M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1862-03-20

relation to the unhappy war Whic"
now aflicts the uaiion, and the Ob
iects for which alone that war shond
be prosecuted. Aud standing here,
loyal and faithful citizen. recogniz.
ing TO the fullest extent ihc tond oI
my alkgnhre, ltlccIaro my purpose
to sustain the Government with all
my energies in all it's constitutional
efforts to maintain unbrokep the I'M
ion Of these States as our fathers made
E:t;that will sustain il with oil my
energits in SO condulting tlis war
'hat it shall mot be waged in the
spirit of conqncst'or subiugation, nor
Tor the purpose Of ovclthrJwing or in.
teriering with the rights or institu.
tions Of tho States, but to defend and
maintain the supremacy Of the Con-
stitution, and to preserve the Union
with all the dignity, equality and
rights ofthe several States unimpair-
ed ;" but that shall oppose unalter-
ably, in all constitutional methods,
and to the utmost OF my ability, the
prosecution of this war for the pur-
pose of subjugating the Southern
States, reducing them to the condition
of Territories. subVerting thoiT insti.
tutions and laws, or liGerq.ing their
slaves. This position / conceive to
be one on which every lover Of the
Constitution, every friend Of human
ity, can stand. II is the rock Of the
Constitution, md he who places his
feot npon it may defy the storm which
RACES around him.
The Union was established by the
prayers, the tears, the groans, the
b.ood ola generation whIcE stands
exalted in all that enobles the human
race over all the other generations oI
men which the earth has witnessed
1t comes down to US rich with the
odor Of blessed memories, TO pre-
serve it in its purity; to restore it tc
it's glory, to lift 1t up once more fol
the civilized world to look at and al
mire, to bequeath it unimpaired il
its beniicent grandeur to cur child
rem, is cause in which every sacri
flee save that of eternal truth, becomel
cheap and easy. For that cause de
sire, in my humble capacity, to speak
to-day. For that cause can soy
with the eye Of Onniscience for my
witness, no life between the two
oceans that bonnd this continent
would be more willingly offered than
mine.
But greater evil, o moro fatal cal
amity to US and our prosperity thar
even hostile line Of division acros!
the heart Of the natioz is, in my iudg
lnent, here threatened on this aoor.- =
The fall OF The Republic can never bt
complete until the Constitution is oV
erthrown. A portion of its territory
may be torn away treason may rob il
CT much OF its treasure, the lightning
may descend and scatter some Of its
beautiful branches and sean and scar
its stately trunk, but if the immortal
principles OF tie Constitution are left
the sap Of life will rise again, and the
leaves will come in the spring. Des
troy them, and thetree OF liberty. like
a girdled tree OF the Western forests
will hasten to decay, and fall to the
eartii, to be removed US a rubbish by
the hand Of some tyrant and usurder
Sir, what is it that constitutes The
value Of American citizeuship2 Ia i
vast possessions and extensive bonn
daries2 What to me, what to you ID
the possession of the four quarters
OF the Globe, and all the Islands of tht
sea, if we have not as our shield, oul
buckler and Nnr deferse The Constitu
ton Of our fathersg Within its sa
cred folds are garnered mp the great
crown jewels Of human freedom.
First aud above all, at every hazard
and in the face Of all consequences,
permit not the people to be robbed Of
these jewels. They constitute his all;
they render his person sacred; they
make his roof protect him at home;
they enable him when abroad to ex
claim with more weight than the Ro
man Of old, that ne is an American
citizen; ;hey open his prison doors in
time of trouble; they place him be
fore is accusets; they give him Q
trial by his peers; they protect him
in the enjoyment of the hard learned
labor OF his hands; they tell him. in
angelic sweetness; 10 eat in peace The
bread which he has earned in the
sweat ofhis face. They are all, ali
sir, all that render American citizen
ship significant OF liberty, significenl
Of treeborn, upright, glorions man
hood thought the world. For me, lei
us wear and enjoy them, though my
possession be no broader than the
| norro,, l;,o;to m ,rb;nl, 80 on baaf,r