Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1862-03-19
wednesday March Is. 1862.
CHARACTERIZATION

A number of our contemporaries have
discovered certain patriotic features in Pres
fdent LincoIn's message to Congress, which
we confess we have not optics sharp enough
to perceive. Our motto is -" honor to
whom honor Is due." If shonest old Abe
as his friends delight to call him, is honestly
opposed to the emancipation schemes of the
Abolitionists, he should like a man look the
issue squarely in the face. There IS sorHe-
thing in the spirit of dependence,
Lord Of the Lion heart and Eagle eye"
winch involuntary commands admiration
even in an enemy. while It is equally in
keeping with the honest emotions Of human
nature, to despise the timid time server who
cndeavors to please all parties, and while he
keeps the word Of promise to the ear, breaks
it to the hope IfM-. Lincoln is opposed
10 emancipation, he should have in this
message, said so like a man. and if he Is in
favor orfs. lie should have been equally
bold in expressing his honest and untram~
Inelled sentiments. There would have been
something at least manly in that, but out on
the two faced fellowship.
There is but one question presented in
the issue: and that Is tLis; does thc Nation
n Government possess the power TO ernan-
cipate the slaves in the Southern States p
Hit does not possess It directly, It does not
possess It indirectly. Does Congress OF the
President possess tie power Of leyying
tax on the American people for the purpo@e
ofbuving the liberty of the slaves If it
does, We would Gafn know tue clause Of the
Constitution in which such a power is dele
gated f. the National Government; if such
power IS not delegated, then in the words of
the President - there IS the end :" for tie
Constitution declares that al the powers not
delegated to the National Government arc
reserved to the States or people thereof
We would rather see an Act however
wrong,donc directly than Indirectly. There
is scmething manly in doing It directly
while TO do it indirectly Is too much ike
Judas Iscariot betrayiug his God with a
kiss
When the war commenced we were told
that it was struggle for the preservation
Of the Union, and not for the annuling Of
the Constitution The Constitution is the
The soul Of the Union. It is the blood that
inyi-orqtcs and tac spirit that gives it Vi
taiity Destroy the Constitution. and the
bond which holds the Union together be-
comes a rope ofsend. The destruction Of
the Union would. of course, he almost a
dcaJhbIow to the cause of Republican insti-
tutions throughout the world, and reduce
the capacity of man for self -govetnmeot, I,
an absurd faIlicy. Hence the people of the
the loyal States weIe q unit after the
bombardmeut of Fort Sumter. and hence
the uprising Of the Nation, one of tee most
remarkable circumstances in history, which
followed that event. Sostrong, 50 overpow-
erinG was the popular sentiment in favor Of
a constitutional war, that the Abolition Con
gross which assembled in Washington, in
last July, almost unanimously adopted the
following resolution.
- That the present deplcrable civil war
has been forced upon the country hv the
disuniouists Of the Southclu States. now in
arms against the Constitutional Government
and in arms around the Capital; that in
this NaJI"na! emergency, Congress banish-
ing all feeling of mere passion or resentment
viii recnllect only It's duty to the whole
country that this war IS not wageI on
their part in any spirit Of oppression or for
any purpose Of conquest or sUbugati0n or
purpose of overthr0wing or interfering with
the rights or established institutions Of those
States, but to defend and maintain the su-
premacv of the Constitution, and To preserve
the Union. with all the dignity. equality.
and rights of the several States unimpaired:
and that as soon as these objects are accom-
plished the war ought to cease"
Have we in this anything ike President
Lincoln's emancipation scheme rorshadowed?
We have nothing of the kind. We have
nothing but the manifestations Of sincere de
votion and love for the Union and the Con
stitution as they come to Us from the patri-
OTIS Of the revolution.
We know how wlfaS5ioaaJls are the doc
tr.nes we PToUulgate in certain quarters OF
the country But We thank God, they are
not yet unfashionlbe in lirtle Cambria. and
we trust they never will be 50. Although
fanatics have set the brand Of treason on
them, they are truths, the universal adop>
ton OF which by the American people. will
save sinking land. The moment tbev are
rejected, aud 'ezaancipation' becomes tie