Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1862-08-19
TUESDAY, AUGUST 10. 1899.
The Maine Dem ocrncy.


The resolutions adopted by the Name
democratic state convention, last week. winch
probably express the average sentiment anu
purpose of the democracy OF New England,
deserve more than passing notice. There
is an active minority of that organization in
Maine who are avowedly opposed to the pros
ecution of the war, and who boldly and auda-
ciously advocate the cessation of hostiities on
the part of this government, with settlement
on such terms as will be satisfactory to the
states now in rebellion. The convention,
without adopting the views of these open enc
mics of the government, went as far in the
direction of their unpatriotic and fatal policy
as prudence would allow.
The platform consists of two resolutions,
the first of which states in general terms that
the purpose of the democratic party is g the
restoration of the Union as it was, and the
preservation of the Constitution as it is"
The second is quite long, and reviews the
several provisions of the constitution under
which traitors of all classes have claimed i'm
punity, and denounces the government for
huh II Has uOHG III TIT way Vi
of this protection. The articles relating to
trial by jury, freedom of speech, personal lib
erty, security from unreasonable searches and
seizures-all of them pillars of public safety
are incorporated in the resolution, with the
following comments, which express the pith
and purpose of the whole:
"We utterly condemn and denounce the
repeated and gross violation by the Executive
of the United States, of the said rights thus
secured by the Constitution; and we also ut
terly repudiate and condemn the monstrous
dogma that In time of war the Constitution is
suspended, or its powers in any respect en-
larged beyond the letter and true meaning of
that instrument. That we view with indigna-
ton and alarm the illegal and unconstitutional
seizures and Imprisonment, for alleged politi-
cal offences, of our citizens without judicial |
process, in states where such process is unob-
structed, but by Executive order by telegraph |
or otherwise, and call upon all who uphold |
the Union, the Constitution and the laws, to |
unite with us in denouncing and repelling |
such fragrant violation of the State and Fed
eral Constitutions and tyranncal infraction of
the rights and liberties of American citizens;
and that the people of this State cannot safely
and will not submit to have the freedom of
speech and freedom of the press, the two
great and essential bulwarks of civil liberty,
put down by an unwarranted and despotc ex-
ertion Of power"
This is undoubtedly fair average express
sion of the temper of the democratic leaders
of New England. The administration is their
rock Of offence. When it is bold and agrees
sive it enrages them. Only when it is timId
and deferential it fills up the measure of their
satisfaction. Whatever it has done to infict
speedy and merited punishment on conspira-
tors they denounce. Whatever license it has
given them-and it has sometimes given them
extraordinary hcense-they approve. With
the democracy of Maine they reserve all their
Indignation for the government under which
they live and in which alone is their hope.
But where is their zeal and fire against the
guilty men who are to-day leading their re-
belllous hosts in embattled columns against
the republic2 They seem to see nothing in
Virginia but field for political engineering
nothing south of the black border line of
slavery and rebellion but a field for political
conquests, the dream of which has haunted
them since the sound of the first guns of fort
Sumter died away.
These, certainly, are not the leaders for a
brave people, engaged in war for Union based
upon liberty. They hinder the success which
the country must win if it would be secure
and respected hereafter. They throw dust in
the eyes Of honest men, who compose the
mass of the people and the rank and file of
the army. They do it with an unpatriotic
purpose, which is not so well understood as
it should be, but which only needs to be un-
derstood to be Indignantly crushed. To a
clear understanding of the issues which the
Maine convention has precipitated upon pub
lie attention, and which are to be presented
if all signs do not fail, in the rest of the New
England states, the people must soon come
If they are assured that the rebellion must be
wholly conquered, and the black influences
which caused 1t must be wholly destroyed,
they will not stand upon ceremony when the
time comes for putting all such stumbling
blocks out of the way.