North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1863-03-25
Then and Now.

There was time when a wrong done to
one of our humble citizens was felt as per-
sonal indisnlty to us ALL. Now, the brutal
myrmidons of usurped power can hunt down
the best men in the land, and lay them in
dungeons, and the outrage fails to stir the
paralyzed heart of the nation; causes il no
tutter, nor quickens it beat.
The apathetic soul which can watch with
liStless and Indifferent eye the unlawful ar
rest of fellow citizen, and hear unmoved
the clank of his chains, will not be reused,
believe US, by the tramp of invading hosts or
the thunder Of hostile cannon. The great
North-populous, powerful, glowing with ex-
cess OF life, two years ago, conscious of i'm
mense physical strength and proud of the
unfettered arms which welded its sullen,
PROSTATE, abased. The black and barbarous
banner of Abolition has twisted it's nasty
folds around the flag staff where the stars
and stripes once blazed-the ensign of hope,
glory in every land, terror to every foe
Men can make idols-God only can make
Worshippers. Thread and bunting will patch
together flag but, unless borne by the
strong hands and sanctifed by the love of
free people, flag is but a rag. The new
banner-the. abolition banner-who loves it :?
Who wants to fight under it? Let plunder-
ers, contractors, vagabonds gorged and gorg-
ing on the vitals of the land, fight under the
dusky flag that hides their vlllanies, cling to
the bayonet that shields them from the rage
of an abused people. Let the apostles of Alb
olition-the. Summers, the Wilson's, the
Wades, the Beechers and the Greeleys s-who
have famed the embers of disunion into
flame, and are now warming their backs at
the genial blaze, fling their worthless lives in
to the front of battle, and baptize with their
blood the flag which they have sought tochris-
ten with the safer sprinkling of pen and tongue
Let the bands that woye and dyed and
patched together that flag, and nailed it to
the mast head, keep it there, if they can.-
But shall Americans, freeborn sons of pa.
triot sires, lend their hands, give their lives,
or strip their backs to uphold an alien ban
ner ITO maintain despotism erected upon
the ruing of their Constitution ?-to carry
the butcherly standard of abolition over the
land-that accursed standard under which
black men are made free, and whit men are
made slaves? No! No! The heart of this
people is paralyzed and slumbering, but only
for an hour. The blood and life are still there
which will waken it, one of these days, to a.
sturdy and vigorous beat. The heart answer
ed to the guns which battered down Sump-
ter. 1t responded gladly to every call made
in the name of the Old Flag and the Old I'm
ion. To-day it answers not it is awfully ST.
lent when Lincoln calls! Why2 Not be-
cause the old flag is less loved, not because
the new flag of Abolition is detested not be-
cause the Constitution is less precious, but
because the rulers who summon us to the
field have proven themselves to be deadliest
foes; not because the Union is less dear, but
because the creatures who ask US to give our
lives for it have spent theirs in making its
restoration impossible. Our people are loyal
still to the core-but, to be faithful to the
endearment of their fathers, they must be
hostile to its enemies-and it's chief enemies.
alas are those who now WELD its powers and
pervert them to our enslavement. The peo-
pie are still willing to fight in any honorable
cause-to pay for national unity any price
that will buy it back.