The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1876-09-21
qe statk County democrat Canton p msdsg s+pAmbeF a. 1910

ever since, this sentiment has been ex-
pressed in words and acts too plain to be
misunderstood. You show how strong it
is in your own heart when you tell
Southern men land you do tell them 30
in this very speech) that you honor them
ten thousand times more than Democrats
of the North. Remember in addition to
this, that the leading Abolitionists ac-
knowledged no law which might stand
in the way of their interests or their pas
sons. Against anybody else the Consti-
tltion of the country would have been q
protection. But they disregarded its linn
itations, and had no scruples about swear
ing to support it with predetermination
to violate it. We had been well warned
by all the men best entitled to our conf
dence; particularly and eloquently warn
ed by Mr.. Clay and Mr.. Webster, that if
ever the Abolitionists got hold upon
the organized physical force of the coun-
try, they would govern without law, SCI II
at the authority of the courts, and throw
down all the defences of civil liberty.
But if the South had not seeded we
might have made a successful defence of
our Constitution though the powers of
the government were in the hands of it's
enemies. With the aid of the Southern
people, if they had Oeen true to their du-
ty, we would have organized an opposi-
ton 80 formidable in its moral and polit-
ical power that you would scarcely have
dared to assault us. No wonder that we
were "Union savers" for to us the
Union meant personal liberty, free
thought, an independent press, hdbeas
corpus, trial by jury, the impartial ad-
mihistration of justice-all those great
legal institutions which our torefathers
had shed 80 much of their blood to
build up.
The South deserted us at the crisis of
our fate, and left us in our weakness to
the mercy of the most unprinCipled
tyrants that ever betrayed public trust.
Secession was not mere folly and mad
ness; it was something much worse.
We could not feel we were deeply
wronged. There was no remedy for the
dire calamities with which we were
threatened except in bringing the Sc
ceded States back to their places in the
Union. Our convictions of legal duty,
our exasperated sense Of injury and a
proper care of our best interests, all i'm
PEELED us to Join the new administra-
ton in the use of such force as might be
found necessary to execute the laws i'll
every part of the country.
But the Abolitionists wanted a war
for it.
THE DESTRUCTION OF THE UNION,
for the overthrow of the Constitution,
for the suaversion of free government,
and for the subsection of the whole coun-
try to that higher law" which imposes
no restraint upon the rapacity and NAL
ice of the ruling power To such a war
the national conscience was opposed
The soul of every respectable officer in
the army and navy revolted at it, and
every virtuous man in private life felt 1t
to be an unspeakable outrage. To those
who doubted before, the disaster of Bull
Run made it plain that the war could
not be successfully carried on unless 1t
was put upon principles consistent with
the usages Of Christendom and the safety
of our institutions. Therefore, it was on
the 22d of July, 1861, Congress with al
most perfect unanimity passed a resolu-
ton through both Houses declaring in
the most explicit words, that the war
should be conducted to preserve the Con-
and not to revolutionize it |
give YOU here the words of the resolution |
itself from the Congressional Globe, page
223;
ReSOlUed, That the present deplorable !
civil war has been forced upon the coun-
try by the disunionists Of the Southern
States, now in arms against the Constitu-
,ional government, and in arms around |
The Capital; that in this national emer-
yenCy, Congress, banishing all feeling OF
mere passion or resentment, will recol-
ect only its duty TO the whole country
hat this war is not waged on their part
n any spirit of oppression, or for any
purpose of conquest or subjugation or
purpose of overthrowing or interfering
With the rights or established institu-
ions of these States, but to defend and
maintain the supremacy of the Constitu-
ion, and to preserve the Union with all
he dignity, equality, and rights of the
everal States unimpalred; and that as
oon as these objects are accomplished
he war ought 10 cease.
Confding in this assurance Democrats
rom every Northern State rushed to the
ront by the hundred thousand the bor-
Ter States of the South gave in their for
nal adhesion to the Government, and
,ur great military leaders drew their
words with alacrity in support OF the
rec institutions to which they had sworn
heir fidelity so often before.
With what base peridy this solemn
ledge was broken l need not tell you;
or this speech shows that you know it
veil. You expressly declare that so far
rom sustaining the Government you
evolutionized It. Instead of war for
he Union, you claim that it put the
tates out of the Union, and you had a
light to keep them out as long as you
LEASED, or admit them to their places on
ny terms, however degrading, which
ou choose to dictate. Instead OF resto-
ing the supremacy of the Constitution,
II your politicians held, and, so far as
now from their declarations, still hold,
hat the victory of the Federal forces
bolished the Constitution, not only in
he South, but in the North, and there
1re they were not bound to observe its
either in their Legislative,
judicial or Executive measures. Instead
f bringing back the States with their
ights unimpaired, according to your
romise, you crippled, enslaved, subjuga-
ed and disfranchised them. Instead of
sing the war-power for the just and
awful purposes to which you were
edged, you converted Into black Re
ubican job to put the rights of all the
eopIe permanently under the hee lof an
party.
submit this part of the case to your
consideration. l ask you to say whether
ou can find in the whole history of the
Iuman race another instance of similar
,erfidy on scale so large. The business
f the Massachusetts authorities in
ELLtNG THE SURRENDERED PEQUoDs INTO