Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-07-29

born in war, it does not die in war.
"Great applause" Liberty was wrought
on the battle field. That wonder
ful people who founded this great State
the Hollanders, who for eighty years bat
tied against the martial laws and martial
powers of Spain, made it a principle
which sustained them during that long
contest, and enabled them to render their
history glorious in the annals of mankind
Were personal rights and personal liberties
suspended by our forefathers during our
Revolutionary contest? You heard the
words of that Declaration of Independ-
ence, which said that men had right to
trial by jury; that the military au-
thority should never be exalted above
the civil jurisdiction that men should
not be transported abroad for trial-s' ire
mendous applause that they should
have all the rights and privileges
known to English jurisprudence and
English law; and yet to-day we are told
ton of rights and of independence amid
the roar of battle, when our nation was
struggling into existence in all its weak
ness, who declared-and they made their
declaration good by their conduct through
that cOntest-that these rights were to be
be held sacred in war, that these men
who uttered this declaration in war made
Constitution that dies and shrinks away
in war-that men learned in the periIs oi
revolution had formed government,
under which we live, that was not equal
to the very highest purpose for which
governments are constituted. | tell you
it is a libel upon our fathers. Great
applause" So far from it being true
that those who formed this Constitution
contemplated that these powers should be
suspended, you find in all these provisions
particular care for all the dangers and the
exi9encies of war; you find numerous
provisions that are meant to guard
against the very dangers that now men,
ace uS. i our attention has been called
to the fact by the gentlemen who pre-
ceded me. Why was it that they SC
carefully guarded all your rights amid
public disorder if they meant that the
mere existence of disorder should suspend
the barriers of public order and private
rights This doctrine of the Constitution
this doctrine of the suspension of the
laws, is unconstitutional, is unsound, is
unjust, is treasonablel Tremendous
applause and waving of hats aad hand
kerchiefs. A voice: "That's Just the
word -
l am one of those who are full O
hope for the future Not that | underratt
the dangers which threaten us-not tha
| do not deplore as much as living MAJ
can the terrible ravages of this war. Blu
why does war rage in our land 1t wa:
because because the people Of this genera
ton have lost the virtues, and patriotism
and wisdom of their fathers 1t was be
cause we had become Indifferent to thos,
great truths which we have now laid be
fore us as if they were curiosities in lega
literature, instead of being principles tha
should be impressed upon the heart ant
|, mind of every American. / tell yol
why l am full of hope that our ibertie
will be maintained, our nation restored
!, and order once again prevail over thi
land of ours 1t is this: Examine your
selves, and | ask you, how many mel
; there are within the sound of my voice
who knew twelve months ago what tn
: Constitution of this country WASP 1 d
! not mean to say that you did not under
l stand it intellectually. do not mean sa,
that it was not imprinted upon your mem
ory. / not mean to say that it had no
received your assent; but it was nc
until we were made TO feel, as our father
felt, the value of this declaration, tha
they had put forth, that any of US coul
ever see the significance of the Constitu
ton of our country and the Declaration
j of independence (Applause.) Wehav
accepted it, as | said, mentally and intel
Iectually; but why was it, when thes
familiar words sounded upon your ear
i on this occasion, as you have heard ther
often before on the anniversary of on
country's liberty, that they stirred you
d very hearts within you, and made you
r blood tirgle in your veins ? My friends
t wehave not now a more intellectual know
n edge of the Constitution-we do not civ
: it now mere mental support-we hav
: now, upon that subject, a vital, ivin
:, piety that makes us better men and bette
It patriots and wherever you go, all owe
: this land, you find these sentiments no'
t exist in the minds of more than a ma
: jority of the American people They al
e now fervent in their faith fixed in the
n purpose-fanatics, if you please, for ii
great principles of liberty, and fanatic;
: in their determination to see that thos
s rights and liberties are established
g Great Applause.)
S We have seen, in our land, two sma