The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1863-03-06
lfkoM THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER.


ness from the people of this town and count,
lfRoM THE BOSTON DAILY ADVERTISER.
The unblushing audacity with which tb
peace democracy has explained its pos;tio
IN the Illinois and Connecticut resolution
and IN some other recent manifestations ,
similar character, will not be without IFS AZ
vantage to the national cause, if it serves +
bring fairly into view the discordant mate
rails of which the opposition is made up. Tn
Connecticut peace democrats, for instanc,
not only claim that it is time to abando
what they term the " mon strous fallacv " tha
the Union is to be restored by war. and 500,
to emoarrass the government by every pos
slble means in all military efforts, but the
plant themselves squarely upon the hcresv o
state sovereignty; they declare this Unior
to be confederacy of states, equal in SOW
ereisnty, independent in organization,-;
federatlon,-in short anything except unit
ed nation. They invoke the aid of State II
opposition to national authority, and in shor
follow the Calhoun doctrine to all except it.
last conc!uSlon,-the asserted right of Sc
cesslon. 10 these Connecticut democrats
the" constitution as it is or "the Union
as 1t was," are alike inadmissable. Wha,
they wish for, as they declare in so many
words, is 1" the reconstruction of the Union
on such terms as Shall thoroughly define the
rights of the states the restoration of those
iraterna feelings which form the tue foun-
datlon of the federation, and the erection
upon more enduring basis of the temple of
the constitution" The " reconstruction " of
the Union upon new terms, and re-establish-
ment of the constitution upon a more en-
during basis" is not that simple return to
the old order of things which has been claim
ed to be the purpose Of the opposition. On
the contrary, It means an exchange Of the
Old constitution and the old Union for some
new arrangement. in which the extreme
southern democratic doctrine of state rights
shall be the leading principle. Ard this po-
sltlon, now distinctly ayowed BY the peace
democrats Of Connecticut, is notoriou>ly that
maintained by the Illinois democrats and
others III the Northwest, and consistently ad-
vOcate,. by Mr. Nallandigham and his asso
ciateS.
Now It is certain that very large pro3or-
ton OF the opposition are far from coln.e-
nancing views of this sort. \ large portion
Of them are sincerely in favor of the c.n-
s,!tution as it is,'-adopting what We may
term the axiom laid down by Mr. Webster.
s. the constitution not compact and seeing
clearly in the contrary dogma the root of
notification, secession and Of all our present
woes. They believe too that the " Union as
as it was" offered sufficient guarantees for
every section, that it needs to be re-estab-
lshed, not reconstructed, and that no new
d" terms as to state rights are necessary
And still larger proportion of the opposi-
ditional peace at which the Connecticut dem
ocrats and others aim. Indeed, we observe
that the New York World, which has SEEM
ed willing to 60 as far as any in its opposi-
ton to the government observes marked
degree of caution in speaking of the Connec-
ticut movement, and says that as for Mr. Val
landigham, he L" has a few followers, but not
many" If this caution does not indicate a
belief that Mr. Vallandigham and his friends
are going too far, it shows at least a feeling
on the part of the journal in question that
the majority of its readers may incline to
such a belief.
We are glad therefore that such an element
of the opposition as the Connecticut democ-
racy should fairly show the cloven hoof, and
give warning to all who have been dspos-
ed to DIN themselves with it, what sort of
an alliance they are about to form. 1t is well
that all sincere friends of the constitution,
who have felt it their duty t. oppose the ad-
ministration for any reason. should know
that they are expected to enter upon a cru
sade against the very object of their reyer-
ence and to seek to enthrone in it's stead
that feeble league, to which the thorough
paced democrats have for years sought to
reduce our Union. And let not the believ-
ers in moderate opposition hope that by
the mere majority of numbers they will be
able to control or counteract the poisonous
influence of their new friends. Experience
has long shown that superior numbers. ami
mated only by negative or by ll-detined pur-
poses, may be overborne by an active, un
scrupulous and united minority, bent upon
the attainment Of fixed purpose and there
is nothing in the situation Of the better part
Of the opposition, to make their case an ex
ception to this rule. If they are wise the!
will be warned in season. and will hold bach
their hands from an enterprise, which ha:
for its object the establishment of principle:
which they have for years known to be dan
gerous, disorganizing, and destructive to ev
cry hope Of solid government.
.-Axa4,r==ax=-A.uzzz-r--=.-a-.
o. A Chicago man who had not beer
out of the city for years, tainted away in th'
pure air Of Rock Prairie. He was only re
suscitated by putting dead fish to MS nose
when he slowly revived. exclaiming, "Tha