New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1862-08-01
THE WAR NBETlN0--DEMOCR
Y. 8. REPUBLICANISM.

!
Last Saturday evening, pursuant te
public notice, = large and enthusiastic
meeting of the citizens Of Howard and
Winneshiek Counties assembled at So
bin & Moons Hall, to take steps tc
procure our quota Of men under the
late call Of the President. A commit
tee was appointed by the Chair todraf'
resolutions expressive of the sense Of the
meeting, consisting of one lover Of con.
stitutional government and four consti
tuition haters. During the absence Of
the committee, able and patriotic
speeches were made by Messrs. Averill,
Cole, Goodrich, Lee, Davies, and 9TH
ers, the good effect Of which could he
seen in the glowing enthusiasm, vocif-
erous and deep responses Of the audi
tors , and we verify believe, had they
been called upon then, largely more
than half the quota Of our county could
nave been Immediately raised. But
the committee coming in at this mo-
msnt and reporting series Of resolu-
tons, one Of which attempted to pledge
the people to sustain the President in
The use Of "all the means and measures
nc might adopt to suppress the Rebel
!iou," being discussed upon /. motion to
amend 80 as to read, "aN the censtitu-
t;onal means and measures he might
adopt" &c. and the amendment having
the opposition Of nearly every repub-
lican in the house, the military ardor
Of the meeting cooled of very sensibly
under its discussion. 1t was given to
understand that the republican portion
Of the committee were unwilling to
advocate the prosecution Of o cosstitu-
tional war, in a constitutional manner.
and for constitutional purposes /; be-
cause that policy would coincide, net
only with the course of the Plain Dealer,
but Of the Northern Democracy.
It is natural for democrats to vener-
ate and love tho constitution, believing
that if in our efforts to save the Union
We destroy the constitution, all our
sacrifices will have been in vain. They
can conceive Of no military necessity
50 grea. as to justify the President in
violating the charter Of our liberties
They look upon military necessity
as the plea upon which despots in all
ages Of the world have justified their
Entertainments upon the civil and polit-
ical rights, and personal freedom Of the
car.zen. They ooEceuc ei,.s II Is sn1
duty of every citizen to assist the Pres
ilent in carrying out the provisions of
the constitution and in enforcing the
laws, but in doing this they insist that
tho President who is tho creature of
the constitution must himself obey the
laws and follow the mandate Of the con-
stitution. They believe that every
class of people, officers, citizens, sol.
diers, secessionists, and patriots are to
be tried by the constitution. They be-
lieve ours to be a government in which
the chief element Of strength is the
good feeling Of its citizens and that
our perpetual bond of Union is in the
unbiddcn consent ofthe governed. They
believe that such q government, to be
successful, must be administered with
an eye single to the harmony Of all the
parts. They would strictly construe
the constitution, in all the limitations
of power with which it surrounds pub
lie officers, and in the maintenance Of
the reserved rights of the people.
The abolition party, on the contrary
claim the right to put their own private
convictions in conflict with the decis
ions. Of the Courts making their OWL
consciences q "higher law" to which
all others must yield. 1t also stand.
pledged against Eve Of the fundameu
tal doctrines Of the constitution.
l. The constitutional authority O
the Supreme Court.
| 2. The return of fugitives from ser
vice Or labor.
3. The duty Of Governors to return
criminals upon requisition for infrac
tons of the laws of slave States. (Set