The Plymouth weekly Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1860-1869, 1863-04-09

the title of 1.-The Issues Before the Coun
try we sketched briefly the course o
the Administration, and Of the Republican
party, ON the great questions which now
a. i,ate the people of the United States
and pointed out; as we'll as We were able
some OF the dangers which threaten Il
overthrow our liberties. or plunge US into
disasters from which the mind recoil:
with alarm. In this article we offer few
suggestions respecting the duty Of Con-
sentative men it this trying ordeal.
The position Of those who do. not ap
prove the policy of the Administration
and who therefore have fallen under the
ban of the radicals who control it. is a
most trying one. They are asked to
Support the Government" in defaul. Of
which they are pronounced "disloyal'-
"copperheads "--"traitors." But what ia
meant by supporting the Government
Is il to sustain the lawful authorities in
upholding the Constitution and the laws!
There are very few msn-certainly not q
thousand men-in all the so called loyal
States. who are not ready to do this with
their influence, their means, and if need
be, their lives. Let the unselfsh devotion
Of the people in the earlier stages Of the
war. attest this, and prove their readiness
to make sacrifices in behalf Of Constitution.
al Government.
No, j. is not such support of the Gov
eminent that 10 demanded Of US. but quite
another and different allegiance-no less
than blind adherence to an Adminstra-
ton whose policy leads directly to the sub
version of the Constitution and the de-
struction of our dearest rights. Shall the
people render such allegiance? Are they
bound to accord such support to the party
which happens to be in power? Their
practical answer TO these questions is to be
found in the total absence of all offers of
volunteers or recruits for the war, whereas
in its earlier stages the offers of men were
in excess of the wants of the Governme Mt
in the entire withdrawal of confidence
in the Administration by the Democrats
and Conservatives throughout the country.
They are ready and willing to Support
the q overnment,' even in carrying on a
war which they believe could aud should
have been avoided, SO long as it is con-
Quoted for the objects and in the manner
prescribed by the Constitution, but they
are neither ready nor willing to support an
Administration which tramples the Con-
stitution under its feet and seeks to estab.
lish in it's place, the will OF irresponsible
and incompetent usurpers.
The theory and leading principles of
our system teach obedience TO the consti-
:sted authorities, and the reformation of
abuses by constitutional methods. The
masses of Northern Democrats held that
the election of Mr.. LINCOLN, by constitu.
tional means, furnished no valid reason for
the violent action of the Southern States.
II was the only usurPation ofpowsrs not con
ferred by the Constilution--the attempt to
overthrow the Constitutional Government,
and to inaugurate another not authorized
By the people-thst could justify resistance
to tie legally chosen officers of the Gov
ernmeus. For this the States in rebellion
did not wait. and thus they violated a 81.
cred principle in Republican Government.
The people of the loyal States have, to-
day. infinitely greater provocation to in
augurate q revolution than had the South
ern States on the election of President
LlsCoLN. But their wisdom, and devo-
ton to the forms As well as the principles
Of Constitutional Government, prompt
them to extraordinary forbearance, and
they appropriately cling to the peaceful
modes Of redress provided by the Cons,i-
LubtOu itSebt LILO by llo
arbitrary arrests, its suspension of the writ
OF liberty, its invasion of private rights,
and its harsh and unnecessary CONSUMPTION,
has apparently used every means at its
command TO agsrava,s existing evils and
to render intolerant its scheme Of subvert-
ing the war to the abolition OF slavery. in.
stead of the establishment OF constitu-
tional authority throughout the whole
Union.
If there are any whose minds revert 10
other than peaceful modes of redressing The
wrongs inflicted upon the country at this
time. let them be adJured to take counsel
of wisdom. and to exercise that. patient
forbearancs and true patriotism which
looks alone to the ballotbo as the arbiter
of our destinies. If this mode of relief is