Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1871-06-01
SPIRIT OF THE AGE.
, Thusday, June I, 1871.
The New Movement.


form" was enumerated which accepted
the constitutional amendments and the
results of the late war, as they have
been settled since the termination there
Of The resolutions of the meeting are
quite lengthy and were reported by the
Hon. Clement l.. Vallandigham. They
are so long that we cannot publish them
in our columns. We give below few
of the resolutions-enough to show our
Democratic friends the "position" now
occupied by their political brethren in
Montgomery County, Ohio. They are
as follows:
THAT waving all differences Of opin-
ion as to the extraordinary means by
which they were brought about, we ac-
ccpt the natural and legitimate results
of the war; so far as waged for its osten-
sible purpose to maintain the Union
and the constitutional rights and pow
ers of the Federal Government, includ-
ing the three several amendments de
iacto to the Constitution recently de
clarcd adopted, as the settlement in fact
Of all the issues of the war, and acQui-
csco in the same as no longer issues be
fore the country.
That thus burying out of sight all that
is of the dead past-namcly the right
of secession, slavery, inequality before
1.-The law, and political inequality and
further, now that reconstruction is COM
pleted and representation within the
Union restored to all the States, waiy-
ing all question as to the means by
which it was accomplishcd-we demand
that the vital and long-established rule
of strict construction as proclaimed by
the Democratic fathers, accepted by the
statesmen OF all parties previous to the
war, and embodied in the Tenth Amend
mcnt to the Constitution, be vigorously
applied now to the Constitution as it is,
including the three recent amendments
above referred to. and insist that these
amendments shall not be held to have
in any respect altered or modified the
original theory and character of the
Federal Government as designed and
taught by its founders and repeatedly
in early times, in later times, and ut all
times affirmed by the Supreme Court Of
the United States, but only enlarged
the powers delegated to it, and to have
extended and not to have abridged tie
reserved rights of States; and as thus
construed, according 10 these mcIcnt
and well-estabIiShpd rules, the Demo.
cratic party pledges itself to faithful
and absolute execution and enforcement
Of the Constitution AS it now il, so as
TO secure equal rights to all persons I'M
der it, without distinction to race. color
or condition.
That the absolute equality Of each
and every State within the Union is a
fundamental principle Of the Federal
Government, and that no department
OF the Government has power to cXpcl
a State from the Union or deprive it,
under any prctcXt whatever Of its equal
rights therein, including especially the
right Of full and complete representation
in Congress and in the Electoral Col
leges."
The ''platform' goes in for universal
amnesty tor reform in the revenue
and civil departments of the Govern
ment for equal rights; equal taxation;
for protection to labor against capital;
opposes the San Domingo and all other
corrupt jobs; dcnouccs the Ku-Kluy
bills Of the last two sessions of Congress-
and pointedly condemns the Grant par
ty thus:
"That the Radical party of 1871, as
now constituted, is not the Republican
party Of the period previous TO the war,
nor the so-callcd Union party during
the war and is in no respect entitled to
the public confidence as such that it is
now only an Administration or Grant
party, dating back to March 4, 1869,
and is to be Judged by its record since
and that upon that record being totally
hostile to the doctrines and policies here
in maintained and wholly committed to
the policies and doctrines herein dc
nounced, it deserves the emphatic con
demnation of the people,
As far as the above resolutions pro
mulgate sound Democratic doctrines
we approve of them But when they
endorse constitutional amendments and
other governmental transactions that
were adopted through fraud, force and