The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1866-07-04
am The Hon. G. d. psndlsron, recent.

i 6 Seese NC liou.- ". H. Eeholel0n, recent
u delivered ain able speech, at the Demo
Icratic Convention Of Ohio. We max
room for the conclusion of his address:
! And not content With. striking thus al
rectly at the States, these Radicals are at
lacking the well settled system of the Bxe
cutlve authority. They find now, in tim.
OF peace, that thelpatronage of 1.-THE Presi
dent is enormous-that it may be used tt
tthWart their schemes---that tits danperou,
TO liberty. We heard nothing of this wber
the officers Of a million of soldiers were an
pointed by Mr.. Lincoln, and the Conscrip
tlon law and the Internal Revenue bill
clothed him with the power of filing the
land with Presidential partisans. They
now seek to break down and degrade the
Presidential Office, and to reduce it to q
mere dependent upon the will and whirn Of
THIS Congress, which has in its fanatcisn
ana folly degraded itself to a mere Central
directory. And these arethe proofs which
adduce OF desire and determination to
overthrow our system of Government.
Know, Of course, these gentlemen will
deny my conclusions. ! understand their
theory, and the arguments by which they
| support them. understand their thimble.
| rig logic BY which the States are in the
Union, in order that they may be governed
and out OF it that they may have no rights
under the Constitution when duties are
70 be exacted. and not under it when pro.
tect!on is to be accorded--within The law
when taxes are to be paid, beyond it when
representation is demanded, The Presi-
dent of the United States confronts these
gentlemen. He denies their theories. He
brushes away their eobweb sophistries. He
GENES the doctrine of State suicide. He
denies that the ordinances of secession
were valid in law. He denies that thew
were made effective by success Of arms
he maintains that the States never were.
and are now out ofthe Union, and he is
prepared TO secure to them the enjoyment
OF all their rights, as they are ready to per-
form all their duties, Gentlemen. let us
give him, in this effort, d cordial and hearty
support; let us give him warm, effective
mountainous support. Let it be the more
Jealous and outspoken, because he is not
the President Of our choice. because we
have no favors to ask--no offices to seek
no patronage to enjoy. Let us verify un-
selhsshly the claim which we made during
the heat of the war, that we were devoted
to the integrity of the Union and the main.
tenance OF the Federal compact. We dis
agree with the President in many things
We dissent from many of his doctrines-we
question the wisdom of many of his acts !;
but we agree with him on This present ques-
tion; and it does seem to me to be our
highest duty to cooperate with all who will
cooperate with him in making. it effective.
here is no room for hesitation ldr delay.
The Constitution is in peril-liberty is in
peril. lie seeks torescue them from the
Radicals and destruction, the blind and
blgoted Jacobins of our revolution.
In these days of danger to our liberties,
when, In Its frenzy, the central power is
seizlng upon all the guarantees of popular
rights, where. shall we find q place of safety
for our Constitution till this darkness be
overpast, and the sunlight Of reason again
appears. Two centuries ago, In a crisis Of
deadly peril, the true men of Connecticut,
in tAe haze of the twilight, snatched their
charter from the council table and placed
1t III the Charter Oak, within whose sturdy
trunk, and under the protection of whose
spreading branches, it was hidden from the
reach of the tyrant. That noble tree had
for centuries escaped the lightnings of the
tempest and the violence o.. the tornado
BY this event it acquired an Immortality
OF fame. Two centuries longer it stood un-
scatched, but 1T exists no more 1t bowed
it's head to the storm during our terrible
civil war; and the hiding place of the char
ter was exposed to the gaze of its enemies.
We have an ark of safety for our Constitu-
ton more effective than this oak. 1t is the
ballot-box. 1t invites us to use it. We
need not approach it in darkness, as the
men of Connecticut were compelled to do,
but in the bright sunlight, under the cano-
Ply of full day, we ought, in solid columns
and with measured tread, as performing "a
sacred duty, to approach its open portals
If we do so rightly, we shall hear from its
inmost reeesses, echoed in Thunder tones,
the still small voice of the silent vote, even
as of old, from off the Mercy Seat itself, the
Israelite heard the voice Of God.