The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1863-09-16

y
American people, with the best educated
masses the world ever saw-in the nine
teenth century-in the full blaze of mod
ern civilization--and under a Constitu-
ton which clearly. defines the mode by
which citizen shall be deprived of his
personal liberty, without reference to time
or ircumstances-are made subject to the
despotie will of one man, and dragged, in
the dead hour of midnight, to the cells
of distant prison house, for crimes un-
specified, without the privilege of couE-
sci, and in the very face of open courts
and unobstructed laws.
-"Can such things be,
And overcome like summer cloud
Without our special wonder?i'
If crime or disloyal practices have been
committed by Democrats or others, let
them be punished, bue punished accord
ing to the Constitution and the la,cs. The
Democratic party, as loyal and law-abid-
ing citizens, demand this, and nothing
more; and they will not willingly submit
to anything less. This thing is done, and
only can be done, through violated Con-
stitution and by the arbitrary assump-
tion of powers unknown to the ex-
ecutive branch of the Government. These
times, gentlemen, are testing ohr political
institutions. Our greatest statesmen of
other days-the aDlest commentators of
the Constitution-and the great mass of
the themselves-haye labored under a
most signal misapprehension in regard to
the working, if not the natural tendency,
of our political institutions, in periods of
great pressure and excitement. No greater
errer has been committed, as almost every
days experience now testi6es, than the
fond and cherished supposition, that the
great principles of public liberty have
been successfully suspended and secured
amidst the nicely balanced checks of the
Constitution. So far from the executive
office being too and restraints of the CO.
ordinate branches of the government as
has been supposed by some OF the greatest
men who have both framed and admins
tered it, modern times, and recent in
stances of its exercise, have proved it to
be one Of the strongest departments of
polisical power known to any government
of limited powers on the face of the earth
With whatever restraints and limitations
the exercise of delegated power has been
curbed-howeyer exactly and harmo-
niously may have been adjusted the COM
plex machinery of the goyernment-with
interest weighed against interest, and
system of checks and balances provided
against every supposed possible abuse OF
power-there still exists beneath all this
splendid apparatus of avs and regulations,
as incident to all human institutions, the
gigantic energy Of the passions, which,
when aroused into phrenzy, brush away
! like cob-webs the most sagacious contri-
vances to hold its yibratory point true to
the magnet of common veal.
What is it that has brought about the
terrible crisis which is now upon the
American people, crushing out the nation
al prosperity, loading them down with a
burden Of taxation unheard of in modern
times, and deluging their fairest fields
with fraternal blood? 1t is the insane
fanaticism of an Abolition pulpit ON the
one side, and the infurnal treason of the
political. .club-houses on the other. These
two instruments have worked together
more than thirty years in bringing about
the great calamity which is now shaking
tAe continent as with the mighty throes
of an earthquake. 1t is a remarkable
fact, that John Quincy Adams and John
Caldwell Calhoun, the two respentative
men of these excited factions, thirty -one
years ago, first suggested those twin ideas
of political heresy, abolition of slaoery by
Congress and the secession of States iron,
tie Confederate Government by legisLa-
tire ordinance. 1t was in 1881, that
John Quincy Adams first introduced into
the Congress of the United States, petit
tions from the clergy Of New England,
and other religious enthusiasts, praying
for the abolition of slavery in the district
of Columbia and it was during the next
succeeding year that the State OF South
Carolina, through the influence Of Johu
! c. Calhoun, passed her ordinance of null
li6cation From that day to the present,
these two ia ctions have worked in har-
mony together, far the same common OBJ
aIject-the dissolution of the Union and the
destruction Of American nationality.
i The collision between fanaticism and
t.eason at last became painfully manifest
t. the American people. They both con
yerged to the same common center: 6
rupture Of the political relations which
had become alike irksome to both. The
one exhibited its ultraism in the nomina
ton of geographical candidates, and the
adoption of a sectional platform agains
the explicit and solemn warning of tht
Father of his Country; the other blew th'
counter blast of treason, and boldly pro
claimed the doctrine of secession as th'
rightful remedy for such abuse of polite
al power. In this state Of feeling, and il
such a controversy, Abraham Lincoln be
came President of the United States. II
such a crisis; with such a field for tn
exercise of broad minded patriotism
f and with such an opportunity for great
f and god, and wise counsels. to snstain tn
! Union sentiment in the South and save tn
) border slave States, what a destiny TO
himself and for his country, lay befor
that single man The world never wit
messed such a conjunction of time and op
J porsunity for good. Such pivot poin