M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1863-07-16

celVeq your assent but it was not
until we were made to fee!, as our
fathers felt, the value OF this declara.
tion that they had put forth, that any
OF us could ever see the significance Of
the Constitution OF our country aud
the Declaration Of Independence.
[Applause.]
We have accepted it, as I said.
mentally and Intellectually; but why
was il, when these familiar words
sounded upon your ears on this occas.
ion, as you have heard them often
before on the anniversary of your
conntry'S liberty, that they stirred
your very hearts within you, and made
your blood tingle in you veins. My
friends, we have not now a more in>
telIectuaI knowledge of the Constitu.
tlon-we do not give it now mere
mental support-we have now, upon
that subject, q vital living piety that
makes us better men and better patri,
OTIS; and wherever You 20 all over
this land, you find these sentiments
now exist in the minds of more than
majority of the American people.
They are now fervent in their faith
liked in theirpurpose--fanatics If YOU
please, for the great principles of lib.
erty, and tanatical in their determin.
alton to see that those rights and
Liberties are established. GGreat ap.
plauSo We have seen in our land
two small parties, each an incohsid.
cradle minority in the section of
country where they existed, but men
OF purpose--men ofzeal--men of fan.
aticSm. We have seen them wage a
war upon the Constitution of YOUR
country, with persistence and power
that has at last shaken it lc it's very
foundation, and brought US to-day 10
the very brink Of national ruin. Wo
have seen what zeal and purpose could
do when it was opposed only by a.dull
mental acquicscence in great truths.
W hat may we not hope that we may
DO when the great majority CT tho
American people have fervent and
vital faith in these principles which
you have heard and read, and who
propose to maintain them at every
cost and at every hazard. TGreas
applause.
DO you wish for peace ? Do you
wish for victory9 Do you wish for
the restoration of our national privi.
leges9 Here lies the pathway, and
let the American people once learn
the full value of their liberties as onr
fathers did, and the battle is fought
and won. Without this, my friends,
war can bring you no success--peace
can give no quiet until the American
people are thus educated and elevated;
and | believe they are rapidly becomS
Ing educated and elevated. Until
that takes place, war or peace are the
mere incident Of the great underlying
causes of conVulsion which have affec.
ted our land and shaken our inslitu.
tons to the very center. Your par
ticular views nay lead you to atttib.
ute it to one special cause or another
special cause; but there is one great
underlying general cause of this war
which must be removed before the
country can be restored and that cause
was indifference to our rights, indif.
erence to our liberties, and want of an
elevated wisdom that could under.
stand the duties of American citizen.
ship. When You have gained this,
peace will be restored; when YOU
haye gained this, all the world can sec
that we have gone back to the wisdom
Of our fathers, and that we are again
sustaining institutions that invited
the whcle world TO their shelter and
Observation-Disclosures that made US
but three short years ago the most
glorious nation on the (ace of the
earth. When We have again restored
that virtue and that intelligence, our
coantry will again be restored to it's
iormer greatness and to its former
glory. Great applause. m'f
But, my friends, anything short of
this will disappoint your hopes. No
victory can restore greatness, and
glory, and power to a people who are
worthy of liberty. No peace will
bring back prosperity to- a land which
can not understand the great priaci-
pies upon which governments should
be protected, and the great objects for
which governments are instituted
But, my friends, must close. I"Go
on ! Go on!"l Let us now, upon this
sad and solemn, as well as glorious
occasion, rededicate ourselves to the
selvica OF oar country in pure and
tervent patriotism, putting aside pass
ions and prejudices as far as we may,
and preparing ourselves to assert and
maintain the great principles stated
in the Declaration of independence;
and cnnurad RI no hu fba ,,rov;o;on.