The Portage County Democrat. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1863-09-30
}. lc. L. vALLANp1GHAM

Shall the people hereaf
ter, as hitherto, have the
right to discuss and con-
leInn the prime piles aud
policy of the party --the
miuistry-the men who,
| for the time, conduct the
g vernment = TO demand
Of their public servants u
reckoning of their stew
ardship and to place other
men aud apsther party iu
i power at their supreme
will aud pleasure? Shalt
Order Thiriy-Eight or the
1 Constitution be the su-
preme law uf the hnd?-
And shall th citizens any
more be crested by an
armed soldiery al Hlid .
night dragged from VIE,
ami child, and home. 20 a
military prison thence 10
Il mock military trial /;
thence condemned ans
thence banisbed as u feIon
70. the exercise Of his
rights? This,i is the issue;
and nobly You have met it
II is the very question pf
free, popular government
itself. lti- the whole ques-
J ion; upea the one side.
liberty; on the sther, des-
Epotism. The President.
!; As the recognized lead of
is party,accepts the issue.
Whatever he will, that is
law. Constitutions, st te
and Federal, are bcthing;
the judiciary less than
oihing. In time of var,
there is hut one will sT--
preme-bis will; bDt one
; lSw military necessity
, md he the sole jadge =
! Military orders sup rccda
, The Constitution and mil
r itary com missions usnrp
: the place of tne ordina '
conris nf justice in the
land. Nor are these mere
: idle claims. Fottwo years
and more, by arms they
have been enforced II
was the mission Of tn
weak but presnmptuous
Burnside "a name infa-
nous foreve in the ears
Of all lovers of constitu.
iionaI liberty = to try the
lexperiment in Cbio-aidl-
ed by a judge whom
name not because hR ha;
brought foul dishonor up
on the Judiciary of my
country. In your hands
now, me n Of Ohio, is tht
dnai issue of thu expert
ment. The party OF the
ADMINISTRATION have ac'
cepted it.
l endorse your noble
platform legant in style
ad mirable in sentiment
You presentthe true issue
and commit yourselves tG
the great mission just now
of the Democratic party
to restore and make sure
FIRST the rights aud liber'
ties declared yours by youl
CONSTITUTIONS. II is vair
TO invite The States anC
people Of The South to re
turn to the Union withnu
a Constitution. and dis
honnred apd polluted b.
repeated and most aggIa'
waited exactions of tyranit
power. II is base in your
selves, and reasonable te
your posterity, to surrer,
der these liberties anc
right to the creature;
whom your own breatt
created and can destroy
Shall there be free speech,
a free press Reaeeable as
semblaees of the peop'e,
and q free ballot any Ion
ger in Ohio? s
You are the RFsToRER'
AND DEFENDERS OF Con-
sTITuTInNAI. LIBERrY, anC
by that proud title hist r!
will sal 10 you.
And now, {, finally. let m'
ask, what is the pretex
for all the monstr us act
and claims Of arbiaEar!
power which you have -
nobly denouneeA9 "'Mif
itary necessity - But II
Indeed. all these be de
manded by military ne
icassity. then. believe me
your liberties are gone
and tyranny is perpetual
For IL this civil war is t
Terminate onlv by The sub
iusatinn or submi sion o
The South TO force am
arms, the infant of to-da,
W II not live tn see the en-
ofit--G l. Haildndi0hdm
ILstter Of 1ocePtsSce,