The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1866-08-30

their support in our efforts TO pcrpetu-
ate peace. GApplause. So far as the
Executive Department Of the Govern
mont is concerned, the effort has been
made 10 restore the Union, to heal tho
breach, to pour oil into the wounds
which were consequent upon the strug-
I Gle. aud to speak in common phrase, to
| prepare, as the learned aud wise physi-
clan would, a plaster, healing in charac-
ter aud co-cxtcnsiyc with the wound
! We thought, aud yet think that VIC had
partially succeeded but as the work
progressed, as reconciliation seemed TO
/ be taking place, aud the country becom.
| ing reunited, we found disturbing and
marring elements opposing us. in al
I luding - that element shall 80 no
further than your Convention aud the
distinguished gentleman who has deliv-
cred to Inc tbs report Of the proceed
ings shall make no reference to IL
that DO not believe tho time and the
occasion justify We have witnessed
Ia one department Of the Government
every effort to prevent tho restoration
Of peacc aud harmony 10 ,ho Union
We have seen hanging upgn the verge
OF the Government, as it were, body
called or which assumes 10 be the Con.
gfcss Of the United States, while in fact
It is o Congress Of only part Of the
States We have seen this Congress
assumc and pretend to be for the Union,
when is uycry step and net tenlod to
psrpctuatc disunion and make o disrup-
tipu Of the States inevitable Instead
ol promoting reconciliation aud hlrmo-
ny, its legislation has par'akcn Of the
character Ut penalties, retaliation and
revenge. This has been the course
aud the policy Of ouo portion Of your
Government
The humble individual who is now
addressing sou s,aujf the representa-
I tive Of fauoihcr department ol the Gov
rrnmcut The mauucr iu Which be- was
callcd upon 10 occupy that position I
shall not a!luja to uu this ocrasion ---
Suffice it 10 say. that he is here undor
/ the Constitution Of tbs c0nutry, aud BE-.
. iug here hy ,ifino Of is provisions, he
take. his stsud upon that charter 81! our
liberties A lhe great rampant Of civil
aad religious liberty [Ptn.gH. .sd cheer.
I iug Having bcen taught 80 nos early
I lite to bold it sacred, aud having rf5o.
tiecd upon 10 daring my whole public
s.. I.t % 4.s.,4 .....f tF..t.. O.. ..
the Constitution OF my G,heu aud to
make it my Guide LIlcaIy applause !
kuov ,i h5s been auii Iaud mu#t
be permitted 20 indulge in tins remafkI
, that the Executive prpaumea, OF the
Goyerumen, ba been dvIpla aud s..
auucal l.tt mc ask lhp audience ct
distinguished .,ui.omenarauad ms hero
to-dIy to puiui 90 rDtc eyer gate. 20
a speech ever madc. to a single ael Of
my whole public llc that has not bcgu
against tynuny aud drVylsm What
position have ! ever occupied what
ggouuI have ! ever assumed where it
can hc truthjally charged that failed
% advocate the amgHafa',ou aud cigya.
ti1n ol the great mpess oI my country.
men fCri,a Of anu.yr,' agi gseat
applause
50 f.r o. charges Of that Kind arc
concerned ! will a4y tbat they arc sim.
ply intended 20 deceive aud dcludc the
public mini into lhe belief ,hmt there H
sYnc oIo IN power WHO !. ueurpns aud
trampl.ug upon the ri4hts q. tbe Consti.
tuition, It's looo by those who make
such charges lur The purpose Of coger-
iug their own acts. l.Ihais so aud
applau ] have iclt II my du'y, in
viudica,ion Of principle and the Consti-
tuition Of my country, to call the a1cn.
tion of ny couutrymun 70 lhcso proceed.
iues when we come 30 examine who
has bccn playing the iyrant by whom
do We lind dcspotisn exercised! rs 70
myself, the clements Of my nature, the
pursuits of my litc have not made ne
either ia piy icelings or IN my practice
aggressive Ny nature, on the contrary,
is rather defensive ia is character; but
| will say that having token my stand
upon the bread principles Of liberty and
the Constitution, there il not power
enough On earth to drive me from it.
Loud aud prolougcaapplausc Having
placed nyseIf upon that broad platform,
| have no been awed or dismaycd OF
intimidatcd by either threats or en-.
croachments, but have stood there in
conjunction with patriotic spirits, sound
iug the toesiu Of alarm when ! deemed
the citadel Of liberty'in danger Great
applause.
! said on previous occasion, aud re-
peat now, that all that was necessary 10
this great struggle against tyranny aud
despotism, was that the struggle should
be sufficiently audible for the American
people to hear aud properly understand.
They did hear, and looking on aud SEQ
ing who the contestants were and what
the struggle was about, determined that
they would settle this question on the
side of the Constitution aud principle.
[Cries of That's So aud applause. ]
proclaim here to-day, as ! have on pre-
yious occasions, that my faith is in the
great mass of the people. In the dark
est moment of this struggle, when the
clouds seemed to be most lowering, my
faith, instead of giving way, loomed up
through thescloud beyond which saw
that all would be well in the end. My
countrymen, we all know that tyranny
aud despotism, in the language of Tho
mas Jefferson, can be exercised and ex-
erted more ehcotually by the many than
the one. We have seen a Congress
gradually encroach, step by step, and
violate day after day and month after
III Gz.,.:t,t;ounl riubIa md tho