The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-02-08

FoT he Mountain DsnoefAL
sound Doctrine, whether fFOM .
Modern Democrat or from Junius.

Jan. 4, 1852, you furnish the following
creed as the true essence and faith Of
Democracy, to which, permit me to add,
all good Democrats will cheerfully sub
scribe:
Ne shall hOld that man to he ds much a
traitor who urges our Government TO OUerStep
its Constitutional pOtcers, as he who resisIs the
exercise of its rightful authority. We shall
contend that the rights of the States and the
General Government are e9lnIly sacred. And
our motto is: The Union and the Constitution
and the Laws. The Union upon equal terms,
the whole Constitution, and all the Laws"
To show you that the above doctrine,
excellent as it is, has been entertained by
the opposers Of tyrants in other ages and
countries, permit me to call your atten-
ton to the dedication of the immortal let
tiers of Junius, to the English nation. He
SAYS:
AN honest, and, may truly affirm, la
bOrious zeal for the public service, has given
me any weight in your esteem, let me exhort
and cOnjure you. neCer IN suffer an intrusion nj
yOur political COnstitutiOn, hOTeUer minute tie
instdRce DIdy appear, to pass By, without de-
ternined, perSeUering resistdnce. One prece
dent creates another. They sOOu accumulate,
and constitute law. What yesterday was fact,
to-day is doctrine. Examples are supposed to
justify most dangerous measures and when
they do not SUIT exactly, the defect is supplied
by analogy. Be assured, the liars, 'ehich pro-
ttrt ua in orr cirit rights, grotC out Of tie Cen.
stitation, and they must fdH or flourish rhh it,"
Junius urged upon the English nation,
the precise doctrines entertained by the
/ American Dess,oe'aer >a3- Sy then;
through their press and orators, urged
upon the people-viz: the preserrdtiOn Of
the Constitution, from whence comes all
the Idrs 'ehich protect us in our ciril
rights. The quotations above are evil
dence of this, and may convince some,
that the principles Of liberty are the same
everywhere, and that opposition to ty-
rants" is not only obedience to God"
but is n cardinal element in all Democrat
ic creeds.
To justify the Democracy in their OPP
position to Mr.. Lincolns Administration,
it is only necessary to refer the reader to
the startling Eact that j, has been one cuct-
tinued violation of that sacred instrument
which alone has the power to bind to-
gether, in one fraternal bond of Union,
the American people. Not only has the
Constitution been set at naught and its
solemn guarantees trarnpled upon. but the
sacriIrgious acts have been justified both
by the high functionaries thus gravely
offending, and the. press, whose mission
avowcdly is to stand as buIwark between
the people and their Oppressors. 1t is
difficult TO decide which Of the two is
most corrupt, but plain to see that foun-
tain from which corruption only flows,
must be altogether impure.
The complaint Of the people against
their tyrant rulers is, not only Of viola
ton Of civil rights, but that 10 no period
Of the worlds history has personal liberty
been in greater jeopardy. The vilest
wretch that sells his principles and vio-
lates his conscience may cOnsign the pu-
rest patriot in the land to one of our mod
err bastileS, by merely intimating that
he is oppos' d to the infamy and cOrrup-
ton OF the Administration, and has had
the courage to give tongue 20 his indig-
Aaht thoughts. Such man nay have
read the Constitution and practiced its
requirements, as the devout Christian
does his Bible, but it is counted as no
virtue, if he has had the temerity to ques-
ton the immacuIacy Of His LengthinrsS,
the President, or the sagacity Of his con-
stitutiunal a1visers-abetlorS were bet
ter term.
Be assured, that the lars, nhich pro-
tect us an our cir'l rights, gro@ out Of
the COnstitutiOn, and they must .taN or
flourish riM it," So say the Democracy
to-day and yet, we are engaged in a civil
war-and it is urged upon US as bound
en duty TO give it our aid growing out
of the very fact of the violation of conSti
tutional laws enacted for the protection OF
the property of American citizens. The
Constitution had long been in disgrace
with the authors and instigatOrs Of this
fearful internecine war, and the utter dis
regard Of laws passed in entire harmony
with lis provisions, but in violation Of
their pr,judiccS, was natural sequence.
The time has now arrived for Democrats
to make a stand. 1t is yet possible for
them, by united action and firm and vir-
tuous resolves, to save the Constitution
and the country. They alone have the
power; and if recent elections teach any
thing, they encourage the hope that there
is an awakening sense of the Importance
of such united and harmonious action as
will bring about the desired result. They
have done much in times of past Difficult.
ties they have allayed party strifes, ap-
peascd animosities and brought harmony
out of confusion; and under their gui-
dance the nation has grown and prosper
led; but the task is greater now, and the
reward for successful effort will be the
blessings Of multiplied millions and an
Immortality Of .tdme. Is mot the compen-
sation ample!
TO the breach, then, fellow Democrats 1!
Let no one say, | followed after this OF
that leader, but let the Constitution, the
laws, and a glorious and equal Union be
our chart and compass and in God let our
trust be confidently repoSed. We are
sure of being right when laboring for the
best interests ofthe whole civilized world /;
then let US go ahead, strike all together,
make no compromises with the demons Of
discOrd who have so wickedlv sought our
- III