Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1863-05-07
Democratic Meeting in Berlin Town
ship.


The Democracy of Berlin TIP. held meeting
in School District No ., on the evening of the
25th of March. Washington Cowen was appon.
ted Chairman and L. II Berkey Secretary. Sew
eral appropriate speeches were made. The COM
mittee appointed at n former meeting to report
resolutions reported the following, which were
adopted and ordered to be published in the Holmes
County Farmer
WHEREAS, The Constitution of the United
States is the language Of the people, they have
established it and in it have spoken their will,
which thus promug gated is to be obeyed as the SUI
prema law Of the land The people have provi-
ded in it the acknowledged means Of new elec.
tions, or convention OF the States, to check any
usurpation Of authority in the one case, and to
amcably settle any canse of dispute between
States on the other, and thus peacably relieve
themselves from all grievances of political na
ture. And while we believe that it is the right
OF the people to alter or abolish, and to institute
new governments, laying its foundation Oh such
principles, and organizing its powers in such form
as to them shall seem most likely to efec their
safety and happiness Its ingredients, in its or
ganc nature are goodwill, affections, and inter.
est and in the absence Of these, there will be
disorganzation and revolution. The existence
of our kind of government depends entirely upon
the preservation of this principle; hence any lover
of our free government will do no act that will
not tend to promote good will and affection be
tween the StateS and make IL to their interest t
remain united. This principle also means that
the people are the supreme power that every 9th
er power in the government is subordinate to
them, and we intend reaching this supreme pow
er through constitutional channels of access. w
mean to use our right of free discussion, and hop
for an answer to our appeal at the ballot-box
therefore be it
Resoiued, That the United States are a confed
eracy Of States co equal in sovereignty and po
litical ROVER, independent in their several organ
izatons, each State having reserved 10 itself al
the rights not granted by the Constitution to th
central government.
Res0iUed, That while we, as citizens, asser
our devotion to the Constitution ard Union, ant
will hereafter, as We have heretofore, support tn
authority of the United States in the full consti
tutional exercise of their powers, we deliber
atcly ayow that the liberties Of the people ar
threa tened by congressional and federal usurpa
tons and can only be preserved by the energetic
action of State authority, and we are de etermine
to maintain and defend the honor of our Stat
and the rights of her people.
ReSOlued, That in the language of Andrew
Jackson, in his farewell address, "the Constitu
tion cannot be maintained, nor the Union pre-
, served, in opposition to public feeling by til
HleTc eAeECiSeS VI cOelCl'e powers Oi tIle BoNelI
ment-the foundation must be laid in the afieG
tons of the people, In the security it gives to itt
liberty, and property, in every quarter Of tn
country, and in the fraternal attachment whic
the citizens Of the several States bear to one al
other as members of the same political family
; materially contributing to promote the happine:
r of each other"
2 ResOl1ed, That considering the present magn
tude of this rebellion, the vacillating policy an
h,,t nipic
a ton, tending to unite and strengthen the Sout
;, and divide aud weaken the North, we now bt
y lieye that the Union cannot be restored and prt
II served by force of arms alone, and are anxiol
l. to inaugerate such action, honorable alike to Il
G contendng parties, as will stop the ravages
war, avert universal bankruptcy, and unite q
= the States oD terms of equality.
= ReSoloed, That no Union can be maintained
n this country unit fanaticism on the negro que
tion is eradcated, and the doctrine OF Stale SO
e ereignty is acknowledged as a fundamental actiC
e OF the government, and that the people OF Il
IL North must yield up the heresy Of AbolitonisI
or yield up the blessings of the Union, for Abo
= tionism and tho Union are incompa tible. III
r principle of abolitionism attacks the people of Il
If teen States through domestic institution viii,
is blended with their social fabric. war Il
If abolitonism is Il var against the Union, u war f
X the Union Is war against abolltionism. Aboi
3, tonism is moral treason, and but for the form
which il is clothed by the administration is aclua
ls legal treason. No patriot can be an abolitioni.
~ Re'Oioed, That the emancipation proclamatic