The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1863-07-17
Grafton of o. W. Holmes.

In his grafton on the fourth of July in
Boston, Prof. Holmes thus spoke of those
who are continually harping to the people
their, fear lest their liberty may be abridged
by tho Administration, and yot have no fears
Of JEFF Davis:
We know prctty nearly how much Of sin
cerity thero is in the fears so clpmorously ex-
pressed, and how far they are found in COM
pany with uncompromising hostility to the
armed enemies OF tho Nation. we have
learned to put true value on the services of
the Watchdog who bays tho moon but does
not bite tho thief
The men who are 40 busy holy.stoning tho
quarter deck, while all hands are wanted to
keep the ship aAoat, can no doubt show spots
upon it that would be very unsigbtly in fair
weather. No thoroughly loyal man, howey.
or, need suffer from any arbitrary exercise OF
power, such as emergencies always give rise
to. II any half.loyal man forgcts his code Of
half dccencies and half duties 80 far as to be.
come obnoxious to tho pcrcmptory justice
which takes the place of slower forms in all
centres Of conaagration, there is no sympathy
for him among the soldiers who are risking
their lives for us; perhaps there is even moro
satisfaction than when an avowcd traitor is
caught and punished. For of all men who
arc loathed BY generous natures, such rs fill
the ranks OF the armies Of the Union, mono
are so thoroughly loathed rs the tho men
who contrivo to keep just within the limits
of tho law, while their whole conduct pro-
vokes others to break It; whose patriotism
consists in stopping an inch short OF treason,
and whose political mortality has for its safe.
guard just respect for tho jailor and tho
hancman! The simple cure Tor oil possible
injustice citizen is like to suffer ut tho
hands of q government, which in its need and
haste must Of course commit many errors, Is
to take care to do nothing that will directly
or indirectly help the enemy or hinder the
government in carrying on the war. When
the clalnor against usurpation and tyranny
comes from citizens who can claim this mega
tive merit, it may be listened to. When it
comes from those who have done what they
could to serve their country, 1t will receive
tho attention II deserves. Doubtless there
NAV prove to be wrongs which. demand right
ing, but the pretence Of any plan for chang
ing tho essential principle of our self.goycrn-
ing system is fgment which its contrivers
laugh over among themselves. Do the citi.
.ens Of Harrisburg, or Of Philadelphia, quar-
rel to-day about the strict legality OF an exc
cutiye act meant In good faith for their pro.
lection against the invader? Weare oil citi.
lens Of Harrisburg. oil citizens Of Philadel-
phia, In this hour Of their peril, and with
the enemy ut work in our own harbon wc
begin to understand tho difference between
good and bad citizen the man that helps
and tho man that hinders; the. man who,
while tho pirate is in sight, complains that
our anchor is dragging in his mud, and the
man who violates the proprieties like our
brave Portland brothers, when they jumped
on board the first steamer they could reach,
cut her cable, and bore down on tho Corsair,
with n habeas corpus act that lodged twenty
buccaneers in Fort Preble before sunset