Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1864-10-06

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American Constitution was born 1t came
rom the spirit, and city Of Brotherly Love.
years ago, George b. Mcclellan
vas born in the same city. The coincidence
S agreeable, aud it will become more 50,
When he shall become the chef defender of
he Constitution.
Those who, during the summer Of 1877,
at in Independence Hall, We're the giants Of
hose day.: in heart great, in intellect great,
n patriotism great. They framed a system
If government which is so matchless in form
md so perfect in its adaptation to our ma
ionul and local needs, that but for the
passion Of men, it would have banded the
continent in circle Of according States, all
keeping time to the advancement of civiliz-
alton. The Randoiphs, the Wilson's, the
Rutlegcs, the Masons, the Shcrmans, the
Franklins, the Washingtons of that day,
laid the foundation Of this Government:
common interests and common charities of
our nature ccmcDted it, parts, by the spirit
Of concession and conciliation. One thing
they bid not provide against in their written
instrument. While they made many claus
es intended for the conservation Ot the Con
stitution, they did not l0rsee the inordinate
rise Of that srctionalism which has whclmed
our land in blood and misery. y.-Ihey did
not, and could not provide against that rev
omtion which the mad zca!ots Of the North
and South have made; although they did
provide revolution by another instrumen-
tality, which they imagined would save the
land from discomfort, and the people from
unjust rulers
The people of the United States are now
preparing for that bloodless revolution,
every four years, appointed by the Constl-
tuition, for u change Of rulers. Never i'll any
period has there been crowded into so brief
Il cycle as the past four years, as mcmcntous
history. \ nation Of over thirty States,
each standing rs pillars in grand politl,a
colOnadc, equal III their rank has IN tha
time been muUlatcd. The majesty of it
proportions has been marTed by the insidi
olls mining Of soditon, and the violent cX
plosions Of war What has taken nearly
eighty years to perfect, has in the course O
one twentieth of that time been shattere,
and broken, The events connected witt
such an awful tragedy Whose every act ha,
been cnsangrtincd- furnish the reasons from
which the judgment Of the nation is to bc
expressed ia November
This stupendous contcs is not hctweeI
contending armies; but contending idea
marshalled BY contending parties. It's no
by wager Of battle, but by wager OF ballot
God grant that our conflict may not be red
denod by the blush OF shame or the blood o
violence; but that the o!d-lashioned and triet
system of II pure and free American election
may determine those great issues in tran
guilty and wisdom.
The issue ou which hang so many Of the
issues of human lie Itself is made between
those in power and those who seek power
between those who have occasioned civil wan
without policy TO prevent or conclude 1t,
and those who would have averted war, and
whose policy would end it; between tho,t
who would administer the old Government
perfected and signed by Warrington seven
ty-scycu years ago, with its complex ma
chinery of Federal delegated powers, an,
uuglunted, and inherent State indepcn
deuce; and those, who, for social reform
! deemed 10y them wl-c-haVc disturbed the
| fixed relations, and threaten by ahsorbn
aud usurplug power to destroy the Cover
mcut itself, with all its muniments ofpuhI
and personal freedom
In deciding this issue, the people will cN
anime calmly
lsL What those in power have done c
failed to do, that they should deserve to j
continued in power.
I'd, What their opponents propose to d,
10y which they are more worthy Oi publ
trust.
Perhaps il is hardly fair to complain ,
the Republican people, Individually, for d
viding the Union True it la, been don
since their accession 10 power True, thi
accession has been made the protest tc
Southern extremists to aid in the work {
destuction But the Republicans, how
ever much individually they may be no
10th to see our Union divided, and the
power and consequence in the AdminlStu
ton lcs~Cucd, are, ao n party, rcsponslb
for Our ca,amlies. philoSoph the
. acts oi disuniou and war, are reicrable to Il
very conccI ton and existence of their pa
ty. ,Scctionalism like theira-in scntlme
aud lucality-can not rule the entirety Of
country. The part can not control the Who'll
\ fraction can not make unity No me
tai or moral arithmatlc can transmute seve
teen into thirty -four.
Hence, on obtaining power, that par
failed to conciliato the section il antago
= lied. Thi- was natural. Washington N
Jack son had torcwarned uS it would he 5
- Clay and Douglass had thus warned vi
dom, greater than her children, has taug
Us that manhood-eycr averSe TO amy rule
are utterly irrcconclable to 1t, when tn
rule seems likely to mjure, on proposes
destroy their interests. Hence, Mr. Llncol
when he came into power at Washington
March, 1861, could not bow 10 the who
country as its servant without trcachcry
his party aud It's platform He could n
visit or think Of Richmond or New Orlean
, without apology or brayodo. He could II
call Southern statesmen 90 his and, or swc
t. sustain the Constitution without rCpud
atlug the steps by which he had assembled
. power. Hence, his premier, Mr., Sewm
has complained that at the end Of his ter
he will not have served his whole term
President of the United States, and chat
ought to be fought into that place for io
years more. The difficulty preliminary Ii
with the party which has had success on
sectional principles. The best Mr., linco
2. could do, was what he has pretended to d
with his war power, commit heioke ascrlb
ID to Sir Boyle Roche, Of breaking the wht
Constitution in order to preserve the renal
der. lie could not rise to the stature OF
successor of Washington, without dishon(
ing his Abolition associates. Hence, all
failures to compromise, through the MALI
? influences Of his party adherents. llenC
the failure OF the CrlJtenden CompromlS
= and the Peace Convention. Hence, sen
i ments Of hate grew into elements of VIZ
5 Distrust and bad blood begat defiance al
Il blood letting Hence, the party in pow
b have endeavord TO hide their sins ofomlssi
u and commission under garments rolled
gore,
= Hence, they have stined speech al
muzzled the press; manacled thought "a
imprisoned pQrsons-to divert from thel