The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1864-06-22
Dangers Attendant Upon Dem.
= " Ocracies.

A maxim that has been in its time
sufficiently popular with, our people to
have craven itself upon their minds, is
that 'sEternal vigilance is the price of
liberty !" A dangerous symptom which
begins to be alarmingly manifest in this
country; Is that in seasons of greateex
oitrment that vigilance Is apt to relax
and the usurpations OF power are either
not noticed, or are regarded with compar-
ative apathy. During the progress, OF the
'gfsat batti8 IN Virginia, the public MUD
was wrought up to such an intense state
of anxiety concerning the result of those
great engagements, that any aggression
upon the private rights of the citizens by
the Government would have been tolera-
ted without protest. During the lull
that has succeeded those terrific conflicts,
the Administration has begun to exercise
once mere an authority total unwarrant-
ed by the laws and dangerous to freedom
1t is time that people should keep one
eye on the Virginia campaign, and the
other eye on the high functionaries at
v ashington, else at the time Gen. Grant
is crossing the North Anna river in pur-
suit OF Lee, Lincoln will be crossing the
Rubicon of the Constitution in pursuit
of the spoils of an unholy ambition and
to the utter ruin of our Republican insti-
tutlons 1t Is stated that paper in Bal
timore The Transcript has been sup
pressed because it put our losses in the
Virginia campaign at seventy-five thous
and. This may or may not be an error
of judgment but the New York Tribune
is equally guilty in its figures, and at all
events there is no solid reason here for
cnmmitting so outrageous trespass upon
private rights. The Republicans them
sci es in the very hay day of power and
plunder ought to take alarm at these rap
id strides towards concentration of power
in the executive. They cannot promise
themselves a permanent control of the
Government. The shifting vicissitudes
of fortune should warn them they are
putting fatal weapons in the hands of
their antagonists and the final result may
be the entire overthrow of democratic
form of government on this Continent =
These things do verify "return to plague
their inventors" One duty is manifest
for the Democracy, to be firm. united and
courageous IN their opposition to these
high handed measures. Weakness and
cowardice invite abuse. There is NO
reason why the Constitution of this laud
should be suhverted in the North. The
rebellion Of Davis is shabby pre-
text for the rBurpation of illegal authori-
Fly. We mus wake from our ler hargy
and make our opposition felt. If we do
not we shall ind the November election
paltry sham and juggle The suppress
sion of two Democratic papers in New
York at q time aohen the authorities a.
| Harrington oere informed Of the limo
cence of-fhose journals of any cfence, has
caused the utmost wonder even to Repub-
Iican newspapers. The Cincinnati Com.
ulerciqt of Monday is heartily indig gnant
at the whole procedure Shall the De-
mocracy be less vigilant and outspoken
No, let the act of the President and his
man Stanton, be condemned in terms of
burning reproaoh all over the land, and
det us heed well, that the danger which
most threatens Us is, 'sA little NOR fold
ing ofthe hands to sleep" at the time the
administration is forging the chains for
our. complete enthrallG emit Cleveland
ilain Dealer. rs -r.v s.r.9