, 1862-05-13
THE DEMOCRATIC ADDRESS.
The Vallandtgham Plan or Recon-
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/
The Valland1gham Plan or Recon.
ktTuetaons
4 brlef teleg7aphic abstract OF the Address
Of the Democratic Members Of Congress to
the people Of the United states Was given In
q former edition. The entire document ap-
pears IN the Natsoaa! lnteRt3tncsr. p
The opening passage sets forth the why and
wherefore Of the appeal in the following |
termg: -: -
"The perlous condition Of our country de-
1nanda that We should reason together. Party |
organization, restricted within proper limits, Is
a positive good, and indeed, essential to the |
# The best government would soou degen-
crate into the worst Of tyr4nn1es. In des-
potism the chief use OF powder is in crush |
Ing out party opposition, n our own coun- |
tfy the eIperieuce Of fthe last 19 months proves,
more than any lesson In history, the necessity t
Of party Organization. The present Admin: |
istTation was chosen by 9 party, aud tn al
civil acts aud appointments has recogn1sed d,
and still does, its fealty and obligations TO- |
that party. There must and will be an op.
poaitlon. The public safety aud good demand
It. Shall it be new organization OF IN old
one? The Democratic party was founded
more than sixty years ago. It has usFer been
disbauded. To-day It numbers one million
five hundred thonsand electors in the States
still loyal te the Union Its recent Numerous
victories In municipal elections In the West
EN- and Middle States prove It's vitality.
Within the last tea months it has held State
conventions and nominated full Democratic
tickets in eTery free State In the Union. OF
no other party opposed to Repuhllcan1sm can
the same be said"
The Address then puts the question: ''shal
the Democratic party be how disbanded:''
and answers 1t by citing its platforms and
quoting Jefez5cn's first Inaugural It is coll
tended that neither the ancient principles,
the policy, nor the past history Of the Demo
cratic party require nor would Justify its dis
bandment. Then comes the declaration Of
the next as follows:
"Is there anything In the present crisis
which demands it The more Immediate is
sue is, to maintain the Constitution as it is,
and to restore the Union as it Was.
"To maintain the Constitution is to respect
the rights Of the States, and the liberties Of
the citizen. It is to adhere faithfully to the
very principles and policy which the Demo
cratic party has proiessed for more than half
century. Let its history, and the results,
practieed them. We appeal proudly to the
record.
''The first step towards restozation of the
| Union as 1t ~as is to maintain the Constitu-
| tion as 1t is. So long as It was maintained IN
| fact, and not threatened with inffaction In
spirit and in letter, actual or imminent, the
| Union was unbroken-
"To restore the Union, it is essential, first,
| to give assurance to every State and to the
people Of every section that their rights and
| the Union under the Constitution What as
surance SO doublY sure as the restoration to
/ power OF that ancient, Organized, consolidated
| Democratic party, which for sixty years did
| secure the property, rights and liberties Of
the states and OF the people; and thus did
| Union, and with them the multiplied bless-
inge which distinguished us above all other
! nations?
sTo restore the Union is to crush out Sec
tionalIsm North and South. To begin the
! great work Of restoration through the ballot
box is to kill abolition. The bitter waters of
| secession flowed first aud are fed still from the
unclean fountain Of abolitionism4 That foun-
tain must be dried up. Armies may break
down the power Of the Confederate govern
ton 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 patty who are
opposed to the fell spirit Of abolition, and
who, in sincerity, desire the Constitution as it
is and the Union as 1t WAS. Let the dead past
burg 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 Of victory. That party is th<
Upon this question its record as d nationa
Organization, however it may have been al
times with particular men or in particular
States. is clear and unquestionable.
It is declared that the Union can never bt
restored as It was unless Congress relinQuishe
interference with slavery; and that "no othe
Union, except the unity Of despotism, eau b
maintained in this country; and this last {sa,,
the signers) we will resist, as our fathers did
with cur lives, OUT fortunes, and our sacre4
tonors". Nevertheless, theadd1ess denies tha
/ the Democratic party is opposed to granting
aid and support to the Federal Goyernmen
in the prosecution Of the war against rebcl
Lion, but argues that it has right to CRITICS
1 public measures and public men. The Addres
5 concludes as follows:
= HUuquestionabIy the Constitution giye
ample power to the seEersl departments c
the Government to carry on war, strictly sui
n with perfect security to citizens of the 10y;
:. States Every act necessary for the eafet
a and efficiency Of the Government and for
! complete aad most vigorous trial Of il
Il strength, is yet wholly consistent wit
ine ad Of s The aWs II M
!. - Of it, if the sole motives Of those IN pow
- were the suppression Of the rebellion
IL and no more. And yet the history Of the A.
:. ministration for the twelve months past b
!. been and continues to be history Of repea
q ed usurpations Of power aud Of violations
20 / the constitution, and of the public and priVa
a. rights Of the citizen. For the proof we a
peal to facts too recent to need recital her
= and too dagrant ard heinou8 for the calm na
n r:tiye which NE propose. Similar ..acts vel
~ - done and like policy pursued in the thres
-, eued war with France in the time OF Jol
"a Adams, and with the same ultimate purpos
is But In two Or three years the people tore
ID them into an honorable peace with Franc
T. T. yfndicated the constitution, and turned og
he ! The Federal Government to the prineipl
~ and policy Of The Democratic party. To t
~ sober second thought Of the people, the'
;ttss fore, and to the ballot box, we row apps
~ ,"But if every Democrat concuUed in Il
Fl II policy Of prosecuting the war to tho utter 81
20 iugation 0t the South aud for the suhvers1
ne Of her State governments with her Institution
- ~ without convention Of the States, and Wit
r. =. lntely resist the dfsbanding Of the Democ1a
- - party. 1t is the only party capable Of car
20 Ing on WIT; It Is the only party which /
IN ever conducted a war to successful issue, 9
,or the only party which has done it wltht
se sss abuse Of power, without mo}estation to
20 rights Of any class Of citizens, and with 4
Y rtga1d to economy. All this 1t has done;
~ this, If need be, it is able to DO again II s.
~ cess, then, In military point Of view be
op quired, the Democratic party alone can CO
-, mand it..
,nn "To conclude: Inviting all men, With
nd distinction Of State, section or party, who
~ for the Constitution as it ir and the URior
~ t it Raa, to unite with US In this great #.
- upon terms Of porfect equality, we I'M
- ! that
~ ~ "Tbe restoration Of the Union, vhet
;sss Though peace or By Ear, demands the c
=, | tinued organization and success Of the Del
inng cratic party;
nd nnapds It;
~ ~ ."tThe maintenance of liberty and free D
;oo ; ocrat1cal Government demands IT;
IT, Il, The restoration Of 8 sound system Of
~ ternal policy demands it;
.rn- ECONOMY and honesty in the public
r;iv pepditures. now at the Thta Of four million
nj: dollars a day, demand III
Iii tsThe rapid accumulation Of 81 enorn
10 and permanent public debt demand it-a I
~ lie debt already one thousand millions Of
- la1e, and equal st the ptesent rate, in Il
tvo | years, to Englands debt Of century AZ
&: n E sto~ hes49 sa1a.ion, direct and indi,
az ,state snd Federal, already more thankwot
,ted ,dred millions Of dollars yeaz, eating out
;ifs | substance Of the people, augmentipg e
HI. year, demands It.; .:,...
.her rReduced waRea, low priceA, depfesaio
for trade, decay of busineas, scarcity of "
t It's and impending Eain on every side detusnd
90. l. A+,3 Hra31v the fp4fnFaf}a1 Of thA