The mountain Democrat., 1864-02-06
SPEECH OF Z. C. BURR,
Delivered ut the Democratic Festi-
val, at Bergen, New jersey.

1t was the Son of Man who said blessed
are the peacemakers; !; but Abraham Lin.
coin, and all the worshipers of blood and
negroes, declare them accurSed. To pray
for peace was once a Christian virtue. 1t
was the evidence of a pure heart, and Of
an elevated intellect. 1t is treason now.
The paths Of peace, instead of leading
mems footsteps to heaven, lead TO n dun
geon. If you dare speak for peace there
will come such clamor of profanity, i'm
pudcnce and brutality about your ears as
was never heard out of Pandemonium.-
But still we dare speak for peace. APP
pcaling to God for the recutude of our
motives, and despising the base wrctches
who would impugn them, we cry aloud
for peace. We cry for peace, as a man
cries for water when his house is on fire.
We are for peace, not alone because we
know that war is rendering the restoration
of the Union impossible, but also because
tits destroying the organic life of our Gov
ernmcnt. 1t is tearing out the keystone
of the arch OH which the whole edilice of
the American principle and American lib
crty rests.
This is the irrcpressiblc reason why
every patriot opposes the war. To cover
W this black spot, and to draw away the
public mind from the real issue, the Abo-
lition traitors cunnnglv cry out, what,
would you let the South go?" No, we
would not, if We had power to prevent it.
What we propose to do is, to prevent you
from driving them off cternally. 1t is pre-
cisely because we do not intend to aban-
don the Union, that We are for peace, just
as you are for war, because you have aban-
doned it. You boldly declare that the
Union as it was, cannot and shall not be
restored. Vice President IIamln says it
is GemagoguiSm to talk Of such a thing
Therefore you are not fighting to restore
the Union. There is but one Union
That is the Union as it was-formed by
the Constitution as it is, which you affirm
shall never be restored, because it would
pcrpctuate the labor institutions of the
South, as they are secured by the Consti-
tuition. 1t is as impudcnt lie for these
Abolition traitors to style themselves
friends of the Union, as it would have
been for the French revolutionists of 1889
to have called themselves friends of the
throne Of France. They were seeking to
rcvolutionize the Government Of France,
as the Abolitionists are trying to revolu-
tionize the Government of the Union. -
RobcSpierrc said, "away with the throne
that grants letters patent of nobility
Lincoln and his party say, AWAY with
the Constitution that allows white men to
hold negroes as taxable property" This
is the milk in the coccanut. The cocoa
nut is negro's head. That is what we
are fighting for. In relation to the war,
there are three parties: First, the Aboli-
tion or Republican party, which saws that
the Union shall not be restored under the
Constitution as it is; second, the party of
nondescrptS, or War Democrats, who
profess that they want the Union back
Just as it was, and yet support a war
" hich they admit Is waged for the pur.
pose Of DESTROYING the Constitution and
the Union. This should be called the lu.
natic party. Must not men be crazy to
support war that they denounce as un-
constitutionally carried on, and meant to
revOlutiunizc the Government and destroy
the Union? 1t is a charitable conclusion
to suppose that such men are crazy. Is
it for plundcr and Office that they connive
at the barbarouS murder of hundreds Of
thousands Of our people, and at the ever
lasting destruction Of the Union that was
formed by our fathers, and the overthrow
of the laws Of our Government of the
United Statesy Is it for plumber that they
cOnnive at these base and brutal designs?
Then are they dogs, and not men. But,
we are told it is policy. What is policy?
Is it that mild name you give to the base
cowardice that immoates your own laws,
and aids the Abolitionists in breaking to
pieces the altars of liberty that were built
by our fathers? But the people are not
yet ready for the truth. When will they
be ready for the truth if you continue to
teach them a lie? But the people are
ready; they are always ready for the truth,
1t is the cowardice or treachery of the
politicians that has confused and demoral
lied the ranks Of the people. The mean
ing Of this word policy is a lie it is the
last refuge Of coward and Scoundrel.
II the word was not made in hell it ought
to have been, for it is the devils own
trick to cheat q man out Of his virtue
1t was not policy that won liberty for
these States. 1t was principle. The poll
cy mongers said, wait the time is NOT
yet. The true men said, strike the time
to be free is now and foreverl On nc
! lighter terms was liberty ever preserved
The true policy of the Democracy is t.
stand by its own principles of State SOW
ereignty and State equality. These ar'
the foundations Of our Government
Strike them down and the whole super
fallC Whn1 EoAo..isav.n ~ oaV,