East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1864-01-20

should it declare who shonld be held
traitors, and what and how they must
suffer, unless it contemplated the exi-
gency Of treason? To say that tho
existence of treason silences the con-
stitutional provisions thereto apper-
pertaining is as illogicaland absurd as
to say that tho existence of the crime
of murder supercedes the right of tri-
al by jury. For it is in the exigeney
which the law oontemplates that the
law is properly exercised. But ths
Democracy oppose the encroachmeLt
Of the Executive upon tho other de-
partments of the government. So
does tho Constitution in designating
the functions Of each, and restraining
each to its proper sphere and SO did
Washington, when he thus embodied
the suggestion Of his statesmanlike
wisdom, in that heirloom Of the
American Government, the Farewell
Address !" ~ ...s
at is important also that the hab-
its Of thinking in free country should
INSPIRE the caution in those entrusted
with its administration, to confine
themselves within their respective
constitutional spheres, avoiding in the
exercise of the powers of one depart
mont to encroach upon another. The
spirit of encroachment tends to con-
solidate the powers of all the depart
ments in one, and thus to create what
ever the form of government, a real
despotism. Let there
be no change by usurpation, for though
this, in one instance, may be the in
strument Of good, it is the customary
weapon by which free governments
are destroyed"
But the Democracy is in favor Of
disunion. Strange ideal. Stranger
still, that in the long years Of its pow
er it should have taken no steps to ac-
complish the object! And, beyond
parellel, strange that men who con-
temptuously styled the Democracy
"Union Savers" should now attempt
an organization founded solely upon
the pretended issue Of sarng the Union!
Totally irTecopcilible indeed in their
present with their past position, unless
on the hypothesis that the Democracy
was wiser to detect the danger, and
apply a preventive before q remedy
was necessary; or that Union not
worth saving then is worth saving
now.
How long will the people, whose
interest it is to think for themselves,
and one of whose inalienable rights it
is to indulge in ''the luxary of free
opinion" suffer extremists and dog
matists to draw-their conclusions and
form their opinions for them How
long viii they permit the men who
charge tho Constitution as o "cove-
nant with hell" and who soy they
want no Union with Shareholders"
and who publish that the "Union has
En5 apBa aHxthgsF t0E 4 9s
only means Of saving tho nation; how
long will the people permit themselves
to be cheated by such men into the
declusion that the Democratic party is
disloyal to the Union? Through the
long years of our national prosperity
it carried itself as a mediator, cndeav-
oring, by an impartial and enlighten-
ed policy, to counteract the tendency
to sectionalism, too apparent in the
jealous adoption of the extreme views
Of party leaders, and directing its
measures to the preservation Of that
fratcrnal bond, which, for more than
any community Of interest, is the Sc
curity of national Union; and when
the demon Of discord waved his tri-
umphant banner over our distracted
country, it cordially co-operated with
every measure, except such as it held
subversive of the purpose for which
the people were in arms No party,
by whatever namo called, can surpass
tho Democracy in devotion to the
Union; and it is but a paltry subter-
fuge to attempt to make any question
as to tho Union, tho distinguishing
mark between the now contentling
parties at the North The question is
not whether the Union shall be pre-
served, but as to the nature of tho
means best calculated to preserve it.
The Democracy should accept no 9TH
issue. And to tender any other plan
indication of a sinister design. 1s p