The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1866-07-19

nations IN the old world richer, with
larger commerce than ours. . In its
broad lands-its almost illimitable
domaing No; Russia has millions
of fertile acres to which no emf
grant turns his steps; thousands,
day after day, arrive on our shores.
Is it in our schools, churches, pal
aceS9 In all these things there are
other countries by which we are
equaled or eXcelled. III tell where
alone, its greatness lies-the secret
Of its vitality, strength, hope and
endurance. 1t is in its freedom.
In this, that it has been and will be
if it so please God and the people,
a free, Democratic Republic. Lose
that and all is lost. Better be
shorn of its wealth-better it had
never gained one rood of ground
more than the thirteen original
States-better it never manufac-
tured pound of cotton or a bar of
iron----better we had no million
aires, no banks, no parks, no pal
aces-better now lose them all than
that without which never could
have been our heritage of freedom,
our Constitution, our Democratic
Republic. With this, all things
are possible. Without this, pro-
gress is progress toward ruin, and
even the highest developments of
wealth and civilization are but the
unhealthy flush of premature de-
cay. How can we stop? Where
can we find guide? Retrace your
steps. Take the Constitution and
the Declaration of Independence
for your guide; you will still be
safe. Here are your guides; follow
them. To us Democrats the path is
easy and the guide familiar, for the
Constitution and the Declaration
of independence have always been
the principles of the Democratic
party. To these principles the De-
mOcracy, if it be true to itself, must
always be true. In this the Dem
ocratic party differs from other par
ties. 1t always goes wrong when
it swerves from its principles
Other parties never go right unless
they abandon theirs. What are
these principles? That that gov.
ernment is the best that governs
the least. That States and men
thrive best develope best what
force is in them, when least checked
cramped, confined by legislation
That the States are equal, sover-
eign, and as such, each of them has
rights as inalienable as those of the
Union, which was founded by their
consent; rights which cannot be
forfeited, and which it is revolution
to deny or assail. The Constitution
is a delicate machine. In the
hands of those who understand its
secret, and were educated to re-
spect it, it works kindly and well.
Played on by other fingers and ru-
der hands; turned to purposes for
eign from the principles Of its ex-
istence, prostituted to base ends,
the subtle mechanism breaks; for
it is a thing too noble to be made
an engine of wrong. | am not speak
ing now in the interest of any par
ty. 1t is an hour when even the
highest level of party is too low for
the crisis. True, | am a Democrat.
But it is because l see in the prin-
ciples of that party the true creed
of the Republic. These principles
never die. They will live, and will
still save the Union; and to all
men who are true and loyal to
these principles we hold out a
friendly hand. Let bygones be by
cones. We are content to forgive
much-to forget much; by forget
ting and forgiving the Union can be
saved. 1t shall be saved. 1t is the
will of the people; and woe to
them that dare gainsay it. To Gre
ate the Union was a great achieve
ment, and honor and gratitude will
forever crown the names of the
good and great men by whom it
was accomplished. But more hon
or, more gratitude, more enduring
love will bless the man or men in
our day by whom the Union shall
be saved. God save the Union
save il form the errors of those that
are dishonest, and the machina-
tions of those that are not so, and
help us as he helped the true men
of old, to save what they created
the United States--the great Re-
public of Republics, in whose cause
we too "pledge our lives, our for
tppoc op6 our cooro1 bonopD