Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-08-13
a D d r Z 5 S
OF The
State Central Com
mistee.

10 THE DEMOCRATS AND ALL THE OTHER
FRIENDS OF THE CONSTTTU TION AND
UNION IN PENNSYLVANIA
The Democratic State Central Commit
tee address you upon subjects of the gra-
vest moment. The life of our beloved
country is in danger. The nation writhes
under the throes of widespread civil war
All our widespread patriotism all our
wealth all cur physical powers; all of
whatever virtue exists iii the Republic is
invoked, and should be promptly afforded
TO save the National Constitution and the
Union of the States from utter overthrow.
Is there Il Pennsvlvanian who values
the title of American citizen-who re-
veres the memory of the men OF the Revo-
lutiOn-who values civil and religious
iberty-who abhors anarchy or despotism
Or who claims to possess a manly. pa
t1otic heart, that Is not prepared TO pledge
life, fortune and sacred honor for his
country, in this. her hour of greatest need
and peril None can withhold such as
surancoS Of Il just estimate of the impor-
tance of preserving the existence of our
republican institutions. We approach
you with the fall conviction that the hearts
of the greatest body Of the people of
Pennsylvania are with their country in
this great crisis of her destiny; that all
that is needed is to be satisfied of Il feasi-
bic mode of relief and extrication. and of
the most effective organization TO combine
all the forces that can be applied to speedi-
ly and effectually yield the happy fruits of
returned peace and prosperity
To clearly indicate the mode of relief ii
would appear to be proper to first deter
mine the cause or causes of our present
difficulties, Understanding the causes. it
would seem to be in the order of nature.
that restoration should follow upon their
removal 1t is not compatible with the
practical efficiency of an address, such as
this, to engage in any elaborate exposi-
ton or historical account of the gradual
progress of antecedent causes. that have
at last eliminated in the dreadful result
we now behold. We shall, therefore.
necessarily be brief, and best discharge our
purpose by n statement of facts, which
you will all recognize as correct. and by
the assertion OF propositions and conclu-
sions which we maintain cannot be sue
ccSsfullv cOntroverted. The troubles that
are now upon us are those that the fathers
of this country foresaw might arise upon
the decay of patriotism, and against which
they undertook to guard by the Constitu-
tion of the United States, and the estab-
Iishment thereby of what was deemed bv
them-and has, until recently. proved to
be the harmonious action of the States and
the Federal Governmcnt-in their defined
and Just relations to each other. Wash
ington, in his farewell address pointed out
these dangers; and, above all, indicated,
as the evidence of a waning attachment
for the Union, and as the precursor of its
fall, the creation of sectional parties. 1t
was in view of probable efforts in this di
rectiOn that he appealed TO his country
men :" to Indignantly frown upon the first
dawning of every attempt to ALLEVIATE any
portion of our country from the rest, or to
enfeeble the sacred ties which link together
the various parts Had the countrvmen
of Washington sufficiently appreciated his
patriotic warning, the widespread civil
war that now affiicts us would never have
existed but, on the contrary, we should,
at this time, under the support which a
most bountiful Providence is extending TO
us, be in the enjoyment of a degree of
prosperity and happiness 1--WE venture to
assert) unequalled in the history of nations
Most unfortunately sectional parties have
grown up, begetiing sectional bitterness: !:
and already the title of American citizens
begins to pale before the invasive pro-
gress of such titles as Northerncr and
Southerner.
Years ago men III the North, then Il
very insignificant combination, began TO
assail our Constitution and our Union.
This faction, basing its opposition upon a
misguided sentimentality in regard to the
servitude of the negro race in the Southern
States, and allowing that sentimentality TO
swallow up all true feelings of patriotism,
and all duty as citizens, boldly proclaimed
their hostility to the Constitution and the
Union, which they rightly claimed recog-
nized and was pledged not TO invade the
control of the States respectively over the
institution of domestic slavery. Disloyal
| declarations, such as 90 better no Union al
| all than n Union with Shareholders" be-
| came the axiomic dicta of this faction.
then and now Gin its formidable proper
| tions) best known as Abolitionists. With,
out dwelling upon the progress and growth
of this faction, it is too lamentably true
| u Ill I-,o,,-,, thaf nrOcIaimIno throrIoI