The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1867-08-23

70 tho conquest and ephemeral dominion of
the most ct Asia; to..Cyrus, the conqueror
OF Babalon, and the founder of the Persian
empire to Croesus, whose cupidity heaped
'reasures.lke mountains; to Alexander. who
"oarned because there was not another
"oiiu lot MN to conquer; to Pisistratus
VINO overthrow the Republic of A thens.
founded by Scion, and became its tvrant
10 Dioneslus, who seized the liberties IF
syracuse and became ia regal governor
the whole OF fanatical Europe under Peter
the Hermit; to Napoleon the first, who be-
Ing good Catholic imprisoned the pope;
to Napoleon the second, who established
the republic of France, then strangled it and
became Its Emperor; and to every other
crowned head, chieftain or leader of a fac
ton and the factionists themselves.
Governments are arks of safety; they
are not all constructed on the same princi-
pies, nor are they all equally we'll adapted
to the navigation of the same seas. Ours
secured to these United States, from the
close of the revolutionary war down.to 1860,
prosperity and happiness unparalleled in
the history of nations.
During that period our country had bat
two foreign wars and these were of short
duration; yet it has seldom been in calm,
harmonious felowships within. Under the
articles of our confederation we had insur-
rectlons, rebelions and Indian wars, and the
bonds of that union were deemed too feeble
for long continuance. In 1887 a conven-
ton called for that purpose formed Con-
stl,ution which was submitted to the people
for their approval and adoption
1t was adopted according to its own pro
VISIONS and became the organic law of our
Republic. But it met with active hostility
IN the convention and whileits merits were
being canvassed before the people and from
the day of its adoption down to the present
time. All hostility to it has not, however,
grown out of the same objection, but out of
variety of objections. Hence one objected
that the central Government was too strong
IN reference to State sovereignties and would
be likely to absorb or swallow them. Others
that it was not strong enough nor sufficient
ly regal in its character Others that an
aristocracy ought to be recognized. and the
poor trusted more to their willing care
Others, still, held that it recognized no Ma
tional duty or divine authority, and estab-
lished no altar at which men should wor-
ship; and still others, because it upheld the
ancient institution of slavery and the
rights Of property in man.
As new circumstances have arisen, new
views have been cultivated and new grounds
of hostility have been discovered. Thus
our State and National Governments have
SO rigialy guarded the inaienable rights of
the citizen and the sacredness Of his DOM
icil as to be in the way of the prohibitory-
| Maine-liquor- laws; and their rapid infran-
chisment Of foreigners was in the way OF
know nothipgism. These various, and 9TH
er, hostilities have at different times given
rise to embittered factions that have tenn
porarily endangered our social fellowships;
but acting singly, they have hitherto been
impotent for serious mischefs. In 1854, |
think, in Syracuse, n Y, all the then hos
tile factions in that State formally united in
one party, whose prominent characteristic
was hostility to the U. S. Constitution
Similar unions, less formal, perhaps, took
place in all the Northern States, making a
strong and controlling Northern party
Hostile factions at the South united and
formed a great controlling Southern party.
These two parties were cymbalized by
the late lamented Douglas by the two blades
of pair Of shears that cut contrary ways
| but severed the same thread.
The Northern party assaulted the Con-
stitution because of positive provisions. -
They denounced it as 'as covenant with
death, league with the devil and that
glorious old flag as "a faunting lie
The Southern party assaulted it for the
want Of positive provisions sufficiently to
| protect their rights OF property IN man.
The only important difference l have
been able to discover between these parties
is the hypocrisy of the Northern, and the
frankness Of the Southern
The Northern party, ike the Southern,
was obviously organized On principles
Of hostility to the Constitution, and it
plotted its overthrow under the loudest
professions Of attachment to it. Their
practices show with what sincerity they
cherish their fundamental principles.
While this party is INDUCED like one of
It's representative members, in 1854, in the
city Of Boston, before assembled thousands,
on the day Of our Nations jubilee-to ex-
press their contempt for the Constitution,
they may doubtless be credited with an ar
dent desire for Constitution, such as they
themselves might folm. There is supposed
to be but little difference between tweedle-
dunn and tweededee, but there is, I mag
inc, difference as wide as the East is from
the West, between The Constitution adopted