The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1861-09-19

s'"i0"' PailiaII ouop6 HuinS Tue VIII vi
habeas corpus. Mr.. Burke says:
"NOr is i. the worse effect of this un-
natural contention that our laws are cor
rupted. Whilst manners remain entire,
they will correct the vices of the law, and
soften at length to their own temper. But
We have to lament, that in most of the
late proceedings, we see very few traces
of that generosity, humanity and dignity
Of mind which formerly characterized this
Nation. War suspends the rules Of moral
obligation. and what is long suspended is
in danger of being abrcgated. Civil war
strikes deepest of all into the manners of
the people. They vitae their politics;
they corrupt their morals; they pervert
even the natural taste and relish of equity
and justice. BY teaching US TO regard
our fellow citizens in hostile light. the
whole body of our Nation becomes grad
ually less dear to us. The very names of
affection and kindred, which were the
bonds of charity while we agreed. become
new NEGATIVES to hatred and rage, when
the communion of our Country is dissov-
ed. We may fattcr ourselves that we
shall not fall into this misfortune. But
we have no charter of exemption, that
know Of, from the ordinary frailtes of onr
nature
The violent war spirit of the days of
Madison's administration, denounced as
traitors and spmpathizers with England
some of the wisest and purest men Of New
England. because they did not approve
but opposed the war Of 1919; and the
Hartford Convention of 1914 became with
ultra democrats the synonyme for revo-
lutionary and tratorous cabal; but no in
telligent man, above the grade OF dema-
gogue, now presumes to denounce George
Cabot, and William Prescott, and Harri.
son Gray Otis. and Nathan Dane, and
Samuel Sumner Wilde, and Roger Mibot
Sherman, and the other venerable men
who composed the Hartford Convention,
as traitors to their country. They may
have been wrong In their policy, but they
were not traitors. Abraham Lincoln,
now President Of the United States, and
Thomas Corwin, his ambassador 10 Mex
leo. TO say nothirg of other distinguished
men high in popular favor, opposed with
zeal and energy the war of 1847 with
Mexico. 1t was his anxious inquiry for
''the particular spot" where the first blood
in the Mexican war was shed-an enquiry
based upon his desire to falsify the decla-
ration Of President Polk, that the war was
begun by the act Of Mexico-that gave
Mr.. Lincoln his first Congressional dis.
tlnction. Mr.. Corwn's famous anti Mex
lean war speech of "bloody hands and
hosPitable graves" notoriety, is familiar to
opposing the war, giving aid and comfort
to their country's enemies. and therefore
traitors, whose dead bodies Illinois and
Ohio should spurn from their soil? Alas
for human nature, and alas for wisdom Of
human conduct, when the heated zeal Of
party spirit will SO far overstep the bounds
OF reason, as to prompt men to deal in uE-
bridled denunciation of political opponents
wnen the welfare of the people demands
the calm voice and clear vision of wisdom
When people are famshing for TIE bread
of political life, why thus give them stones
of stumbling and rocks OF offence? 1t is
not all men who cry Union, Union! with
noisy zeal. while they are at the same time
crying havoc aud setting on the dogs Of
war that are wise and true Union men.
Such men may be assured that there is a
Peace Party in the United States that is a
true Union party. They may be for a
time outnumbered, and intimidated by the
wild passion that moves over the face of
the land, but they are abiding their time;
their voice will yet be heard and needed
Ii may be but still small voice, but it
will be one ,ha. e is hoped under the
blessing Of God will touch the hearts of
all the people. and awaken memories of
the early days Of tho Federal Union.
when the North and the South were not
antagonistic when we were nation of
brothers and friends, protected by the
same Federal laws, sharers in the same
historic glory. aud hopeful of tho same
great destiny. AS this peace party cher
ish in their hearts, the honor and glory of
the Union, and tho whole Union. they will
not sue 70. peace under the shadow and
gloom of defeat; nor will they seek TO die E.
tate In the arrogant spirit of conquest to
the PROSTATE and powerless people of sub =
jugated States, misguided and wrong as
they have been. Their language to the
men of the South nj all timeS is "Men