Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1862-05-22

law in the Territories, and whose avowed
If consummatcd, must end in
civil war and disunion."
Such, Democrats, was the ancient and
the recent policy of the Democratic party.
running through period Of sixty gears;
a rolicy consistent with the principles of
the Constitution, and absolutely essential
to the preservation of the Union.
Does the history of the Democratic
party prove that it ought to be abandon
ed? "By their fruits shall you know
them" Sectional parties do not achieve
union triumphs. For sixty years from
the inauguration OF Jefferson on the 4th
of March, 1901, the Democratic party,
with short intervals, controlled the power
and the policy OF the Federal Govern
mcnt. For foriv-eight years out Of these
ffty-four years and eight months the
Democratic policy prevailed. During
this period Louisiana, Florida, Texas,
New Mexico and California were succss-
lively annexed TO our territory, with an
area more than twice as large as all the
original Thirteen States together. Eight
rev States were admitted under strictly
Democratic Administrations under
the Administration # Fillmore. From
five millions, the population increased to
thirty-one millions. The Revolutionary
debt was extinguished. Two foreign wars
were successfully prosecuted, with a mod
e,ate outlay and small army and navy,
and without the suspension of the heJedS
coypQS,. without one infraction Of the
Constitution; without one usurpation Of
power; without mprisoning n single edi-
tor; without nit to the freedom Of press
or Of speech in or ont of Congress, but in
the midst Of the crosses abuse Of both;
and without the arrest of a single ''trai-
tor" though the Hartford Convention
sat during one of the wars, and in the
/ other Senators invited the enemy to "greet
our volunteers with bloody hands, and
welcome them to hoSpitable graves"
Dming all this time wealth increased,
business Of all kinds multiplied, prospe-
| itv smiled on every side, taxes were low,
wages were high, the North and the South
furnished market for each others pro-
duets at good prices; public liberty was
secure, private rights undisturbed; every
mans house was his castle; the courts
were open to all; no passports for travel
no secret police, no spies, no inIormers
! no bastiles; the right to assemble peace
! ably, the right to petition; freedom o
, religion, freedom of speech. free ballo
! and a free press; and all this time tn
Constitution maintained and the Uniol
of the States preserved
Such was the choice fruits Of Demo
cratic principles and policy, carried on
: through the whole period during whic
S the Dem ooratic party held the power an
administered the Federal Government
: Such has been the history of that party
=, 1t is Union party, for it preserved tn
Union, by wisdom, peace, and compro
mise, for more than half century.
c Then, Democrats, neither the anclen
e principles. the policy, nor the past hi'
], tory of the Democratic party require
If nor would Justify its disbandmcnt.
d Is there any thing in the present cris
it which demands it? The more immed
!, ate issue is. "To maintain the Constlt'
h ton as it is, and restore the Union as
3, was"
o TO maintain the the Constitution is t
resncct the rights of the States ana I'll
c liberties Of the citizen. 1t is to adheI
c faithfully to the very principles and polio
+ which the Democratic party has proieSse
/ for more than half century. Let II
S history, and the results, from the begin
y ing, prove whether it has practiced then
ii We appeal proudly to the record.
The first step toward the restoration
l. the Union as it was is to maintain Il
l. Constitution as it is. So long as it WI
maintained in fact, and not thrcaten'
is with infraction in spirit and in letter.
l. tual or imminent, the Union was unbr
$, ken.
l. TO restore the Union, it is Rssenti
first, to give assurance to every State al
v to the people Of every section that the
or rights and liberties and property will
ne secure within the Union under the 60
stitution. What assurance so doub
IN sure as the restoration to power OF til
ancient organized CONSOLIDATED Dem
he cratic party which for sixty years dit S
cure the property, rights and liberties
at the States and Of the people, and tn
did maintain the Constitution and p'
nd serve the Union, and with them the M
,iplied blessings which distinguished
he above all other natious?
% To restore the Union is to crush
by sectonaism North and South. To bet
the great work of restoration through
Of ballot box is to kill abolition. The
nd tor waters of secession flowed first a
on are fed still from the unclean founta
nd of Abolitionism. That fountain m
be dried up. Armies may break do
the the power Of the Confederate Cove
ed; ment in the South; but the work OF
ich Storation can only be carried on throV
uld political organization and the ballot
be the North West. In this great work
cordially invite the cooperation of
rty men in every part who are opposed
the fell spirit of abolition, and who,
,ci- sincerity, desire the Constitution as II
the and the Union as it was. Let tho d
of past bury its dead. Rally, lovers OF
as Union, the G Constitution and Liberty
Of the standard of the Democratic pa
and already in the field and confident of
'm- tory. That party is the natural pcrs
Ugh ent enemy of abolition. Upon this q,
iu- ton its record as national organizat
ori- however it may have been at times W
for particular men or in particular States