M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-09-17

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OF the Union and the destruction oi
American nationality, This COLI.
s;oa between fala!lOIan aud treason
at last became painfully maaife0t 10
the American people. They both
converged TO the ssme common cen.
ter; a rupture ofthe political relations
which bad become alike isksome to
both. The one exhibited ito alsraiSm
IN The nomination Of geographical
candidates, and the adoption Of a sec.
tional platform against the explicit
and SOLEMN warning ofthe Father of
hiS cauntry; tie other blew the couu
ter. bias, OF treason, and boldly pro-
claimed the doctrine Of secession as
the rightiuI remedy for such abuse Of
power. In this state ofieeling and in
such a controversy, Abraham Liacoln
became President ofthe United States
In such a crisis-ir such q field for
the exercise OF broad minded patriot
iSm-and with such an opportunity
Tor great, aud good, and wise coun
selG. to snstain the Union sentiment
in the South and save the border slave
S,atrs-what a destiny for himself
and for HE country lay before that
single man The world never wit.
messed such conjunction Of time and
opportunity for good. Such q pivot.
point ol great national interests, Of
great public dangers, and of resulting
influences upon the destinies Of the
rOmOte fnture, for millions Of unborn
human beings, neven before existed
But no was unequal to the great oc
CASTOR; he misunderstood, or disrc.
garded. the high. The awful trust, com
,nitted to bic charge. Instead ofdis.
arming the rebellion by discharging
his duty TO the whole country and
the whole people, he added to its
strcnth, while he crushed out the re.
manning Union sentiment inthe South
by calling around him, as his consti.
tutional advisers, men ofthe most vic.
lent sectional views, and who we're
the prime movers Of that controversy
which at last arrayed the sections in
nndying hostility to each other. That
fatal littleness Of mind, that narrow
and mere partisan survey of the trou
bled political field before him, and
the subsequent adoption OF a policy
30 clearly condcnned and deprecated,
long in advance Of the anticipated
crisis, by Hamilton, by Maiison, by
Adams, and by Edmund Randolph,
have vastly contributed u our diff
culties, and have been a fruitful
Ocource ofall our national woe. & ID
only knows; gentlemen Of the Con
ventiOn, what Is to bo the final issue
Of tho fiery ordeal through which free
Institutions on this sentiment are now
passing. 1t is possible they may come
out the puter and brighter FROM the
fierce alembic Of civil war, 1t is pos
sible and only possible, that this once
great couteierateis sUNipn of free and
independent sovereig Niles, now pr)s-
tta!sd llks the pillars Of GAIA by the
Sampson Of civil e.r!fs, may again be
reconstructed, to give hope, and peace
and security to the American people.
But we have no fixed assurance, no
reliable guarantee, that it will be 80.
We only know that it 10 the high and
conservative mission Of the Democra
tic party here in the North, to stand
he aehicld to our National Constitu-
tion-so pteseht its shaken but still
drtsthsh front as o break water
arJdnd l's holy Citadel, against the
desputiC assaults Of an Administration
~hc seelniuls ptupoeed to sustain it
by pseaHitig down every barrier ere
ctga for its protection. In this great
calamity rl.iel, has thus befallen our
edirmot uotihtFy, tcr!e!itotts slike to
tue iiberies and great interests ofthe
American people. believing az hon
estly did, that the Clearly lldicated
mission Of the Democratic parry vas
what / have stated it to bsj ! had 10
hesitation IN uniting my dtstinies
VIII it, prepared to statd ut fall with
its organization. FeeiiRs all i!s re.
sponsibilities, prepared to discharge
all it's duties, aud recognizing all it,
jnst claims upon me. have felt no
sdmpunction Of conscience for that de
ssthiihsticd. 60 long as it shall main:
taih its present constitutional and
conservative position, | intend to share
its fate for Veal Of for woe; and shall
d ct all tho Vittperation and abuss
which may Ee heaped upon me, If not
with all tpe fdrbeafauce aud meek.
reso Of Christian, at least with all
the dignity and manners Of a ssn tie
man.
Id TIE dark salley 81 the future
which lies befots US, whose impene.
traoie gloom human intelligence can
penetrate, let ua walk with q firm
tread and unfalbsring hearts, neither
foolishly seekiaa 0r coward,v avoid