The southern aegis, and Harford County intelligencer. (Bel Air, Md.) 1862-1864, 1862-05-24
HARTFORD COUNTY INT
bs Webs If tbts 9su, 9gritulture, gitsrature,
BEL AIR. MD. SATURDAY MORNING.

the administration of Fillmore. From
five millions the population increas-
ed to thirty-one millions. The revolution
airy debt was extinguished. Two. foreign
wars were successfully prosecuted, with
moderate outlay and small army and ma
Wy, and without the suspension of the ha-
beas corpus; without one infraction of the
constitution without one usurpation of
power; without suppressing single news
paper; without imprisoning single edi-
tor; without limit to the freedom of the
press, or of speech in or out of Congress,
but in the midst of the grossest abuse of
both and without the arrest of single
'ftraitor," 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 well
come them to hospitable graves"
During all this time wealth increased,
business of all kinds multiplied, prosperity
smiled on every side, taxes were low,
wages were high, the North and the South
| furnished a market for each others pro-
ducts 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 informers,
no bastiles the right to assemble peacea-
bly,, the right to petition freedom of reli-
gion, freedom of speech, free ballot and
free press and all this time the consti-
tuition maintained and the Union of the
States preserved. -.
Such were the choice fruits of democrat-
ic principles and policy, carried out
through the whole period during which
the democratic party held the power and
administered the Federal government
Such has been the history of that party.
1t is a Union party, for it preserved the
Union by wisdom, peace and compromise,
for more than half century.
Then neither the ancient principles, the
policy, nor the past history of the demo-
cratic party require nor would justify its
disbandment. ..... ....... ..--..,
Is there anything in the present crisis
which demands it? The more immedl-
ate issue is, to maintain the constitution
as it is, and to restore the Union as it
was. .a. e;..,,. E,. la.h.ar
To maintain the constitution is to re-
spect the rights of the States and the lib
critics of the citizen. 1t is to adhere
faithfully to the very principles and poll
cy which the democratic party has pro-
fessed for more than half century. Let
its history, and the results, from the be-
ginning, prove whether it has practiced
them. We appeal proudly to the record.
| The first step towards restoration of
the Union as it was, is to maintain the
constitution as it is. So long as it was
maintained intact, and not threatened with
| infraction in spirit and in letter, actual or
imminent, the Union was nnbrokcn. .f
| 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 liberties and property will be
secure within the Union un2er the consti-
tuition. What assurance SO doubly sure
as the restoration to power of that ancient
organized consolidated democratic party,
which for sixty years, did secure the prop
erty, rights and liberties of the States and
Of the people; and thus did maintain the
constitution and preserve the Union, and
with them the multiplied blessings which
distinguished us above all other nations?
! To restore the Union, is to crush out
sectionalism 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 and are fed
| still from the ,unclean fountains of aboli-
!. tionism, 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 che, ballot in the North and Vest
!. In this great work we cordially invite the
cooperation of all men Of every party who
are opposed to the fell spirit of abolition,
and who, in sincerity, desire the constitu-
ton as il is and the Union as it was. Let
the dead past bury its dead. Rally, lcs-
ers of the Union, the constitution and Of
! liberty, to the standard of the democratic
party, already in the field and confident Of
yicsory. That party is thenataral and per-
sistent enemy ofabolition. Upon thisques-
ton its record as q national organization,
however it may have been at times with
particular men, Or in particular States, Is
| clear and unquestionable. From the be-
ginning Of the anti-slavcry agitation 70 the