The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-09-20

w. Wall, of Burlington, was read at a
Democratic meeting at Philadelphia in re-
ply to an invitation to attend that meet
ing: Ia III Z
Hon. b. w. Hughes, s0has,u.ai. Of the
Democratic State Central Committee !:
DEAR SIR Il sincerely regret that it
win MOI be in my power to accept your
limitation to Be present and address the
meeting of the Democracy to be held in
Independence Square on Saturday even
ing next. :. lT gEh qitaIz .lI l4.i
I regret it the more, because at this mo-
mehtous period of the couutry's history,
I believe il, to be the sacred duty of every
patriot to aid with voice, pen and every
energy, in advancing and re-establishing
those great national principles upon which
the Democratic party rests. ghat'party is
one of no mushroom growth. It was
born with the Constitution, and can only
perish when that Constitution shall be-
come the sport of unprincipled factions,
and cease to be considered as the express
sion of the national will, for the protection
'of the equal rights Of all, 1t came into
power almost with the birth of tho pres
emit century and with rare intervals con-
tinued in power until, weakened by dis
sensions, industriously fomented by cum
ming and INSCRIPTIONS political organiza-
ton, it was thrust aside to make room for
a sectional revolutionary section, whose
advent to power has unquestionably infic-
ted upon the country the curse of civil war;
The triumph of the principles of the Dem
ocratic party could never have produced
revolution. By the wisdom, of its keen,
far-sighted policy, the Democratic party,
when id power, had enlarged our borders,
given unexampled prosperity to the coun-
try, and labored to Undue with its own
spirit Of nationality our councils and our
legislation. The catholicity Of its views
banished forever the fell spirit of section
alism from its midst. It's efforts were al
ways to maintain inviolate the original
compacts of the Constitution, preserving
intact the legitimate rights of the States,
recognized no geographical distinctions,
and introducing no disturbing forces to in
terfere with that constitutional equilibri-
um whose preservation was SO vital to the
continued harmony and regularity of our
political system. 1t was the disturbance
Of this equilibrium, by the Introduction of
the antagonistic forces of sectionalism and
'fanaticism, that produced the revolution,
1t is only by the triumph Of the Democrat
ic party that such equilibrium can be re-
stored.
Many honest, right-thinEing men won
der that the party now bearing rule can
treat SO lightly constitutional obligations,
and trample on the most sacred guaran-
teed rights of freemen but such abnor-
NAL action is inseparable FROM its nature.
Its very organization was unconstitutional
Its tendencies revolutionary in the very
throes of the agony that gave it birth
In the formation Of this geographical par
ty was recognized the advent Of that time,
against whose approach the good Wash
ington warned his countrymen. In the
formation Of that party, designing men
succeeded in exciting belief "that there
was real difference of local interest and
local views" "The heart.burnings and
jealeusies spriagiug from misrepresenta-
tion' accomplished the fearful work, and
succeeded sin rendering alien to each
Other, those who ought to be bound togeth-
er by the ties of fraternal affection. p
Such an organization as this can never &C
knowledge the sanctity of constitutional OBJ
legations, for it would be entirely abhor-
rent to Its. very nature. You might as
well expect the devil to recognize the
sanctity Of holy water. Aslong, therefore,
as it holds sway, men may expect to hear
of these high-handed outrages upon the
constitutional rights of the citizens, and to
read ITS leading Journals that tho Con-
stitation is suspended, and may be set
aside altogether, whenever the salvation of
the Republican party demands it. h
II is for those Of US vine recognize the
obligations of that Constitution as binding
on the nation and its rulers in war as we'll
as in peace, to labor for the triumph Of
principles that our fathers gave us, and if
the nation had only adhered to them, we
should this day have been united and a
happy people. Those principles are still
alive. Not all the horrors Of civil war can
extinguish them, and not all the threats of
power can alarm true men from publicly
avowing their devotion to them. consci-
lentiously believe that the salvation Of this
country from its present most fearful perils
depends upon the final success Of that great
Constitutional party at the ballot-box, and
SO believing, I shall labor boldly and en-