Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1864-09-28
s II e H & HI
Mr. EMERSON ETHERIDGE,
AT PHILA DELPHIA.

Fellow-citizens indulge me as best you
can with your silence. L am stranger
to you, unknown to distinction and un-
heralded by fame L come tonight 10 mir.-
ole in your rejoicing upon this sacred soil
to join with you in ratifying those nOmi-
nations upon which depends the preser-
yation of the holy Constitution of these
United States. Applause. If the spirits
of good men from earliest history who
years ago, on this spot, proclaimed
to the world the Constitution which
has been the only bond of union among
free and glorious people-could they once
more revisit earth they would be here in
their glorious presence to look approvingly
upon you, their children, who meet this
night to ratify again that noble Constitu-
ton, upon the preservation of which de-
pends the life of liberty throughout the
world. Great applause.) Not one of
those noble spirits would be at Washing
ton, mingHng with faced courte-
zans, greasy contrabands and greedy con-
tractors. daughter andapplause.) Not
one of them would smile at smutty
joke, but they would be here tonight,
with earnest hearts, imploring you to
save the Ship of State and to preserve the
liberties of a noble people. Cheers.
You have heard tonight distinguish
ed statesman Of New Iork, who has told
you that Abraham Lincoln is condi-
tionul Union candidate. That is the only
expression he uttered to viii, h ! shall
make any dissent. Abraham Lincoln is
not even that, lie is a usurper and des-
pot. Applause and Laughter. There
was no Union Of States except the union
which was the child of the Federal Con-
sGtution alone, and you have heard so
many eloquent discourses from these loyal
leaguers in regard to loyalty, should re-
member that there is not supporter of
Abraham Lincoln to-day who is not in
degree if not in kind, traitor equally
with Jefferson Davis. Great applause.
No intelligent man can be an honest man
and a supporter of Abraham Lincoln.
Renewed applause. No man can be in
tiuenced by the unhoiy pretences Of these
men and no man understands the theory
Of this Government, its early history and
the principles upon which it was founded,
can support Abraham Lincoln and be
loyal to the Constitution of the United
States. Cries of "good good!" and
cheers. At this very moment we are
ground North and South, by two rival
despotisms These despotisms are moth
ing but departure from the old Consti-
tuition, the only national safety, Con-
stitution which l know you re-atfirm to-
day in your loyal hearts. They tell you
about loyalty. There is a world of 10y
atty in the Republican party. Laugh
ter But 1t is loyalty to a cringing slave
TO a mean and imbecile master. TAp-
plause. 1t is not loyalty to to law Ask
these men who preach loyalty, these
loyal leaguers, laughter, as they call
themselves, or as we call them out West,
Lincoln Liars, [great laughter1 ask these
men what loyalty is, and they are as
dumb as an oyster. More laughter.
They know no more of loyalty than they
do Of treason, but they hurl in the face
of better men that which they cannot
answer for.
What is loyalty? 1t has no applica-
ton in a representative age under a form
of government. If it means anything it
means devotion to the person of prince
But the man who is loyal to the Consti-
tuition of his country, and | care not who
he is, who opposes or limits the Constitu-
ton of his country, whether Jefferson
Davis or Abraham Lincoln, he is pro tant0
a traitor. Tremendous applause. Ju-
MUS is a name dear to liberty in every
age, and he defined loyalty in the heart
of every Englishman as a rational at
tachment to the guardian of the laws.
Is Abraham Lincoln the guardian of the
laws of this country? Cries of "no,
no." and derisive laughter. He is the
guardian of the laws as the vulture is the
guardian of the dove, as the wolf
is the protector of the lamb. not
only charge Abraham Lincoln with being
a disloyal man, but he has had the eff
frontery within the last three months to
repudiate law within the State of Ken
lucky, and expressly violate the Consti-
tuition, and yet you who are in favor of
the entirety of that instrument, in favor
of the Union as that Constitution made it
are taunted with being traitors to that in
strument.
You may suppose that if these Octo-
ber elections go against Geo. B. Mcclellan
and Geo. II. Pendleton, this Government