The weekly mountain Democrat. [volume] (Placerville, El Dorado County, Calif.) 1861-1862, 1862-08-30

tcllcctual and purely patriotic John Con-
ness would reply to and annihlate Milton
S. Latham. In this congenial work he
would he assisted by the brilliant SWEET
and the eloquent Staples. Notwithstand
ing this tempting and attractive announce
MISUNDERSTANDING money was liber
ally used to draw crowd
ing Harvey, Sanderson, Rogers, Cooper
and other unsellish patriots piteously ap-
pealed to the dear peeps" to turn out,
but few persons were present. The can
didates turned out but the people didn't.
The Placervile Band was brought into
rcqustion, but it failed to bring the SOW
ercignS together. Fol one hour aud TWEEN.
ty-tbrec minutes it occupied the platform,
playing stirring airs, but it was no go.
The Union-loving people Of Ell Dorado
were not anxious to encourage by their
presence Abolition spouters. Seeing their
failure and wishing to offer some excuse
for the smallnesS and coldness of the meet
ing, Rogers, Mcdonald and other leading
AbolitioniSts started a report that the
meeting was ca!4--. .>4> >S>>>e<Sss aud that
as he had not arrived but few would be
present. CONFESS had arrived before the
Band commenced playing, but was not
ambitious TO address Such a slim crowd
He expected and was promised an cnthu-
siastic reception, and it is needless TO say
he was greatly disappointed and hugely
Disguised.
The few present becoming impatient it
was deemed cXpedient to organize the
meeting, and the ever faithful and ire.
preSsible Rogers. old Abe's dignifed
Postmaster, called the meeting to order.
John Hume was elected President and
some other John Vice President. The
first John, in fatering voice, explained
the object Of the meeting and made a
lame apology for the absence (thcy were
prcscnD of the "big guns" AS soon as
he had ceased speaking, Rogers, Ellis,
Mcdonald and Greene, al! office holders,
called family for SandcrSon. In obedience
to such spontaneous and hearty cali,
that consistent and reliable politician
mounted the platform, and delivered one
Of the most rampant, unauthorized,
savage Abolition speeches that ever dis
graccd State. Il was purely, thoroughly,
/ intensely scnselcss, hcartlcSs and disUyal.
Such 4 speech, made at any other time,
would damn to eternal in(amy its author.
II exceeded in bitterness, in mockery of
all that good men vencrate and patriotic
men cherish, in treason to the Govern
mcnt and the Union, anything ever ut
tered 10y the vleSt fanatics of the ADO
lition party. Wendell Philips and Lloyd
Garrison would have bluShcd to speak as
he did. He said, in elect, (wc don't pro-
TESS to quote his exact language that in
times of war the Constitution was nullity;
that there was "sterncr law than the
Constitution, and he entered into n
| heightened and elaborate argument to
prove his position correct. He justified,
not only justified but applauded every
unconstitutional measure and arbitrary
act Of the Administration and had the
unlairnesS, to impose upon his audience,
for he knew better, trcrl the mere agents
of the Governmcut-the creatures of the
Government-thc Government. This was
unworthy of extraordinarily Of a
brainlcss pettifoggcr He Sncered at the
Constitution treated it as triiing thing,
utterly worthless and contemplate
With matchlesS impudence-not iGno-
rance, reader; Sanderson is not fool il
he is an Aboltionist--he denied that the
President ever suspended the writ Of hi.
bcas corpus, but qualified his remark by
saying, "until he was clothed with au
thority to do so. We repeat that he did
in numerous instances, as was asserted
by Davis, Of Kentucky, Union man, on
the floor Of the United States Senate, and
his assertion stands to-day uncontradic-
ted. Among the powers given erct"si'e'
ly to Congress by the Constitution, as
SanderSon we'll knows and will not have
the hardihood to deny, is this: To sus'
pend the writ Of ha6eas corpus" Con.
gress cannot, constitutionally, delegate it,
powers to another.
The President, Of his own voltion, in
defiance of the Constituton--tha instru'
mel:t for which the loyal American peo
pie have so much reverence, .Sanderson
so much ontempt-increased the army
increased the navy; appropriated the ma
TONS money and contracted debts on be.
half of the nation. True, the COnstitu
ton gives to Congress the exclusive pow
er to do this; but, says Sanderson, apol
rogeticaly, the Constitution is a dead let
ter in time of war; Is this so? If it is
then we have no Union, for Sandersor
well knows that the Constitution makes
the Union. Destroy the Constitution and
the Union is destroyed.
Sanderson denies that Lincoln has beer
guilty of any infractions of the Constitu
ton! What powers are denied to both
Congress and the President by the Con
stitution? Chancellor S. s. Nicholas, ont
of the most eminent lawyers and distin
guiShcd Union men of the country, thu:
answers "To proclaim martial law; tC
arrest without u legal warrant; imprison
ment or other punishment without convic
ton upon legal trial; punishment under
cr most ftct0 or nOn-eXisting law; the in