The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1861-08-23
The Federalism of 1919 Revived in
the Democracy of 1861.

For nearly half century the word Fed
eralist has been wordof political reproach.
Dating from 1914, the year of the Hartford
Convention, to be called Federalist was
stigma scarcely less offensive than to be
called Traitor. Whether merited or not,
the members of the Hartford Convention
passed out of political life, and to their
graves, with the pollution of disloyaty
tainting their characters, aud disgracing
their names.
The Federalists of that day opposed the
war between the United States and Great
Britain as unnecessary and impolitic; and
denounced it as a mere party measure of the
Democrats. They charged, also, that to
initiate it and carry it on the Federal Con-
stitution had been violated; and they sought
to withhold from the Federal Government
the subsidies of men and money needed for
the general defence and welfare
In correspondence with the course of the
Federalists during the war of 10, the au-
thorities of the Democratic party to-day
are seeking to commit that organization
against the Federal Government. We have
already noticed the action of Ohio Demo-
Gratis in refusing to drop their party organi-
cation, and unite with the Republicans on
a basis of support to the Government in the
suppression of the rebellion Their action
was followed by the Committee represent
ing the Douglas Democracy of New Y ork,
in response to similar proposal from the
Republican Committee OF that State. We
now see, that On the 18th inst, the CONS
mittee representing the Breckenridge De-
mOcracy OF New York, held meeting at
Albany and were so well satisfied with the
prior action OF the Douglas Committee that
they declined to call separate State Conven-
ton, but recommended their followers to
unite with the other branch in common hos
tility to the Federal Administration, and its
policy in conducting the war. The following
resolutions, unanimously adopted by the
Committee, will show the basis on which
the Democratic party is to be reorganized:
RESOLVED, That the State Committee, repre-.
senting that portion of the Democratic party
of the State of New York which sustained the
Maryland Institute platform at.the last election,
witness with deep concern and apprehension
the long predicted result of the Northern Sec
tional aggressions upon the rights of the South
ern States: that, as we have uniformly opposed
in the past the policy which We fOresaw must
produce disunion, SO we are equally prompt to
raise our voices against civil war; that the
worst and most Intellectual argument that can
be addressed to the seeding States is war
that we deny that the present struggle is in
any sense a war for the Union, and insist that
those who have precipitated the States into
hostilities neither care nor expect, nor desire
to restore the Union thereby.
RESOLVED, That we advocate the proposition
for ali armistice between the now cOntending
armies North and South, and the immediate
convOcation of Convention of Delegates from
all the states which acknowledged themselves
members of the Union in November, 1860, to
the end that all differences may be peacefully
adjusted. our land saved from bloOdshed and
restored to peace, concord and union.
RESOLVED, That the endeavOr to cOerce
seeding States has had its fitting counterpart
in the recent aggressiOns made upon the rights
of free speech and free press in those States
which still adhere to the Union; that after the
announcement that there was law higher than
the Constitution, we were prepared to see the
marty now in power declare the Constitution
suspended at and during their pleasure, and
that the arrests without warrant, and the in.
generation without examination, of citizens