The state rights democrat. [volume] (Albany, Linn County, Oregon) 1865-1900, 1866-12-08
NO. II.
Twnttsn for the state Rights Dcmocrat.1
The Union ana It's principles.
LEBANON, Nov. %, 1866.

principles Of our Republican institutions
have been triumphantly vindieated and
by dint Of the late civil war guarantee
has been realized that secures us against
the danger Of future disturbance That
this is the heartfelt desire Of every true
patriot cannot be questioned. But it on
b requiresa superficial glance at past and
present developments to convince the
most obtuse intellect of the fatal insecu-
rity of our time -honored institutions.
Leaving out Of sight the oFerpowering
evidence of history, simple rcason and
moderate knowledge of human nature
eenatrains nanprajudiced mind TO know
that more formidable and effectual enc
my to the preservation Of Republican
government than civil war is not within
the range of human agency. Then, to
preserve unimpaired Republican 1nstitu-
tions, and to perpetuate the principles Of
liberty, strict adherence to the funda-
mental law of the land should be resoIute-
| II demanded and rigidly enforced by the
people
Never, since the world began. have civ
| il belligerents been satisfied with the ac-
complishment of the object prompting
| the conflict So soon as one party ssub-
dued and no longer able to offer efFectual
resistance, the victors, through ambitious
or mercenary motives, demand further
and additional guarantees, not originally
contemplated, from the PROSTATE party,
as pretext to protect public safety a.
gainst similar repetitions. Hence, the
leaders and heroes Of the victorious party
insidiously and insensibIy prepare the
people TO accept any and every PROPOSE
ton, however much it may corrupt NOR
/ ais, violate law or afaict humanity, If it
only comes clothed in the habilimeRts Of
pretended patriotism. Thus, an unsns-
pecting and hberty-loying people are IN
Veigled into the support of system Of
public measures that eFectaally overthrow
Republican government, leaving the peo-.
Iple the unpitied but unpitiaDie victims Of
a pitiless despotism.
i Now, to sustain this startling PROPOSE
tion, let us look at few of the Iromi-s
Inent features that characterized the late
rebellion, and still continue to give force
and effect to its palpable consequences
When the Government of the u States
was considered an unlawful resistance by
an armed force to its legitimate authority,
it was nowhere thought, nor by no one
lexpected that any other than legitimate
weapons taken from the armory Of the
constitution would be welded againstthe
Ienenly to restore, uphold and maintain
the honor and dignity of the Govern
ment. For, at the outbreak of the re-
bellion it was a conceded opinion, among
the intelligent classes, in every section of
our country that the Consultation made
ample provision to meet any emergency,
or repel any attack that could be made on
r the Government either by foreign foes or
: domestic enemies. The sacred observance
of this principle seemed SO essential to the
2 preservation Of our liberties, the chief
magistrate of cur nation solemnly assured
the people, in his inaugural, that he had
: no design or legal right to interfere with
the established institutions of the States,
or in anywise employ any measure to crush
| the rebellion not warranted by the Con-
f stitution. But the Rebellion suddenly
f magni6ed itself into such formidable and
: menaeing proportions that, under the in
S fuenee1 of its stimulating excitement, the
e President assumed powers unsustained by
S the Consultation to crush the Rebellion
d The first arbitrary act of the Executive,
e apparently sustained by the people, was
d followed by others more fragrant, bold
d and comprehensive. The maraudfng ep-
e idemlc that then prevailed seemed to in
d feet Congress, where the virus was fatally
- II IL
S lating itself into the minutest rami6ea-
: tions of society-creating morbid bound
Y less desire for revenge, plunder and blood,
S regardless of law, gospel or Constitution.
i Unlimited power, for a time, seemed cen
ir tered in the Congress pander-
IS ed to the diseased exaeerbations of public
e clamor, and sustained the Commander-in-
) Chief Striking down, everywhere, the
: rights of the citizen in utter contempt of
= law, justice and mercy. To quiet the
!. patriotic fears and ease the distressing
e pains inflicted upon the country by this
e Union-saving crusade, the treacherous
II salyo of necessity was pleaded aud ap-
s Piled It was contended that an unlaw-
% full assault had been made upon the Gov
r ernment, placing the life of the nation In
imminent peril That necessity COM
PEELED resort to unlawful measures to
Is repulse the enemy and save the Union
L That, just so soon as the rebels would
e stack their arms and resume their allegi-
st ance to the Government, all official vio-
Il lence to law should cease, and the insur-
5, gents be restored to their sovereign rights
st under the old Constitution. Thus the
= people, under the influence of patriotic
4 desire to save the Union, continued their
rs aggressive onslaught till the rebels yield
" ed the contest, and desired to resume then
N legitimate positions in the Government
ar Have they been allowed to do so? No
8, And why Because the rash and preclp
u itate usurpations employed to save th'
to Union have wrought a radical change II
as the organic form of our government
n Likewise, imperceptibly,. but certainl.
i'd transformed the impressions and prejudl
OF ces of the victorious section so as to har
In monize with the violent changes created
by military necessity debating term
II. to the vanquished, so humiliating, une
quable and faithless, no people can toler
is ate who are resolved to be free.
y The advocates, adherents and agents
is the late civil war yehemently eontende
IN that no object was contemplated othe
OF than the restoration of peace, and tn
practical establishment of the q. State
ok authority extended over the whole UnloI
le- leaving unmolested the sacred soyerelgl
ESse asrs pdsss