Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-07-06
The Good Old Party.

God bless the good old Democratic
party! No political organization of any
country or age can show SO glorious a re-
cord-so free from blunders and crimes,
and so rich in valuable achievements The
uneXampled progress of the country in
wealth and power and its peaceful, pros
porous and happy condition three years
ago, were the result of its wise and patri-
otic policy.
The chief merit of that policy consisted
IN the mildness of its measures 1t was
not advisable to do much. With young
and vigorous country, an ambitious and
enterprising people, and Constitution as
nearly perfect rs human wisdom could
frame-nothing needed to be done except
TO direct the wonderful devclopements of
our greatness in safe a constitutional chan
nels. Herein consists the great merit of
the Democratic party-that it was al
ways national and constitutional. Rufus
Choate died a Democrat ; yet, before they
called him such, he paid "a most eloquent
tribute to the uniform and infexable Ha-
tonohty of the Democratic party. 1t may
have erred IN some of the details of its
measures yet we think it was never al
| legged that it sought to violate the national
character; and we refer with pride to the
prominent events OF its history, as they
are seen in the light of nature and expo
rience.
If the Democratic party had remained
III power this war would not have occur
red. The destruction of the Union-the
repeated violations of the Constitution
the trampling under foot Of civil liberty
and the fearful carnage and desolalion Of
| the last two years are the consequences
of our defeat. And the end is not yet.
The dregs Of the bitter cup of civil war
are yet to be drained; and we are more
than ever convinced that, if anything is
saved out of this fearful wreck, the Demo
cratic party must save IT,
1t is apparent now that the Admins
! tration does not intend that both the
! Union and the Constitution shall survive
! this war The Democratic party is equally
determined that they shall. The Admin
istration means to destroy slavery; while
we mean that the rights of the States shall
remain precisely as they are defined by
! the Constitution. We are determined
that such miscreants as Sumner, Wilson
and Phillips shall not drag us into des-
olating war, to be prosecuted under the
pretence of restoring the Union, but really
! for the subversion of the Constitution.
The time is coming when the Demo-
cratic party will be wanted-cvery man.
There are signs that the Administration
! intends to break down the sovereignty OF
the loval States. and provoke an armed
issue with the Democratic party, as being
a barrier in the way of its Abolition
policy. Democrats condemn that policy
as unconstitutional, unwise and wicked
They will never support it, for Its success,
if attainable, would defeat the great OBJ
iect of their ambition-the restoration OF
the Union of equal and sovereign States:
They desire to oppose it by the pen and
ballot only and we hope they will take
very good care that they are not involved
in any false issue. There is some danger
in this; but safety, "loyalty' and sue,
cess consist in patience, prudence and
peace, until we can again secure the dl-
rection of our wofully mismanaged at
fairs.-.Nan. az H.) Democrat.