The Osceola times., 1876-09-30
NUMBER 81.

| Hest times, have been anti-cOnstitutlOnat
in all your proclivties. Contemptuos
disregard of constitutional obligations is
not now the mere germ Of a doctrine; 1t
is a part OF your settled creed. Before
the war, and since, yon have trodden un-
der loot every provision contained in the
great charter Of our liberties. | do not
speak at random. / challenge you to
designate a single constitutional right Of
the states, or individuals, which you
have not at some time, or in some way
deliberately violated.
LAwLEssNEss AND LOYALTY"
This contempt for the constitution
this practical denial that an OATH
to support II is sacred, impliea . disro-
gard OF all laws, human and divine, and
when adopted, II left nothing 70 guide
you except the propensities evil or good,
of your natural hearts. Many of you
land notably you yourself) contracted
no individual guilt, because you were too
proud for petty larceny, too benevolent
for high-handed robbery, and too full OF
kindness to break wantonly into the
tabernacle of human life. But generally
the moral principles of the ultra aboli-
tionists (if they ever had any, became so
wholly perverted that they saw nothing
wrong in the worst ofienses that could be
committed against their political oppo-
nents. In their eyes, theft and murder
not only lost their felonious character,
but became meritorious, if the victims
| lived south Of Mason n Dixon's line.
When John Brown stole horses in the
peace of God and the state of Missouri,
he was taking his lawful booty; when he
sneaked into a quiet Virginia village on
a Sunday night and assassinated defense
less citizens, he was hero; when he
died a felon's death on the scaf!old, to
which be was justly condemned, he be-
came martyr.
| THE DEMOCRATS OF THE NORTH.
| You persist in Misunderstanding the
anti-bellum attitude Of the northern de-
mocracy. We stood steadfastly by the
union against all attempts of the New
England party to break 1t up by seces-
sion. We sustained the constitution
against the ferocious assaults OF the abO-
| litionists; we labored earnestly to save
republican institutions from the destruc-
ton with which they were threatened by
YOU; and ~ long as the southern people
acted with us, we gratefully accepted
their aid in the good work.
| Your ayerment that the democratic
party desired the aggrandizement Of
slavery, and "yieded their consciences"
on that snbiect TO the south, Is grossly
unjust, IL YOU mean TO charge them with
ANYTHING more than a willingness TO pro-
tect the southern, as well as the northern
and middle states in the exercise of their
constitutional rights. We had disposed
of slavery within our own jurisdiction
eccorulng to our sense Of sound policy
---'u Justice. But we had made an ex-
press compact with the other states to
aitairs 70 tlielilseIvrs. we 'A.i. 1-. s-s' -
enant. simply because it would have been
gross dishonesty to break il. The ab0li-
tienists took different view, and refused
10 keep the faith. They swore as sol
emnly as we did to observe the terms Of
the bargain, but according to their code
| Il was sin not to violate it. The fact Is
true that we did not think 1t right to cut
the throats, or shoot, or strangle the men
or women of the south for believing In
NEG no slavery; but that is no justification
of your assertion that we yielded our
consciences to them.
Again: You charge us (the northern
democracy with having given bad advice
| to the southern people. This consisted,
YOU say, in assuring them that II they
seeded, we would take their part against
anv attempt to force them back again
into the union. This is gross error,
and YOU will see 1t when | recall your
attention to the facts. In all our exhor-
tations to southern men against seces.
sion we we're met by the expression OF
their fear that the abolitionists intended,
in any event, to invade and slaughter
them. Some reason for this apprehen-
sion was given by the ferce threats OF
vour leading men, and especially by
your almost universal admiration OF
BROWN for his raid into Virginia. Ger
tain democrats (aDd very good men, tso)
did then declare that lawless expeoi-
ton intended for purposes OF mere piiage
could not and should not be started IN
the north, without such opposition as
would cfiectually stop it. But TINS was
before secession, and it was intended 10
prevent that movement, not 10 ehcou'-
age IL. 80. ;rs,;ce
deny that devotion to the union was one
of the strongest feelings in the heart OF
the northern democracy. we had always
deprecated a separation from the south
ern states with so much earnestness that
one of the opprobrious epithets you be,
slowed on us was that of "union savers.
This was not mere sentiment OF admi-
ration or gratitude to the great southern
men who had led us through the perils
of the revolution, settled our institutions,
and given our country its high place m
IN estimation of the world. We fe't all
this but we felt much more. The pres
eryation of the union was to us an
, absolute necessity. ltwas indispensap'e
TO the security Of our lives, our personal
liberty, and our plainest rights ct prop
erty. How true this was at All times,
and especially in 1860, you "i'i see II
Won reflect moment on our situation
} at tina. time.
TrIF ADVENT OF RADIcALIsM.
The abolitionists were coming into
power. nee not say by what combina-
ton OF imposture and accident they
got it. All the northern states a.
we'll as the federal government ieii
into their hands. No doubt their dis-
+ like of southern people was very great |;
but northern democrats were objects OF
their special malignity. Long before tnat
: time. and ever since, this sentiment has
, beenexpressed in words and acts too plain
5 to be misunderstood. You show how
!. strong it is in your heart when you Tell
n southern men (and you do tell them 50
r in This yery specch) that you honor thcr'