The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1866-02-14

rity which depends not upon the sword,
but upon VIII and Affection-upon the
mutual recognition of the rights of men
and of States-as those rights are ex-
pressed in the Constitution and the Law,
and practically applied through the peace
full tribunals where none but the minis
ters of the law preside. With this re-
stored confidence, the reinvigorated ener-
gies of this great people will soon fill
the immense void in the country's mate
rial wealth, made by the wasteful fires of
war. Each good citizen, with soul re-
animated by the bright prospects Of free
dom and security in the future, will put
forth his utmost energies to place himself
in situation to contribute his full part
to that immense contribution from the
nations wealth, without which an un-
sparing bankruptcy must engulph us all,
and turn the country over to the perils of
that social anarchy which ever arises
from the abnormal antagonism of toll and
capital safety and want, and which never
yet ended in leaving a people free.
But 1 have talked beyond my just por-
ton of the time allotted to the speakers;
yet, presuming upon that kindness which
the Democracy have ever extended to-
ward me, l must ask for moment
more.
Medary, Medill, Allen. These three
names were for many years associated TO-
gether in the conversations of the Democ-
racy of the State. My two friends have
not been permitted to survive the calami-
ties Of their country, but their names will
be remembered with respect by all, and
with affection by the Democracy Of the
State, as long as liberty shall have any
value in the judgments of men. How Of
ten have they and I, and many of you
now present, ye able and faithful friends
of the people--how often have we met
together in this city on occasions like
this. How often have we boasted to each
other-proudly and justly boasted-that
we belonged to party which administer
ed this Government throughout two
thirds of its entire existence-maintaining
throughout liberty, harmony and order
without having constructed single pris-
on, erected single scaffold, made sin
gle orphan or widow, without having shed
a single drop of human blood, or wrung
one tear from human eye, for. a politi-
cal ofense. A party which began its ex,
istence by organizing for the rescue of
the Government from its tendency toward
despotism during the ninth, tenth, elev-
enth and twelfth years from the date of
Its Constitution. A party which devised
and proposed every single act, whether
such act related to our international re-
lations, to the general police Of the ocean,
or to the internal administration-eve
act which time and public reason have
sanctioned, and which, as such, stood as
| the public law of the country in 1860. A
party which never lifted its voice in con-
demnation of a single measure proposed
by the adverse party. and which measure
has not been condemned and rejected by
time and the reason of the people. A
party which upheld the rights and honor
Of the nation in every war waged with a
foreign power. A party which acquired
every acre of the vast territory which
has been added to the original limits Of
the Republic. A party which devised
that benifcent system for the disposition
and settlement of the public domain,
which placed the richestlands within easy
reach of the poorest man, which thus
facilitated their occupancy, and gave birth
successively to those large and powerful
States which now fill up the great space
between the Gulf of Mexico and the Lake
of the Woods, and between the Alleghe-
ny Range and the Pacific Ocean. A par
ty which, by adopting a generous policy
toward the stranger, invited to our shores
the honest and laborious emigrants from
the ancient world, and protected them
when here against the dangers of religious
persecution. A party which can truly
say that it has committed during. its
whole existence but one single mistake,
and that was, when at Charleston few
years ago, it allowed its ranks to be bro
ken-thus making breach through
which its enemies came into power, bring
| ing with them the elements of that de-
strction which we behold all around US.
But for that breach no secession was pos
sible. But for that breach the leading
spirits of our enemies themselves would
not have incurred the awful doom Of be-
ling sent down to posterity with the blood
of halfa million of men upon their hands
and the condemnation of thirty millions
upon their heads.