The mountain Democrat., 1864-02-06
"Loyalty" and "PreroKatIve."

The Republicans use the word 'loyal," "
Ss though it had Specification in our 20,
litical system. Loyalty" in political
Sense,is only applied to a prnce-proper-
lya Prince Of the blood--that is Rovai
bloOd--the loyalty Of the subject to his
sovereign. Under our system OF free Con
stitutions, the people are the sover,isn>
All power emanates from them, and the
loyalty is from the Government to them
Our Government should be loyal to the
people, who are the SOvereiSnS, NOT the
people to 'lhe Government, which is the
servant or subject to the sovereign peo.
pie.
The Republicans, to carry out their
idea Of the Government thev would have.
frequently call themselves "loya'iStS, the
mere tools and menials of Crown Prince.
~ the world has fixed the political detini.
ton Of "royaliSts.." Those who bel!
faith to King George, during our Rcvolu-
ton Of 20, were termed loyalistS, and a
proud, bloodthirsty, treacher0uS set they
were. So much for loyalists. a drSiGna.
ton assumed by our opponents, and not
inaptly, from the doctnes they ayow and
practices they perform. Let them be
known hereafter. as they desire TO be, by
the name Of Loyali>ts."
But what shall we say OF Democrat
who uses the word " Prcro.alivc as ap.
plieabls to the powers ofOur General Gov
ernment? We were astoniShed and sur
prised the other morning to See in a very
deliberately written editorial of near three
columns in length, in paper claiming to
be Democratic, the. term "Prerogative
applied to the powers Of the United States
Government. "The PrerogativeS of the
Crown" is an expression well understood
but the prerogatives OF Democratic or
Republican Government, created, CONTROL
ed and restricted by constitutional pro-
visions, and these provisions subject to
change or alteration by the people, is a
most strange Interpolation into our Dem
ocratic nomenclature, and wholly mad
Missile and inapplicable, and cannot be
too bitterly and promptly denounced -
We are most assuredly in need Of polit.
ical Echoolmaster if men protesting to
write for Democratic ears and Democratic
intelligence use such terms in their polit.
ical lectures
We are not surprised that man using
such language should follow in the wake
Of Abraham Lincoln in trying to create the
idea that We are q National Government
and not government dfSovereign States.
Mr.. Lincoln only goes one step further in
declaring in the outset that the States are
only IS counties to the General Govern
ment. OF course the next thing would
be to proclaim prerogatives" In this
National GOvernttient of theirs, and Mr..
Lincoln is fully sustained, for where pre-
rogstives exist there ends the discussion,
for power, prerogative, steps in to declare
the balance, to preserve "the life of the
Nation"
The King Of Prussia Is striving for the
Prerogative Of his Crown and the life Of
the Nation, IS be understands it, against
the demands Of the people, who suspect
him OF wanting little more prerogativc,
and little more life of the Nation, than
will suit their welfare, and they told him
% in the late elections in "his realms"
Names are everything in law and hu-
man rights, and we cannot be too careful
IN preserving them. But most of all, this
misuse Of terms at this critical moment
IN the life Of American Liberty, proves
either that some men are wholly ignorant
OF what they are writing about or what
they say, or that they resolved, knowing
y and 9Th premeditation, to wrest from
our people their long bOasted freedom. and
rear upon the ruins of our constitutional
rights : shameful despotism. One OF the
ether Is as evident as language can make
X We hope the people who are not re-
Aolved on giving up their liberties will
sstady these things, and be prepared to
"Ss the struggle. ls.-Msdary's Crisis.