North Branch democrat. [volume] (Tunkhannock, Pa.) 1854-1867, 1864-08-12

4 standing the immence danger that must cer-
tainly resnit from the denomination and re-
election of tiny president.
But fellow citizens, as there are other speak
era 10 follow me. / must n OF trespass too
much on your patience. One more point and
shall relieve you. We were tolda few years
since, as I mentioned short time ago. tha at
we should have no party now; that we should
A1 join to put down the rebellion, and when
| that was dons, we could talk about politics.
In other. words, we were all to 60 together
unit! the Republican party became the only
party of the country, and then things would
60 on smoothly. You have doubtless heard
/ q great deal OF this kind of talk. When the
leaders of the Republican rarty first made to
US this no party proffer you recollsct how it
was received. We met them half way. At that
time Republican Congress declared plat
form Of principles which wa to govern the
conduct of this war. l refer 10 the Crittcnden
war resolution. The Democratic party &C
cepted it. It was placed at the editorial head
of the leading Democratic papers throughout
the country. The Democracy, ''we accept
that resolution we accept it even as test
oi loyalty if yot will; as test of fidelity TO
the country; as test Of prtrotism." We
stood by it; we stand by it to day. We did
more: we voted in Congress all the men an
all the money asked for by the Admiaistra-
ton to carry on the war. We sertainly meet
them more then half way, But how were
we treated by these no,party men2 AS the
time for the election campaign came round
each year, we found them orgaizing their par.
ty machinery, issuing their party circulars,
making their nominations, and all the time
talking about no party. What did it mean?
1t meant, simply, mo party but the Republi-
can party % they may have pulled he wool
over our eye for short time but we have
get them open again.
They talked about holding "country above
party" as if the Democrats had ever done,
otherwise than hold Country above party; as
if our organization was not pla ced upon the
Constitution as if we did not owe all our
success in the past to the fact that our party
was for the country and was the only party
that was for the coU ntry! Country above
party"-that is our party creed; and [ be-
Iieve but express the honest sentiment of
all those Democrats who like you, Mr.. Presi-
dent, have stood faithfully by their party
through good report and through evil report:
through darkness and storm aud adversely as
we'll as in the sunlight of prosperity, when
declare that we have no attachment TO 0 r
party except so far as we deem it necessary
to the vindication of the Constit ution, neces-
sary to the restoration and preservation Of
the Union, neces sary to the preservation of
the country to its former condition of grea:
ness and prosperity. Proud and glorious as
the history Of that party has been, and as its
record is to day, would see that history and
| that record blotted out and forgotten, and
the glorious old party itself sw allowed up in
oblivion if | believed that the restoration of
the Union to its old status and Of the Country
to its former happy and prosperous condition,
demanded such a sacrifice. But no, fellow
citizens; We must now look for relief in this
dark hour of the nations calamity to the sac
rifce Of that party under whose counsels the
country became great aud prosperous; the
| Union, the admiration Of the world; our sys-
tenn of Government, at once the pride of the
American citizen and the terror OF the old
world royalists. From the temporary defeat
Of that party in its vain struggle with section
alsm and fanaticism in 1860, came war and
blood and carnage and death and desoation
and disaster-came a violated and trampled
Constitution-came the prostration Of the
great writ of liberty, the peoples only protec-
ton from arrest without warrant, and i'm
prisonment without crime-came the sup
pression Of free speech, and of free press
came reign of terror in this land of Doasted
liberty-came taxation, to the full limit Of
the peoples endurance, upon everything we
eat, drink, wear, see, feel, smell, own or pos
sess-came an inheritance of national indebt-
edness tn at will cause our chil1ren's children
| to curse our memoly-and worse than all,
and with all, came q broken and shattered
Union. To the succeas Of that party in this
renewed contest with the same foe we now
look for the triumph of the Union, and "in
| this sign we conquer"