The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-10-10
- II l. H G II
HON. Jos. E. MCDONALD.
Delirered before the Warion County, Ind
Democratic Contention, AuguSt
3lst, 1861.

FELLOW. CITIZENS In ancient times a
| time-serving orator, addressing the pee
pie, prayed TO The gods that he might ut
ter no sentiment that 1t did not please them
to hear. In this time of our country's
trial. unlike that man of old, my prayer
is that | may say nothing which i! does
not become me to speak or you TO hear. as
loyal men and true patriots.
A few months ago our country was
the proudest and happiest on the face of
the globe. Now the black cloud of civil
war is bursting over us. and showers of
blood are falling thick and red around
Those who but lately were brethren,
citizens of our country. joint heirs of one
glorious heritage. are now ar,ayed IN bat
tie line along frontier of fifteen hun
dred miles. Ii is at time like this that
we. the Democracy of Marion County,
citizens Of State loyal to the Union, are
asse mbled to consult together. Let not
passion rule the hour but lei our consul
talions be characterized by a solemn sense
of our duty to our country-our whole
country.
We may well leave to the historian the
task of transmitting TO other times by
what process the strong cords which, at
the beginning, bound us together as one
people, were one by one broken asunder
until the vital principle Of our Union
was gone, and the ATS Of peace were for.
saken. and an appeal made TO arms AS the
last mode of settling our political contro-
versies. This much We know that the
present unhappy condition of our country
has % resulted from the long continued.
unwise and fanalical agitation of the ques-
ton of domestic slavery That by this
means our people have become estranged
aud divided--tirst in the Church, then in
social intercourse. and. finally, in our
political organizations, until geographical
lines were drawn upon the map of our
country, dividing it into North and
South.
This much We owe to ourselves, to say
that, as Democrats. we have kept the bond
of the Union faithfully with all sections Of
the country. Atevery stage of the agta
ZION we have raised our voice in warning
as each new wave of sectional strife rose
higher than the last We have interposed
TO check its onward course, until the
united force Of Northern fanaticism and
Southern disunion at last overwhelmed
US and with us our country. For years
the Democratic party had stood like Cor
inth of cid, a landmark 10 the double
tide" until the success Of Northern
candidate, upon Northern platform.
hurled our country into civil war. This
fell spirit of sectional strife has proved the
blind Sampson" by whom the pillars Of
the Temple of Liberty have been over
thrown, and now threatens to bring down
the whole fabric in one common ruin.
After the elect of President Lincoln
there was yet Time TO save our country
from civil war. by timely adjustment OF
the questions al issue between the North
and South. These questions are summed
by President Lincoln. in his inaugural
message. IN that peculiar style of interro-
cation that charac,eiizes his address:
Shall fugit.ves from labor be surren'
dered by National or State authority The
Constitution does rot expressly say. May
; Congress prohibit slavery in the Terrific
ries? The Constitution does no; express.
ly say. From questions of this class
spring all our constitutional controversies,
and upon them we divide into maiorilies
and minorilies.
Thus, then, according to President
Lincoln, the rendition of fugilives from
labor. and the rights Of the Shareholders
in the Territories, constitute the sum OF
oui secti, nal controversies and that too
because tie Constitution "did not express
ly say" that their rights are to be settled
one way or the other. This is manresrly
true of the Territorial question. aud foi the
very good reason that Notwithstanding the
wisdom of .he men who framed our Con
siiiul.on, they did not forsee the extent of
our Territorial acquisitions. and did not
provide in the Constitution for the settle
ment of the questions involved in the gov
ernment of these Territories. The old
Territory then held by the United States
was already organized under the ordi
nance of 1897, aud that, with the Terrific
ry within the limits Of the several States.
in the opinion Of those who framed our
Constitution. formed the limits of the EN-
pre for which they were framing gov
ernment.
They were providing a Federal Govern