The mountain Democrat., 1863-04-18
DislOy@lty.

Until recently, the charge Of disloyalty
10 the Government was considereda very
grave one, involving not only disgracs but
also liability to punishment But that
was when the word was used in its proper,
legitimate sense-When "disloyalty to
the Government" was understood to mean
lack Of fidelity to the Constitution and
disregard or violation Of that allegiance
which every citizen owes to his Govern
4...i.s, 49,. ------ r----------- .-.~-.~
prompt him to render-when those in au-
thority regarded their oaths as sacred and
faithfully performed their duty in accord
ance with their obligations to the people
and the Constitution. Bot the term has
acquired new meaning recently and to
be dlSloyar now, is not only no crime,
no disgrace, but highly honorable and
praiseworthy and patriotic, in the cstima-
ton Of large majority of the people Of
the Atlantic States. 10 &c disfoyal now
is to be opposed to a certain dangerous
and traitorOus faction; disloyalty now
means opposition to the political and mer-
cenary and corrupt schemes and views of
those who have plunged the land into
overwhelming calamities, and are now
seeking personal and partisan advantages
from the wreck and ruin they have caus-
ed disloyalty now means exposure Of
the vilainy Of Cameron, Stevens and 9TH
er abolition thieves exposure Of the inn
becility of Welles, Stanton, Iiaileck and
Fremont; it 5nesns opposition to the ar
bitrary and tyrannical acts of the Admin
istration. Fidelity to the Constitution, a
strict observance of the laws, adherence
to the principles Of the Declaration of In
dependence, and attachment to the Union
Of our fathers, is considered diSloyaltv by
the organs and leaders and supporters of
the Administration. All who will not IA
vor the unconstitutional schemes of these
joube-distiled trators-all who refuse
to endorse every act and measure of
Sumner, Wade. Garrison, Phillips. Lin
coin & Co., are declared to be ''disloyal :"
and all who assert or believe that these
traitors and demagogues and fanatics and
thieves, through the Republican party,
caused our present lanentabe condition,
are also denounced as d>loyal. All who
adhere to and advocate the principles of
Jefferson and Madison and Jackson are
called disloyal by the minions of those
in power. As Senator Powell well re-
marked, We owe allegiance to the Gov
crnment, we owe no allegiance to the Ad-
ministration. 1t is not treason to oppose
an Administration it is treason to strike
at the ancient foundations of Govern
ment. This is distinction not sufficient.
" understood or observed by the masses
Democrats oppose the Administration
AbolitioniSts strike at the ancient founda.
tions Of the Government. Loyalty to the
Government is one thing; supporting the
Administration another and quite diff
ferent thing, Opposition to the Admins
tration is loyalty to the Government-the
Constitution and laws--which the Ad
has trarnpled upon and dis
regarded. In the language of another.
We ask the attention of the people to these
facts, and when Abolitonists reitcrate
their parrot.li':e cry Of disloyaty against
the mass of the Democracy for refusing to
confess themselves the authors Of our
present calamities, and refusing to ap-
prove Of measures in open violation Of the
Constitution and destructive ofall hope of
the restoration of the Union, let the peo-
pie remember that the cause and ground
for all these accusations are found in the
fact that Democratic fidelity to the Con
stitntion and devotion to the Union stand
like wall Of granite in the way ot, the
Of the Abolition schemes
of emancipation, plunder and disunion.