Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1863-03-05
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at the New York Municipal Dinner, on Mon.
day last, he made this remark, III under.
stand our loyalty to be due to the Constitu-
ton Of the United States, and not to the
people who administer the Government"
This sentiment of the fscile leader Of q Dor
tion of the Northern Democracy il the
general excuse for sympathy with treason.
Whenever sympathizer desires to asssil
the Government he always makes the dis
tinctiou which Mr.. Van Bureu makes He
worships the Constitution, but be despfses
Mr.. Lincoln. He is an ardent friend Of the
Union, but he desires tho overthrow Of the
Administration. He strengthens bis posi-.
tion by peculiar reasoning. The men in
power are but men. They represent parties
with which he has had no sympathy. They
were chosen as the representatives of princi-
Piles which be could not endorse. 10 the
administration of the affairs Of Government
his friendship and assistance are not sought.
In the distribution Of patronage he and his
friends and his leaders are not conciliated.
He h as chosen the side of the Opposition
the success of his opposition will be tri-
umph-it will crafty his conscience and
give him power and place. Therefore, he
opposes the people who administer the Gov
eminent
In ordinary times we would assent To
these arguments, for we believe they per-
fectly apply to the operations Of the Gov
ernment in times Of peace. We do not
look upon Mr.. Clay as o traitor, or .
sympathizer with treason, for having
opposed the Administration Of President
Jackson, nor do we think Mr.. Douglas was
likewise guilty for having oppos.
ed the Administration of President
Buchanan. Their opposition was legitimate.
They made war upon men in power to ad-
vance certain principles. Their war was
that of the parliamentariau, the statesman,
the publicist, the politician. They endea-
vored to accomplish victory by educating
and changing public opinion. The country
was at peace, and no issue was before the
people which threatened its peace. Mr..
Van Buren might have been disloyal 20
Andrew jackson and James Buchanan, and
at the same time a sincere patriot and 3
lover Of the Constitution. But We do not
see how he can ask US to say the same thing
in reference to his oppositio. to Abaham
Lincoln When Mr.. Lncoln came into
power, he found the Government sssailed
by the greatest rebellion that history records.
Armies were marching upon his capital
guns were trained upon his forts, and every
department Of the Government was either
in the hands of traitors or under their
influence. He might have made his Ad-
ministration the exponent of prrty, end
thus driven such men as Mr.. Van Buren,
from his support. He might have been
proscriptive, dogmatic, opiniouased He
might have made his political enemies the
enemies Of his country. He recognized,
however, the great duty that lay before him,
and he made his Administration the Ad-
ministration of the whole country.
We might gil these columns with illns-
trations Of the Presidents policy. We
might enumerate hundreds and thousands
OF leading Democrats who were Recognised
and oonciliated by the President in his
anxiety to make the Democratic party an
effective ally of the Union in its great Waf.
Democrats were placed in the Cabinet
they were given high commands-they were
entrusted everywhere with positions Of
honor and trust. In the Development Of
his policy the President endeavo,ed to
strengthen them by giving their opinions
fair and patient trial. In the beginning Of
the Administration career we had oonseri
vatism in the National Councils and conser-
vative men in power. The Democrats
appreciated this, and such ofthem as really
desired to see the country's success became
active and energetic friends of the country.
But Mr. Van Buren, and his followers re-
jected the President conciliation, and con-
tinued their animosity aud revenge. Now
we see them actively opposing every measure
that coutemp plates the overthrow Of the re-
bellion, and boldly avowing their purpose to
be the overthrow Of the Administration. -
They owe their loyalty to the Constitution,
according to Mr.. Van Buren, bu. not to
the men in powerl How false and hollow
and vain such prete1t is! How caa We
overthrow the Administration, and yet save
the Constitution and the Union2 How csu
we strike the arm that holds the sceptre,
and not expect it to fall' How can We
paralyse the hand that holds tho sword,
and expect to see it triumph? We can only
save this Union by conducting tho war ac-
cording to the Constitution. We can only
so conduct it by obeying and sustaining the
constituted authorities. Mr.. Van Buren,
with all his facility of rhetoric, can show us
no other way of gaining this cause, and if
he is sincere in his desire to see the Union
triumph. he must abandon his false philoso-
phy.-[Phila. Press.
OsE of the Dupont powder mills, near
Wilmington, DEL, was blown up on the