The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1861-02-20

|ese~ScsSA- = W. y tAAo y vSsSSt 80 III
the olden time, has been heard. Her sis.
ter States meet her this day at the coun-
Gil board. Vermont is here, bringing
with her the memories of the past. reviv.
ing in the memories of all her Ethan AL.
len and his demand for the surrender OF
riconderoga in the name Of the Great Je.
hovah and the American Congress. New
Hampshire ia here--hsr fame illustrated
by memorable annals, and still more late
y as the birth. place of him who won for
himself the name of Defender of tho Con.
s,itution, and who wrote that letter to
John Taylor which has been enshrined
In the hearts Of his countrymen. Massa-
chusetts 10 not here--(some member said
she is coming)--I hope SO, said Mr.. Ty.
Ter, and that she will bring with her her
daughter Maine. 1 did not believe it
could well be that the voice which, in
other times, was so familiar to her ears,
has been addressed to her in vain. Con.
necticut is here, and she comes, I doubt
not, in the spirit Of Roger Sherman,
whose name with our very children has
besome household word, and whe was
in life the embodiment of that practical
sense which BELTS the great lawgivers and
constructors of governments. Rhode Isl.
and, the land of Roger Williams, is here,
one Of the two last States, in her jealousy
of the public liberty, to give in her adhe.
sion to the Constitution, and among the
earliest to hasten to its rescue. The great
Empire State of New York--represented
thus far but by one-delsgates to day a
fuller force to join in the great work of
healing the discontents of the times, and
restoring the reign of fraternal feeling.
New Jersey is also here, with the memo
ries of the past covering her all over.
Trenton and Princeton live immortal in
story-ths plains of the last encrimsoned
with the hearts blood of Virginia:s sons.
Among her delegation I rejoice to recog,
nize q gallant son of signer of the im.
mortal Declaration which announced to
the world that thirteen provinces had be,
come thirteen independent and sovereign
States; and here, too, is Delaware, the
land of the Bayards and the Rodneys
whose soil at Braadywine was moistened
by the blood of Virginia's youthful Mon,
roe. Here is Maryland, whose massive
columns wheeled into line with those O
Virginia in the contest for glory, ant
whose State-house at Annapolis was th,
theater of spectacle of a successful com
mander, who, after libsrating his country
gladly ungirthed his sword and laid i
down upon the altar of that country
Then comes Pennsylvania, rich in Revo
llutionary lore, bringing with her the death
less names of Franklin and Morris, and
1 trust, ready to renew from the belfry o
Independence Hall the chimes of the ole
bell, which announced freedom and indie
pendence in former days. All hail t,
North Cardinal with her Mecklenburs
Declaration in her hand, standing erec
on the ground of her own probity ant
frmness in the cause of public liberty
and represented in her attributes by he
Macon, and in this assembly by her dis
tinguished son, at no great distance from
ae. -Four. daughters of Virginia ais,
cluster around the council board, on tn,
invitation of their ancient mother, th,
eldest Kentucky, whose sons, under tha
Intrepid warrior, Anthony Wayne, CAV
freedom of settlement to the territory of he
sister, Ohio, and extending his hand dali,
and hourly across La Belle Riviere t,
grasp the hand of some one of kincret
blood of the noble States of Indiana ant
Illinois and Ohio, who have grown up in
to powerful States already grand, poten
and almost imperial. Tennessee is no
here, but is eoming-prevented from bs
ing here only by the floods which hav
swollsn her rivers. When she arrives sh
Will wear the badges on her warrior cres
of victories won, in company with tn
Great West, on many an ensanguine'
plain, and standards torn from the hand
Of the conquerors at Waterloo. Missouri
and Iowa and Michigan, Wisconsin an,
Minnesota, still linger behind, but it ma
be hoped that their hearts are with Us ii
the great work we have to do.
| The eyes of the whole country ar
turned to this hall and to this assembl
in expectation and hope. trust, gentle
men, that you may prove yourselves wor
thy of the great occasion. Our ancestor
probably committed blunder in not hav
4 ing fixed upon every fifth decade for ca
of general Convention to amend and re
form the Constitution. On the contrary
they have made the difficulty next to in
surmountable to accomplish amendment
to an instrument which was perfect fo
Eve millions of people, but not wholly 8
as to thirty millions. Your patriotisl
will surmount the difficulties, howeve
great, if you will but accomplish but on
triumph in advance, and that is trump
over party. What is party when com
pared to tho task of rescuing ones coun
try from dangerl Do that. and one long
loud shout of JOY and gladnsss will re
sound throughout the land.
/ ~ It should, in these days of san
culinary portent, afford some little conso
lation to know that the killing of com