The Vinton record. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1866-1891, 1867-01-17

trust our work will prove worthy
of both. Our party maintains
sound doctrines, we steadfasily be.
lieve. Sound doctrine in admins.
tration is essential to good govern,
ment. Thus the cause of our party
and the cause of our country are
identical; and every earnest effort
to purify the tenets, and inyigor.
ate the councils, and secure the
success of the one, fulfills the de-
mands OF patriotic duty to the 9th
er. Itisi in this spirit, and acting
on this belief, that we have chosen
for the performance of our highest
party duty that day whose recur
renee, more than any other since
Che adoption of the Federal Con
stitution, excites the patriotic en-
thusiasm of our Western men.
Let us catch from its memories
an inspiration of that patience and
determination, and courage and
patriotism, whose glorious illustra-
tion has made this day immortal.
The exigency of cur country de-
mands these qualifications.
The possession of the mouth of
the Mississippi-the control Of all
the trade Of the Northwest, was
the prize of the contest. Gen.
Jackson was shut up In New Or
leans. He had his undisciplined
troops, his new levies, and his un-
armed recruits. The right bank of
the river commanded his position.
His batteries there were small and
feebly manned. He had open en-
emies and secret spies in the city.
The enemy advanced to attack
him. They had secured a foothold
in Florida. They had met with
successes on the coast. They were
the veterans of the Peninsula.
They had been trained under the
eye of Wellington. They had con
structed the lines of Torres Vedras.
Theyhad stormed Cindad, ,Roderigo,
and Badagoz. They had won the
splendid triumphs Of Vittora. The
batteries on the river were taken
the right of the army was giving
way.
1t was not the canal on which
the line was formed-it was not
the rampant of cotton bales-but
it was the patience, and courage,
and patriotic ardor inspired by the
dauntless spirit of their matchless
chief which retrieved the day and
secured the victory.
DO we not need the same spirit
now? For seventy years our Gov
ernment has secured the object of
its formation. The States have
performed their allotted functions.
They existed as self-governing
colonies almost from the settle
ment of the continent. They be.
came sovereign States at The
Declaration of independence. The
States formed the confederation,
The States carried on the Revolu-
tionary War. The States formed
the Constitution. The States rati-
fed it. The States made the Union.
The States upheld the mighty arm
OF Washington. The States saved
the Government in 1900. The
States fought the war of 1912.
The States rescued the Govern
ment from the dangers of Hartford
Conventionism. The States sent
volunteers to Mexico. Aye, and
in this great civil war the States
enabled the Federal Government
to overcome the armies of the
Confederates, and to maintain its
supremacy over every foot of its
territory.
The States have been at once
the main strength of the Federal
Government, and the guardians
and guarantee of personal liberty.
If their organizations have given
the power to harm, so also have
they given them power for good.
And at every period of our history
has this power vindicated the
rightfulness of its existence, and
the wisdom of those who left it to
the States untouched. But now a
bold, persistent, audacious attempt
is made to wrest it from the States,
and change the spirit and form of
the government. The pretext is,
that the ordinances of secession
destroyed the Union, and that it
must be reconstructed. The meth
cd Is the Constitutional Amend
ment. The appliances are the de-
NAL of representation to the South
ern States, and, if necessary, their
reduction to the condition of terri