The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1861-08-16
For the Mapitowoc Pilot.
Who are Enemies to our Government
Mn. EDITOR - ->

-IH LDlioft
1t has become very fashionable of
late to denounce those who do not en-
dorse the doctrines, approve the policy,
| and sustain the measures Of the dominant
party, as enemies to our gouernment-to
stigmatize those who venture the opinion
that the said party has been in any degree
instrumental in provoking the present
unhappy, fratricidal war, as traitors and
secessionists. Those thus denounced and
stigmatized often feel themselves wronged,
injurei-presented in false light before
their fellow citizens, and they hurl back
the damning accusations on their authors.
Now, to ascertain who are friends and
who enemies to our government, it is
necessary to know what is our government!
On this point there are clearly differences
of opinion. Our present Vice President
in stump speech which l happened to
hear in 1856, gave his opinion on this
point, in substance AS follows: "The gov
eminent is not in Washington. Neither
the Congress nor the President and Cabi-
net are the government, but it is here
you, fellow citizens-you, the citizens of
this broad Republic, are the government
Your will is the law. Congress and the
President are but your agents to do your
bidding"
That governmental sovrei gnty rests in
the People, | admit. But the people ex
ercised that sovereignty in 1877, in organ
izing government which united the sew
eral political communities of which our
national Republic is composed. That or
ganization is presented in the Constitution
Of the United States.
In the opinion of the Father of his
Country, "this Constitution deliberately
and voluntarily adopted by the people, act
ing in their respective communities, is the
government Of the Union, and constitutes
us one people" In relation to it, in the
letter Of the Convention to Congress ac-
companying it, as President of that Con.
vention he said : "the Constitution which
we now present, is the result of spirit Of
amity and of that mutual Difference and
concession which the peculiarities of ou1
political situation rendered indispensable
In all our deliberations on this subject we
kept steadily in our view that which ap.
pears to Us the greatest interest of every
true American-the consolidation Of our
Union-in which is involved our prosper
ity, felicity, safety-perhaps our national
existence
If, then, the view Of President WASH
ISGroN is correct, and believe it is, il
follows that the People of these United
States cannot annul, alter, or modify any
of its provisions, unless they &C! according
to the prescribed forms. The President
and Congress are but agents, elected &c
administer the government inaugurated by
the people. Therefore, censuring the
agents does not necessarily imply any cen
sure of the government, nor denouncine
the government imply any wrong in the
agents. But unfounded, unjust censure o
any fellow~being is base in itself, and wher
bestowed on public agents is prolific of the
greatest mischiefs.
We are in the midst of bold and defan
enemies Of the government. Who arr
they? That they abound at the South ant
appear in hostile armies we have abund
ant and melancholy proof. But who are
they in the North? Am one? l have
been denounced as one. On what author
ity? I am now more than three score
years of age, and | challenge the world tc
find any proof Of such enmity. On thu
contrary, l have from my earliest politica
recollections, imagined that l loved it
still think so. Yes, love of my country
: and Of her government is part Of my
. nature. l sucked it from my mother
breast-I listened to it in her lullabys,-i
grew with my growth, and strengthened
with my strength and now in advanced
!, years when see my country bleeding
her Union sundered, her government
trampled on-and erglory brought to The
dust, through fratricidal war, my hear
siekens within me, and I feel to exclain
with an ancient seer, "Oh that my heat
were waters, and mine eyes fountains O
tears, that Knight weep day and night fol
the slain of the daughters of my people,
But who at the North are enemies tc
our government? answer, all who de-
spise that spirit of amity, that mutual
Difference and concession in which it was
ordained-all who tell the people that the
"hoiy angels held up their hands in hor
ror at its contamination, all who de
tnounce it as a covenant with he'll, y" s
league with the devil" all who plot it: