The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1868-11-11
A Splendid Peroration.
Mr.. Pendleton thus concluded his mag.
nificent speech at Hartford:

nifcent speech at Hartford:
But, gentlemen, passing away from this
subject of the material interests of the
country, on which l have dwelt longer than
I intended, let me again call your attention
to this fact-that the great pole star of
the Democratic party is the Constitution
of the United States. Applause Do
not, my fellow citizens. in the heat of that
arduous contest, 90 not forget that great
lesson. The Republican party believe they
can amend it; that they can change it and
make il better Constitution than our IA
theirs made it in the days ofold. Never
never. and shouts Of appause) l charge it
upon you, Democrats, who are here tonight
never to consent either to its abandonment
or its degradation. Do not seek to amend
| it; do not seek to change it; do not seek
to evade it. Obey it. Immense applause)
It was good enough for your fathers. 1t
is good enough for you. If You obey it, it
will be good enough for your children for
a hundred years to come. Study it; un.
derstand it. Garry it about with you, as
living presence in all the walks Of your
daily life. Take it to your home; read it
to your wife, teach it to your children; put
it upon your family altar, that when you
bow your head in supplicating prayer, ii
may be there next to the image of God
himself: { Immense applause Do thi:
and then in His own good time you will be
able to raise it up to that place and power
to which the brazen serpent in the wilder.
ness was raised in order that the plague
might be stayed. Do this, and you will be
able to rear it up to that high place OF hon
or to which the Ark Of the Covenant was
reared, round which the unseen legions o.
the Almighty kept watch and ward, that
he who touched it with impious hand:
should die. Renewed applause Re
member, fellow citizens, that the Constitu
ton contains within itself all that is goot
in the experiences Of the past, and all tina,
is hopeful in the prospects of the future
1t is the ark of safely in the food which
is upon US. 1t may be tossed in tn.
blackness of darkness upon the weary wa
tiers for many days, but it will rest upor
the mountain top at last; the sun will
shine; the dove will leave it never to re-
turn and, now as then, emblems of purity
and liberty and peace, she will seek to re
build her hahitations amidst the scene o
her former life. [Cheers 1 do not despair
7 have hope in the aspirations OF men.
have faith in the providence Of God.
know tina: the pathway of history is strewr
with the wrecks ofempires and people, ant
constitutions and liberty; and it may be il
the providence of God that this country o
ours will follow in the wake Of all the ma
tons that have gone before. If it shall b,
so, let it not be owing to faults or misfor
tunes of the Democratic party. Grea
cheering If it must be so, let it b.
so, let it be known that it was the party o
our love that stood to the last, with heroic
virtue to the principles of civil liberty.
it must he so. let us, fellow citizens, TAX
consolation in the thought that in the eter
nal circle of God death is but the precurso
of resurrection; apd that the same princi
Piles which hasten nations to decay con
tain within themselves the sparks of Twin!
fire which secure uudying youth to our i'm
mortal race. Great applause.
"Time writes no wrinkles ON it's fair youn;
brow,
Such as creations dawn beheld, it see
the now"
Amidst the wrecks of time its progress
is still onward and upward, higher on
sill higher.
"And from the sky serene and far,
A voice falls like a falling star.
Excelsior"
Higher; as the eagle when he takes hi
flight in the face of the sun. Higher; a
the star, when in their eternal courses the
encrcle the footstool of the immorta
throne! Higher; as the soul OF man whe,
It puts aside this tenement Of clay. an,
sees throughout all the ages the home o
tia father md its God.