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


IT is bat justice to Judge Van Trump
and to the Democratic party to republish
his speech before the Convention by which
was nominated for the petition he now
holds. He is our candidate for Supreme
Judge, and is denied active participation
in the political canvass. This speech WILL
therefore, be read with renewed interest
by the people of Ohio. Its force and ap
prepriateness will be recognized now as
well as in 1869. It's as follows
THE SPEECH.
Mr.. President and and Gentlemen of
the ConUention For the very distin-
guished honor which you have just con-
ferred upon me, by my unanimous nomi-
nation as the Democratic candidate for
Judge of the Court of Common Pleas of
this subdieisien of the judicial District,
| tender you my most profound and CRATE
full acknowledgements. This fattering
testimonial of your friendship and regard,
is nov the less gratifying; nay, it is for
that reason, the most eminently grateful
to my feelings, because of it being wholly
unsolicited on my part. neither ex-
pected nor desired any position before the
people, which would take me from the
quiet and repose which is much more con-
genial to the temper of my mind and cir
cum, than the turmoil and excitement of
political canvass. Indeed, these are
times in which no man need be anxious to
'mingle in the strifes and bitter feelings of
roiifina1 uuh Inb
make most eminently true and forcible
the maxim, that "the post of honor is the
private station" And yetthere comes to
most men, in some period of their lives,
time when they must yield their own
inclinations, and even their interests, to
the wishes and feelings of others. You
have decided, this is period in which l
should 7ield my own inclinations to yours.
| acknowledge the force of the obligation;
and accept the nomination promptly, un-
reservediy, thankfully; with full appre-
ciation of all its respousl lbilities, at pc
riod and under circumstances which re-
quire something more than mere physi-
cal courage to be Democrat. | accept
it in the spirit with which it has been ten
dered; not as a reward for mere partizan
services; not in any tactious spirit OF party
but as an Endorsement OF an
honest independence in standing up for
the right and the whirlwind of excite
ment and fanaticism which rules the
hour; and as rebuke to that spirit of vim
dictive hatred and persecution which has
been showered upon me by nearly the
whole mass OF the Republican party here,
for no other reason than that 1 have mod
estly but firmly exercised the common
right OF an American citizen to think and
speak OF the acts and doings of the SER
uaats Of the people. How long you and l
shall be permitted thus to think and
speak of the official act Of those now seat
ed in the high places of the Government;
how soon the gag upon the freedom OF
the press shall change from a partial to a
universal order of things, produced by
secret midnight orders from the councils
of the nstion-ths history of the next
few months must determine for the Amer
icau people. 1t this great right, bap-
tized In blood and guaranteed to US by the
dearest provisions OF the Constitution un-
der which we live, thus to think and to
speak of the administration of the Gov
ernment, is to be wrested from the peo-
pie, at time and in crisis when 1T is
most important and essential that ii
should exist unimpaired and unrestrict-
ed, why then we have but the mere shGd-
oo of liberty, a mere cdrteuture of con-
Fstitutional government; and SO far as real
genuine, practical freedom is concerned,
YOU might as well live under the despo-
tism Of Joseph of Hapsburg, of Austria,
as that of Abraham Llncoln of the Unit
ed States of America. ANY manly and
independent structures, either upon the
blundsrs or the corruptions of the Ad-
ministration, are at once distorted into
treason and disloyalty to the Govern
ment, by set of craven sycophants and
liniormers, who are always ready, whether
in peace or in war, to
"Crook the pregnant hinges of the knee,
Where thrift may follow tawning p.
A refusal to shout hosannas to the un-
constitutional acts and usurpatlons OF the
| President, such as no monarch of Englane
/ has dared to assume since the iron reign
of the Tudors, is denounced as sympathy
,oith rebellion, or branded as aid and com.
LTo7L 20 uHet0fS, anu ne WHO udlcS W tuiuh
land act for himself as becomes the loya
citizen of free government, is hunted
down with all the rancor OF that fell spirit
of persecution, which has made history
Eof other times, but similar controversies
1.-THE great land marks and beacon ghts
in the struggles of the people for the es
Establishment, or the maintenance, OF civi
and constitutional liberty. The great
principle for which the Democratic party
is now strugglingin this government is nc
new thing in the history of mankind. L
is as old as the first dawnings of civiliza
tion; it is the old and oft repeated contes
between popular privilege on the one side
Sand executive usurpation on the ether
/ the rights of the people against the On
1MaDlPower, when used to crush out tn,
liberty of the individual citizen. 1t i
the same principle for which Hampdel
|bled and Sydney suffered; and it is in a
much danger noW, upon the shores o
free America, and in government o
iplainly written constitutions, as ever
was in the stormiest day when Charles
4 5leoiens and Crom wells sauadrons met IL