Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1868-08-11

has been mistaken, their motives have been
good. They must now see that the Repub-
lican party Is in that condition that it cannot
carry out a wise and peaceful policy, whatever
its motives may be. 1t is a misfortune not
only to the country but to a governing party
itself when its action is unchecked by any
form of opposition. 1t has been the misfor-
tune of the Republican party that the events
of the past few years have given it so much
power that it has been able to shackle the ex-
e%cutive, to trammel the judiciary and to car
ry out the views of the most unwise and vio-
lent of its members. When this state of
things exists in any party it has ever been
found that the sober judgments Of its ablest
leaders do not control. There is hardly an
able man who helped to build up the Repub-
lican organization who has not within the past
three years warned it against its excuses I;
who has not been borne down and forced to
give up his convictions OF what the interests
of the country called for or if two patriotic
to do this, who has not been driven from its
ranks. If this has been the case heretofore
what will be its action now with this new
infusion of men, who, without a decent respect
for the views of those who had Just given them
their positions, begin their legislative career
with calls for arms, demands that their States
NA4N@A DS SSNANS US IL q SbAAIlOh u il
war, and with 4 declaration that they are ready
and anxious to degrade the President of the
United States whenever they can persuade or
force Congress to bring forward new articles
of impeachment. The Republican party, as
well as we, are interested in putting SOM
check upon this violence. 1t must be clear
to every thinking man that a division of
political power tends TO check the violence of
party action, and to assure the peace and good
order of society. The election of a Democratic
Executive and a majority of Democratic
members to the House of Representatives
would not give to that party organization the
power to make sudden and violent changes,
but it would serve to check those extreme
measures which have been deplored by the
best men of both political organizations. The
result would certainly lead to that peaceful
restoration Of the Union and re- establishment
Of %traternal relationship which the country
desires. [ am sure the best men of the Re-
publican party deplore as deeply as l do the
spirit of violence shown by those recently
admitted to seats in Congress from the South.
Thu condition of civil war which they contem-
plate must be abhorrent to every right-thinking
man. | have no mere personal wishes which
mislead my judgmentin regard to the pending
election. No man who has weighed and
10 NAS OAAISS " btS OAISC " 1 L u
Of the United States can fail to be impressed
with the cares and tolls of him who is to meet
its demands. 1t is not merely to float with
popular currents without a policy or a purpose.
On the contrary, while our Constitution gives
just weight to the public will, its distinguish
ing feature is that it seeks to protect the rights
OF mln0rities. Its greatest glory is that it
puts restraints upon power. 1t gives force
and form to these maxims and principles of
civil liberty for which the martyrs of freedom
have struggled through ages. 1t declares
the right of the people to be secure in their
persons, houses and papers against upreason-
able searches and seizures. That Congress
shall make no law respecting an establishment
of religion, or the free exercise thereof, or
abridgiEg the freedom of speech, or of the
press, or the right of the people to petition
for redress of grievances. 1t secures the
right OF speedy and public trial by an impartial
jury.
No man can rightfully enter upon the du-
ties of the Presidential Office unless he is not
only willing to carry out the wishes of the
people, expressed in a constitutional way, but
is also prepared to stand up for the rights Of
minorities he must be ready to uphold the
free exercise of religion he must denounce
measures which would wrong personal or home
rights or the religious conscience of the hum
blest citizen of the land, he must maintain,
without distinction of creed or nationality, all
the privileges Of American citizenship. The
experience Of every public man who has been
faithful to his trust teaches him that no one
can do the duties of the Office of President
unless he is ready not only to undergo the
ialsehoods and abuse of the bad, but TO suffer
from the ccnsure of the good, who arc misIed
by prcjudiceS and misre presentations. There
are no attractions in such positions, which de-
ceive my judgment, when | say that a great
change is going on in the public mind. The
mass of the Republican party are more
thoughtful, temperate and just than they
were during the excitement which attended
the progress and close of the civil war.
As the energy of the Democratic party
springs from their devotion to their cause,
and not to their candidates, | may with pro-
priety speak the fact that never in the polit-
ical history of our country has the action of
a like body been hailed with such universal
and wide spread enthusiasm as that which
has been shown in relation to the position of
the National Democratic Convention. With
this the candidates had nothing to do. Had
any others of those named been selected, this
spirit would have been perhaps more marked.
The zeal and energy Of conservative masses
spring from a desire to make a change in the
political policy, and from confidence that they
can carry ont their purpose. In this faith
they are strengthened by the cooperation of
the great body of those who served in the
Union army and navy during the war.
Having given nearly sixteen thousand COM
missions to officers in that army, I know their
views and wishes. They demand Union for
which they fought. The largest meeting of
these gallant soldiers which ever assembled
was held in New York, and endorsed the ac-
ton of the National Convention in words in
stinct with meaning. They called on the
Government to stop in its policy Of hate, dis