenance Of
the Constitution and the preservation Of
those invaluable rights and privileges
guaranteed to US By that instrument. Yet
among the FIRST acts Of the Government,
in the preparations for this great struggle,
has been the frequent suspension and
direct and admitted violation Of that Con.
stitution in some Of its most vitality i'm.
portant provisions! It is apparent to
every thinking mind. from these occur
rencee, as well as from numerous other
indications, that the great cause and OBJ
jects for which We have prOfessedly drawn
the sword, the preservation Of Constitu
tiOnal Government and personal liberty,
are in quite as much danger from the
Government itself and its directors, as
from those in armed rebellion against it
Our Union is Of no value, our Govern.
ment is not worth fighting for. if the vital
principles and guarantees Of the Consti.
tuition are to be disregarded and destroy
cd; aud 1t matters little to our people
whether that is done by open rebellion
under the lead Of Jefferson Davis, or BY
an arbitrary use Of usurped power under
the direction Of Abraham Lincoln. II
they are to be ruled by q Government
without Constitutional restraints, il would
be quite as safe for their persons and their
rights to have It administered by the for.
MGR as BY the latter they would be under
a desrotSm in either case. But the PEG.
pie of the North will not, knowingly, take
either horn Of the dilemma on the con-
trary, they desire and will insist upon a
full, entire and perfect preservation and
observance of those great constitutional
principles aud guarantees which they just.
II regard IS vital and essential Z, their
individual freedom and national progress
and honor. And here, we take II. is to
be the dividing line Of parties hereafter
on tho one side will be arrAyrd those who
stand for :he faithful observance Of Con.
stitutional obligations and the prescrva.
ton Of Constitutional rights and guaran-
tOea while on the other will stand those
who, for mere temporary objects and
party purposes, are willing to risk the
open disregard and direct violation Of the
most essential provisions Of the Constitu-
ton. That the Democracy. in a mass,
will be found in the position 6rst named,
it needs no prophet to predict.
1--WE have been led to these reflections
by the facts transporting at Baltimore In
the matter OF the arrest and imprisonment
Of one John Merriman, by military au.
thOrity, on the charge or suspicion Of
treason. The subject is one Of vast and
vital importance-nOt whether John BIER.
riman is . traitor or not, or is illegally
held or not; but OhethSr erSry Amtricdn
Citizen Snjoys his psrs'nGI liberty only al
tho sOiu cfths Prs'identor any military
officer under his control.
"While the people Of the North are uni
ted In the determination to support the
Government, and are literally expanding
their money and sacrificing their present
prosperity in the effort to maintain the
Union against rebellion and treason, they
have the right to demand and they will
insist that tho vital principles Of the Con
stitutiOn shall be maintained, and that The
Government shall not override all the 70
straiutS imposed for tho protection Of per
soral liberty and sacred rights. Let tn
Government the Gag. and the Onion b
sustained with all the resources and en-
srgy Of the people, but let this be dom
In strict accordance With the Constitu
ton for which We profess to 6sht, ant
obedience TO which we Geek to cnforc'
from those in rebellion