Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-08-31


that it is the desire Of every sound minded,
right-hearted Democrat, and Republican,
too, and all who love their country, that
first her liberties should be made secure,
and then her material prosperity promo
ted. These are the two grand objects -
They, among the ranks of the people who
| have no contracts, who hold no offices,
and who from party habitude or other
causes, are of the Republican party, I
assume honestly, did believe once that
these objects were to be secured by war.
Some among the Democratic party in the
beginning, now vast majority of it, be-
lieve that this great purpose can be OBJ
tanned only through peace. They who
believed that war was the proper instru-
mentality, having the power both in the
executive, in the Senate and in the House
and being supported at first by vast
majority-almost unanimously | may say
by vast majority of the people. de-
! termined that the experiment should be
tried by war. The honest among them
expected TO restore the union of these
states, as part of securing permanent
political liberty and promoting the mate
rial prosperity of the land. We who
thought otherwise were obliged to submit.
For one, did submit Had the power
in the beginning there should not have
been any war ; not one drop Of blood
should have been shed no march of hos
! tile armies should have taken place; no
| hostile cannon should have sounded in
! the ears of the people of this land and
/ tho etfusion of blood which has stained it
from one end to the other would have
been spared. That mighty public debt,
| now near four thousand millions of dol
/ lars, would uot have weighdd down as n
burden to you and your children taxa
| ton would have been unknown, except in
the old fashioned way of our fathers, but
! little felt none OF the calamities which
! have made this country land of mourn
ing would have visited this people. But,
| as | have said, they who have insisted
that the great objects of craftsmanship
were TO be secured by war, being in pow
er, made war, | submitted. The Presi-
dent has row for four years had all
| the men and all the money that he de-
manded there never has been an
example from the beginning Of the world
where a people, with such an unanimity
| sent forth their sons to battle, with such
submission abided by and acquiesced in
all that was demanded Of them in proper
ty, in zeal, in effort, to further this war.
! Nothing has been wanting that the con-
stitutional power has conferred upon the
executive or Congress could give; moth
| inc has been wanting that the most auda-
/ cious usurpation on the face Of the globe
/ could take from this country, to make this
war successful. Men they have had to
the number Of over two millions, money
or credit to the amount Of over four thou
sand millions paper currency poured
| forth from the manufacturing establish
ment in the treasury at Washington has
/ been scattered all over this land. What
else could have been secured? What that
was demanded has been withheld? And
I now. under these most favorable circum-
stances, | ask you what has been the re-
suit of this grand experiment You have
| had four years of war; battles more in
number than the three greatest conqueror:
of the earth have fought in any five years
of their military career; blood poured ouI
ike water treasury expended without
limit. What Is the result to-day? L:
your Union restored? T''No, no,"1 l.
a single state brought back by fighting ;
has the Constitution been maintained
have your liberties been made secure 3
T..Usurped, no, no. Constitutions
guarantees been observed have you had
trial by jury have you had free press
did you have free assemblages by the
people some time ago? C"We have to
day" Did you have arrest by due pro
cess of law? (''No, no,") Did you
citizens sit down under their own vine ant
fig trees with none to make them afraid
e. No! No!') How is it in the materia
prosperity Of the land? What is you
currency to-day? I" Shinplasters. :"
Your greenback dollar is worth thirty
seven or thirty-eight cents to-day, teste'
by the only standard of value, the consti
tutional currency of this country and tn
uniform currency OF the world. That
more than Lincoln is worth" Laughter.
1t is depreciating every day Two month
ago it was worth hundred per cent NOR
than it Is to-day, and in two months
will be worth hundred per cent less tha
it is to-day. The violation of the laws c
commerce, trade, and currency Is brlngln
with it the inevitable punishment whic
has followed in all lands, from the gres
scheme Of John Law in France, In til
eighteenth century, down to 1909, whe
the Austrian government issued its paps