The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-08-30

in-chief Of the army and navy Of the United
States, and that il shall be his sworn duty
to take care that the laws be faithfully exc.
cuted-and as il with propnetic eye foresee'
ing the turbulence, pretensions, and treason
OF this hour, they wrote 1t in the Constitu'
tion that this Consultation and the id,os ana
treaties ofthe Hniied States made in pursu'
anoe thereof, shall be the supreme ia,o Of h'
land, anything iu he Constitution or iatrs q
any State to the contrary notwithstanding.
II these are not sovereign powers, then the
English language has no words suited to con.
vey the idea Of fsovereignty.
therefore utterly ropudiate the doctrine
of the present Breckinridge organization OF
this State, us set forth in tho call Of its State
committee for State convention, and advo-
Gated by its sole organ. All the patriotic
impulses Of my nature, and all the convic-
tions of my judgment are against 1t. / re.
gard il as unconstitutional, anarchial, and
destructive, not only OF our present Consti-
tuition, and our present social, political, and
material interests, but as aiminga fatal blow
at what is still more important the right the
,cajorityto rule according TO the Constitution
and the iaps. Ifa State may withdraw from
the Union because OF the election Of q Prcs.
dent whom II dislikes, the boasted right Of
suffrage is a dclusion, and the theory Of self
government failure. II were madness to
rely upon the Breckinridge organization in
the State for counsel or guidance in this hour
Of national peril.
you turn to the Douglas organization
what ground of encouragement doe, the true
Union man there find? differed from these
gentlemen upon the question of slavery in
the territories in the late Presidential can
yass. II, as they admitted. the Supreme
Court had decided against the right of Con-
grcss to Interfere with the subject Of slavery
in the territories, claimed that it had also
DECIDED against the right Of squatter sovcr-
eighty to interfere, and that as matter of
policy, ,indepently Of Constitutional provision,
II the status Of slavery in the territories must
be fixed either by Congressional or territorial
Intervention, it would be safer to trust to
the intelligence, wisdom and patriotism Of
Congress, representing the whole country,
than to tho auctuating opinions Of the first
settlers; | could not decide question of
personal liberty bya wager of velocity. But
this is not the question before the country.
The public journals tell us that there is a
fierce contest between to two branches of the
Douglas organization-the house ofFryeburg
and the house Of Augusta tho former claim
ing that "while the trainers of tho Constitu-
tion rcfrained from providing for the disso-
luton OF the Union by secession, they also
failed to provide for its preservation by force;'
the latter denying the right ofseccssion, and
insisting upon the right, power and duty Of
government to protect itself even by force, il
need be. Upon this issue caucuses are con.
tested, carried, or lost these two theories
are fundamental and irreconciablc, and if
their respective adherents are true to their
declared convictions. the battle must be
fought out in this this city next "Wednesday.
II the house Of Fryeburg is defeated it's forces
will retreat on Bangor by the first train but
il the house Of Augusta be defeated what will
IL do? Will the friends of the lamented
Douglas in Maine act isolated and alone,
with little hope of rendering the country any
essential service, as an organization, or will
they affiliate with and swell the ranks of
those, ifany there be, who agree with them
that there is but one issue before The country,
and one political duty to be performed-the
issue Of government or no government, and the
duty Of saring the Union pt all hazard, and
al nhaterr cost?
Thus 1t is in this State-I say 1t with pro-
found regret-that the Democratic party
with its half u century of victories, its un-
sullied record of nationality, and OF devotion
to the Constitution, the Union, and the Flag
Of our country. is divided into three factions
upon the question Of questions-the preser.
walton of The republic. We have
l. The breckenridge party, in avowed
sympathy with the rebels.
2. Theno-right-to-prcscrvc.thc.U .Union.by.
force wing of the Douglas organization ; and
8. Thetruc Union men of the Douglas de.
mocracy.
What better disposition Of forces could
JEFF Davis desire? What surer guarantee of
ultimate success through divided North
could he desire?
What, then, is the political duty of the
Union loving and Union defending democrats.
whether the breckenridge or the Douglas
type? lappear to the history Of the last
years canvass. Who then heard word OF
complaint that the Federal Government had
failed to fulfil its every constitutional duty,
or been administered in manner prejudicial
to the South? Who has forgotten the most
solemn asseyerations Of all parties to uphold
the Constitution? Who does not remember
that the universal cry Of the South was
administer tho Government according to
the Constitution and we will bc content?"
And yet more than seventy days before the
Inauguration Of the President elect, South
Carolina voted herself out Of the Union
She presented no petition for redress Of griev-
anccs; indeed she made no complaint against
the Federal Government. She proposed no
no amendments to the Constitution, and