Columbia democrat and star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1867, 1866-04-25
The situation.

concluding Judge Black argument on
the Indiana Conspiracy Cases, and while
urging every person to read it carefully, we
think it an excellent time to review briefly,
the events of the five years last past, and
make note of the political posture of affairs
at this time.
In the beginning of the war, the Democ-
raey held that state could not secede from
the union; that state could not be guilty
of treason, though individual citizens might
be. In the prize cases recently decided the
United States Supreme Court have, in al
most those words, sustained that view, and
such is also the opinion of the President of
the United States. Two branches of the
government with us ON that point Against
the Democracy, the President and the Su-
preme Court, are arrayed Stevens, Sumner
and Phillips, the traitors at ''the other end
of the line.
In the beginning Of the warand constant
ly during its progress, the Democracy held
that all parties and persons should be sub
iect to the authority, and under the protec-
ton of the Constitution. That the mere
state of war gave to no man any power
which he had not by virtue of the Constitu-
ton and that no man could be either ar
rested, tried or punished, except in strict
conformity to its letter and spirit
All the neutrality-suspicious. aboli-
tionists in the country rallied against the doc
trine but republican Congress upon two
occasions admitted the strength of the posi-
ton, by passing acts of indemnity, screen
ing Lincoln and all his cotemptible satraps
through the country, from the legal conse-
quences of their illegal actions
During the war, the Democracy held that
military trials of civilians was an unheard
Of and tyrannical usurpation of power The
abolitionists in Columbia County and else
where encouraged, defended, applauded and
used military forces and nd,commissions, in the
arrest, trial, and punishment of citizens ;
and now, all that is pronounced Illegal and
void, and that those military commissions
had ssno jurisdiction to try and sentence.
Again, during the war, and at all times,
the Democracy held that the acdr po,cer as
twas styled, gave no authority to any one,
neither to the government or the President
to abolish slavery, anywhere. This posi-
ton, like each of the others was bitterly as
sailed and denounced. And yet hardly had
the echoes of the howlings died away, until
a republican Congress affirmed the sound
ness of the democratic doctrine, by. passing
an amendment to the Constitution, abolish
ing slavery A perfectly useless thing, if
the Presidential proclamations had produ-
ced that effect.
We might continue this examination of
points and positions at greater length, and
discuss the question of belligerents, piracy,
constructive treason, &C., and in each one
show that the sober second thought has IN
variably settled every one of them in favor
of the doctrine zof the Democracy But
this article is already too long, and we for
bear. The record of our party in favor of
civil liberty and law, against usurpation and
tyranny is proud one The past at least
is secure, and nothing can dim the lustre
of party struggling against place and pow
er, in favor of civil liberty and constitutions
al law, and by the mere force of right,
achieving a victory