Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1863-07-29
EBENSBURG PA. WEDNESDAY, JULY 20, 1868

you sustain propositions that tear away
from them, as well as from us, all the
projections which the Constitution of your
country has thrown around public liberty.
Great applause Can you tell me when
ambition, love of plumber, or thirst for
power, will induce bad and dangerous
men to proclaim this principle of neces-
slty, as reason why they should tram
pie beneath their feet all the laws of our
land and the institutions of our country?
L ask you again to think if measures like
those give power, dignity, Or strength to
our Government l ask you, on the
other hand, if those governments have not
lived out the longest periods, which, in
times of public danger, instead of shrink
ing back from the principles of liberty
and the barriers of order have raised aloft
these great princiles, and battled under
them, and thus given strength to the
hearts of the people and gained the respect
of the world? Applause. l ask you
if it is not an evidence of weakness, de-
feat and discontinue, when, in the pres
ence of armed rebellion, the administra-
ton is compelled to assert that the very
charter by which it holds its power has
ceased to have a virtue that can protect
citizen in his rights ?
Suppose we accept this doctrine, what
will be the consequence to this govern
ment, To-day the great masses of con-
servatives who still battle for time-hon-
cred principles-for chartered principles
of government, amid denunciation, and
contumely, and abuse, are the only bar
riers that stand between this government
and its own destruction. If we accept
tomorrow this teaching-if we to-mor-
row should acquiesce in the doctrine that
in time of war Constitutions are suspend
ed, and laws have lost their force, then
we should accept doctriue that the very
right by which the government admins
tiers It's power, has lost its virtue, and we
would be brought down to the level of
rebellion itself having an existence only
by virtue Of material power. Would not
a vital blow be struck to liberty? If we
should accept this doctrine, what would
be the consequence When men accept
| despotism, they may have a choice as to
who the despot will be. The struggle
then will not be, shall we have constitu-
tional liberty? But having accepted the
doctrine that the Constitution has lost its
force, every irstinct Of personal ambition,
every instinct of personal security, will
lead men to put themselves under the pro-
lection of that power which they suppose
most competant to protect their persons.
And then this administration would find
that, in putting military rulers over us
they had made military masters for them
! selves; for this war teaches us that will
betray the liberties of the people for the
purpose Of gaining the favor of power,
will, when opportunity seize power itself
| (Applause.)
came here to-day to appeal to you,
who may be politically opposed to us.
Don't do yourselves wrong. Don't do
! your own administration wrong, anc
push US from that position which we arc
trying to hold. Do not use abuse and
contumely against our persons, and threats
against our property, because we stand NJ
to say that you, and we, and all shall
have our rights because we stand up tc
say, the family circle shall not be entered
and in English parlance, every mans
home shall be his castle, within which hC
is safe from intrusion. applause.
Why, what is the glory Of a people ant
| the glory of a nation? 1t is not the mag
nitude Of its power it is not the extent
| of its dominions. 1t is the-tact that the
humblest home is safe under its protec-
ton The proudcst boast ever uttered by
Briton's proudest statesman was this
not of martial achievements-not of tn
triumphs of the field-not of that won
derful dominion upon which the SUI
never sets-nol it was this: that tn
British Monarch could never enter with
out permission the humbleSt home in tn
land, although its broken ceilings nigh
give but scanty shelter to its humble in
mates. (Applause.)
For what are governments constitutes
but for this! not for dominion, not fo
grandeur. but in order that these grea
ends might be reached that every ma
should enjoy the rights Of person and Sc
curity of home, and freedom of con
science and the enjoyment of his property
subject to the laws. These are the grea
objects of government and any govern
ment, and any system that comes shor
of this, fails in its objects; and any de
claration that assails or endangers thes
great objects is treason against huma
rights (Applause.)
But is said that there is law of ne
cessitv that in times like these suspend
our Constitution-that war is unfavorabl
to liberty 1t is not true. Liberty wa