The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-16
"A Call for q Democratic state Con-
veMtfOns

the Union OF Ill the StateS upon the enduring
foundations of mutual confidence and comfy.
the faithful observance and execution of all
constitutional obligations, and the adoption OF
national policy fairly and impartially guar
antying the rights of all sections of our coun.
try;
/ And Whereas, The party in power, have al.
ways been reckless of the Union, and in favor
of letting 1t slide, deriding its true friends as
ssUni0n Savers" and when all others, even
Davis and Toombs, according to the speech of
Mr.. Douglas, on the End Of March, 1861, favor.
ed a compromise of the slavery question, by
which peace and union might be maintained,
were the only party who opposed the Com
promise, and preferred their platform to the
Union;
And Whereas. Said party have always op.
posed the Constitution and the execution Of the
MISUNDERSTANDING higher law" and since
their advent to power have violated the Con.
stitution in numerous instances, by their own
acknowledgment offering the tyrant's plea of
NECESSITY" as an excuse;
And Whereas, In view of these facts, we
have no confidence in their present profess
sions of love for the Union, the Constitution
and the laws, and no confidence in their abili-
ty to preserve them either by the sword or by
peace;
And whereas, We regard the Constitution as
the palladium of our liberties, and our only
safety in the present alarming crisis, and its
violation with impunity as opening the door to
still more alarming usurpations, to end we
know not where
And Whereas. All parties in power require
an opposition party to keep them with bounds;
and the many and dangerous excuses OF the
present party in power already committed
and threatened, plainly show that they are no
exception to the rule;
Therefore, we, the undersigned, citizens of
Minnesota, most respectfully invite the cleo
tors of the State, who are for maintaining
the Constitution. and reScuing 1t from its
SOuth.
are for setting it up, as Moses lifted up the
serpent in the wilderness, that all who have
been bitten by the fiery serpent OF sectionalism
North, or the rattlesnake of secession" South,
may look upon it aud be healed--all who are
for maintaining the Union, whether by the olive
branch or the sword, or by both, or by any
compromise which does not compromise the
Constitution, even if it should compromise
party--all who believe the principles of the
Democratic party as safe and as efticaclous for
good in war or in peace as those OF the Repub.
Iican party, to unite in a call for State DEM
ocratic Convention, to be held in the city OF st.
Paul on the - day of -- 1861, for the
purpose of nominating candidates for the Of
fees of Governor, and all other State officers.
A call for Democratic State Conven-
ton, of which the above is copy, has been
printed, and is in circulation for signatures.
We have now an opportunity to designate
more particularly than we cared to at the
time, those whom we meant, in an editorial
of the Sd inst, as "the meaner class of Dem
ocrats." We allude distinctly to all such
as, with an intelligent idea of their acts,
and in the present crisis of the country, afix
their names to any document breathing the
tratorous spirit of the above call.
The men who denounce the exercise of
such authority by the President as was me-
cessary to preserve even the semblance Of
Government, and save the Country from
anarchy, and the Union from irreparable
dissolution, belong most unequivocalIy to
the naeaner class of Democrats"
Those who, in spite Of all the patriotic
efforts of President LINCOLN and his admin
istration to assert and preserve the dignity
and integrity of the Government, have the
-bloodedness to stigmatize them as un-
deserving the confidence and support of the
loyal masses, in such efforts, belong, quite
as unequivocally, to the meanest class of
Democrats" and of men.
1t is Notifying fact, and bad COM
mentary on human nature, that there are
men to be found who could coolly sit down
to pen such document as this call; more
Notifying, and worse commentary, that
any one would procure it's printing for cir
culation in loyal community; and most
notifying and damning that such call
should be made the basis of organized party
action at time when the Government needs
the hearty sympathy and support of every
citizen of the loyal States.
Thank God it is plainly worded so
plainly, that 70 true Northern man can
mistake its reasonable purpose. 1t shows.
in each of its six " Whereases," its lurking
sympathy with the ungodly traitors who
seek the destruction of the Government /;
and its conclusion bears out its many
tongued preamble. We see that the name
of STEPHEN A. DOUGLAS, whose last words
were words of support to the President, is
impudently paraded to give currency and
palatability to the traitorous movement.
No Douglas. Democrat can sign such call
without stulifyipg himself, and insulting
the memory of the dead patriot whose name
and power are thus sacreligiously invoked.
Such call might be penned, and such a
movement sustained, by Breckenridge
Democrat, who was 80 during the last
Presidential campaign, and who thoroughly
understood and sympathised with the I'M.
patriotic and treacherous objects of that
faction. If there are such now in Mime
sofa, their proper place is designated in
this misnamed Democratic" Call. They
belong with this movement just as naturally
as BREcK1NRIDGE himself belongs with
JEFF. DAVIS and the rest of the Southern
traitors. Such men have once invoked the
name of Democracy to initiate rebellion il
is logically right they should sgain invoke