The Shasta courier., 1864-08-20
copperhead Love for the Constitution.


The Copperhead leaders are ringing
changes on the freedom of speech aud of the
press, and declaiming. in ali the hollowness
of hypocrisy, against alleged infractions Of
the Constitution. in the vain hope Of delud-
ing the people into the belief that they are
its especial guardians. But they signaily
fail in this for their course for years past
inspires distrust in the sincerity Of their love
for the Constitution, and defeats the claim
they would establish of being its defenders.
It will be remembered that for twenty
wears or more there has been no such thing
as freedom of speech, so tar as the question
Of slavery was concerned, in any OF the States
Of The South, and yet these gentlemen had
net = word to utter in behalf OF constitutional
r;abts 1t will also be recollected that IRON
Van Buren's time TO the present liberty OF
the nress has been denied from the Potomac
to the Gulf of Mexico, by pabllc sentiment
and legislative enacsments, except, perhaps,
in the District of Columbia, and yet these
constitutional gentlemen had no protest TO
enter. 1t will likewise be borne in mind that
in 1856 and 1860 the advocacy of Ere
mont in the former, and Of Lincoln in
the latter year, for the Presidency, was prac-
tically denied, wherever slavery had an exist
ence in the land, except at the risk of the
property and lives of those who would at
tempt il, and yet they were as silent as the
tomb 1t is we'll known that where the ''pe-
culiar institution" has fourished it has been
for generation dangerous to any ones safety
to be suspected of entertaining an opinion ad-
verse to the expediency or morality of human
bondage; but this was all right with these
constitutional expounders. 1t will not be
forgotten that when United States Senator
was stricken down at his post in the Capitol
of the Nation, by a bludgeon in the hands of
IA chiralyous son of South Carolina, for words
spoken in debate, this class dreamed not of
infractions of the Constitution.
But now, when war is in the land, when
gigantic and iniquitous rebellion is seeking
to disrupt the Union and subvert the Repub-
lie, not content with their endeayors to para
yze the arm of Government and magEifying
its reverses, deploring its victories, depreciat-
ing its credit, and refraining from everything
by which cd citizens attest their loyalty,
they invoke the constitutional guarantees
which they have heretofore uniformly ignored.
to shield those who abuse the freedom of
speech and liberty of the press, by using them
to discourage ealistmenss. ineite insurrec-
tons, and giving aid and comfort to the coun-
try's enemies.
Therefore it is not strange that loyal citi-
zens do not consider them very proper men to
read homilies on constitutional rights, oY pen
diatribes on constitutional infractions. They
are looked upon as blind guides, and not the
men to whose keeping that instrument,
framed by the wisdom of our fathers, should
be entrusted. As the sacred fire of the Ro-
mans was coufded to the care of none but
the vestals, who religiously observed their
vows. so the spirit Of the Federal Constitu-
ton will be preserved by those only who con-
scientousy regard the obligations of patri-
otism.