Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1861-07-17
The Presidents Message.


Majesty, should be duly honored for his burn
ing throne, yet we do hold, that a certain |
amount of respect is due TO those who occupy |
high and responsible positions in the Nation
1t is impossible to degrade the incumbent, |
without also in some degree degrading the |
office. and weakening in the minds of the !
people, that feeling of reverence for the Gov
ernment, which in Republic is essential for
its preservation. We therefore could never
admire, either the patriotism or good taste of
those, who during the admin istration of Mr..
Buchanan. were in the habit of applying to
him such degrading epithets as ''an old scoun-
drel''; g hoary headed traitor; "a second
Judas" sc. Feeling thus, We have no dis
position now to speak of Mr.. Lincoln, save in
the kindest and most respectful terms. We
will not therefore say, that we believe, that
as he was first class rail-splitter, it would
have been happy thing for the country if he
had remained at the business; and that if in
Illinois he was nothing more than second
rate lawyer, in Washington City be has prov
ed himself to be not even a second rate states
man. Neither will we insinuate. that he is
nothing more than political Mountebank,
better fitted for playing the part of clown of
the ring, than that of Chief Magistrate of the
! Republic but we do say, that his Message to
/ Congress, which we publish on our first page
this week, is not such a one as the people HAD
right TO expect, at this fearful crisis OF their
/ country's fate There is nothing either IN the
/ manner or matter of the document, calculated
to excite admiration. On the contrary there
( is a levity about portions of it, which is cal
culated to shock aud disgust every right
thinking citizen, at this period when they
feel, that the fate Of themselves, IF their wives,
of their children, of everything near and dear
to them in this world. in all probability de-
pends or the action of the present Congress
Nothing like exalted PatIi)tism. freedom from
party bias, or clear and logical reasoning is
anywhere displayed From the glib manner
in which the President talks of sugar-coated
pills, one is almost compelled to believe. that
Patent Medicine advertisements are his favor
ite literature, and that be is willing to lend a
helping hand to those who manufacture
physic for the million" The history of the
policy pursued by the Administration, from
the fourth of March till the bombardment Of
Fort Sumter. was known to the whole country
weeks ago; while we have seen the elaborate
argument to prove the fallaey of the secession
doctrine, excelied in the columns of almost
every paper on our exchange list. The only
portion of the Message worthy of any consid-
! Grafton, is that in which he asks for 400, ,00C
! men, aud 5 400, 600. 600 to carry on the war
For our part we cordially say let him have al
! that he asks if this amount of men and trea
sure is really necessary for crushing out this
? great rebellion. All that we ask Is, that thi.
o shall be 4 war for the Constitution. and tina
, tha. sacred instrument shall not be nullifieC
D., aud ignored. in carrying it on and that
o fierce crusade for the cxtermiuation OF siav,r
shall 10. be inausurated. And furthrrm re
r we insist that the President shall be consti
tutional President, ana not the usurpsr o
powers which DO not belong to his Office. W
reserve the portion of the Message which re
>, fers to the suspension of the writ of haJea
corpus. until next week when we will publis
. the opinion of Judge fancy in the Merrgma
case in full; merely remarking now that 1t
= an extraordinary thing. to hear the Presiden
e of the United States, claiming the right to
n that which the Monarch of England dare n,
It do-that is to suspend the privilege of thi
l writ.
The President in the concluding paragrap
of the Message, insinuates pretty plainly, tn;
the party which elevated him to power, ca
of itself, crush out this rebellion. This
- certainly decidedly left handed compliment
to the Democracy of tbe loyal States, for ii
prompt and enthusiastic manner in which the
, tlocked to arms, after the bombardment
Fort Sumter But for them. it Is very doub
ful whether or not Abraham Lincoln wou
to-day, be the incumbent of the viii
a house At least two thirds of the voluntee
u now in the field are Democrats If their pt
oy triotism not worthy a compliment, it &c
r tainly did not merit a broad insult But
ut is highly probable this is - way" Mr.. Lii
lg coin has about him, and that he can't help
he
o. ~ 1t turns out upon examination, til
10 the Democratic County Convention, commi
ba ted blunder in nominating a candidate f
III the office of Auditor for one year, as no SUI
-. vacancy in the office now exists. Mr. Lyt
r. was elected for only two years, and his ter
: closed with the last Auditors settlemer
HI At the request of Mr.. Rhey. we withdra
his name from the ticket as published at t
head of our paper
n