Weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1858-1865, 1862-06-11

will be secure within the Union under the constltu
ton. What assurance so doubly sure as the restor
alton to power of that ancient organized conso!ida
ted democratic party which for sixty years dsd SO
cure the property, rights and liberties OF the States
and of the people; and thus dM MAINTAIN tue CON
stitution and preserve the Union, and with them
the multiplied blessings which distinguished US
above all other nations?
Torestore the Union is to crush out sectlonalisn,
North and South. To begin the great work OF re-
storation through the ballot-box is to kill abolition.
The bitter waters of Secession flowed first and arc
fed still from the unclean fountain of abotionisn
That fountain must be dried up. Armies may break
down the power of the Confederate government in
the South but the work of restoration can only be
carried on through political organization and the
ballot in the North and West In this great work
we cordially invite the cooperation Of all men Of
every party who are opposed to the fell spirit of alb
clifton and who, in sincerity, desire the Constitu
ton az it is and the Uni as it was. Let the dead
past bury its dead. Rally lovers of the Union the
Constitution, and of liberty, to the standard OF the
democratic party already in the field and confident
ent enemy of abolition Upon this question its re
cord as national organization, however it may
have been at times with particular men, or in par
ticular States it is clear and unquestionable From
the beginning of the anti-savery agitation to the
period of the last Democratic National Convention
it has held but one language in regard to it. Let
the record speak,
"Resolrea, That the Congress has no power un-
der the constitution to interfere with control the
domestic institutions of the several States and that
such States are the sole and proper judges of every
thing appertaining to their affairs not prohI6l-
ted by the constitution that all efforts of the abol-
tonsts and others made to induce Congress to inter-
fere with questions of slavery or to take inclp.
lent steps in relation thereto calculated to lead
to the most alarming and dangerous consequences
and that all such efforts have inevitable tendency
to diminish the happiness of the people and endan
ger the stability and permanency OF the Union. ana
ought not to be countenarced by any friend OF our
! political institutions"
Upon these principles alone, so far as relates to
| slavery can the Union as it was be restored; and
other Union, except the unity Of despotisn, can
be maintained in this country and this last we will
resist as our fathers did, with our lives our for
tunes and our sacred honor.
But it is said that you must disband the democrat
icparty ITO support the government" We answer
that the democratic party has always supported the
government; and while it was in power, preserved
the government in all its vigor and integrity, not by
| force anu arms but by wisdom, sound policy and
peace But it never did admit, and never will, that
this administration, any administration, Is the
overnment" 1t holds, and ever has held, that the
Federal government is the agent of the people OF the
several States composing the Union-that it con-
ssts of three distinct departments: the legislative
the executive and judicial-each equally part Of
the government and equally entitled to the conf
dence and support of the States and the people, and
that is the duty of every patriot to sustain the
several departments of the government in the exer
else of all the Constitutional powers of each which
may be necessary and proper for the preservation OF
the government in its principles and in its visor and
integrity, and stand by and defend to the utmost
the flag which represents the government, the Union
and the country.
In this sense the democratic party has always
sustained, and will sustain the government
against all foes, at home abroad, in the Nor;l:
the South, open or concealed in Office or out Of Of
fce in peace in war.
If this what the Republican party mean by sup
porting the government it is an idle thing to aban
don the old and tried democratic party, which for
many years and through so many trials, supported,
preserved and maintained the government of the
Union. But if their purpose be to aid the ancient
enemies OF the democracy in subvertng our present
constitution and form of government and under
pretence of saving the Union, to erect strong GEN.
trailzed deSpotism its ruins the democratic par
ty will resist them the worst enemy to the Con-
stitution and the Union, and to free government
everywhere.
We do not propose to consider now the cause
which led to the present unhappy civil war; tit
ter time will come hereafter for such discussion
But we remind you now that compromise made your
Union, and compromise fifteen months ago would
have saved it. Repeated efforts were made at the
last session of the Thirty Congress to this end
At every stage the great mass of the South, with
the whole democratic party, and the whole Consti-
tutonal Union party OF the North and West united
IN favor OF certain amendments to the constitution
and chief among them the we'll known "Crittenden
propositions" which would have averted civil war
and maintained the Union At every stage all pro-
posed amendments Inconsistent with the sectional
doctrines of the Chicago platform were strenuonsly
and unanimously resisted and defeated by the repub-
lican party. The "Crittenden propositions" never
received single republican vote in either House.
For the proof we appeal to the journals of Congress
and to the Congressional Globe.
We scorn to reply TO the charge that the demo-
cratic party is opposed to granting aid and support
to the Federal Government in maintaining its safe
ty, integrity and constitutional supremacy, and in
faVor OF dlsoandlng our armies and succumbing to
the South. The charge is libeous and false. No
man mas advocated any such proposition. Demo-
Gratis recognize it as their duty as patriots to sup
port the government in all its constitutional nee
essary and proper efforts to maintain its safety, in.
tesrty, and constitutional authority; but at the
same time they are inaexiby opposed to waging
war against any OF the States or people of this Union
in any spirit of oppression, or for any purpose of
conquest or su9ugation, or Of overthrowing or in
tererng with the rights or established institutions
OF any State Above all, the democratic party will
not support the administration in anything which
looks or tends to the loss of our political personal
rights and liberties, change of our present dem
ocratical form of government
But no, democrats it is not the support of the
government in restoring the Union which the party
in power requires Of you. You are asked to give
up your principles, your policy, and your party, and
to stand by the administration of the party in pow
er, in all its acts. Above al it is demanded of you
that you yield at least silent support to their whole
policy and to withhold all scrutiny into their public
conduct of every kind least you should "embarrass
the administration" You are thus asked to renounce
one of the first principles and the chief security Of
a democratic government-the right to hold public
servants responsible to their masters the people, to
render the representative accountable to the const
uent; the ancient and undoubted prerogative of
Americans to canvass public measures and public
men,. 1t is this "high constitutional privilege"
which Daniel Webster declared he would "defend
and exercise within the House and out of the House,
and IN all places in time of war, in time Of peace
and at all timeSl0 10 r;obf eoo,.od hy tho coD