The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1879-09-17
Democretic psrty demanded Of Presi

Democratic party demanded of Pres
dent Lincoln that he sbould perjur
himself in his official oath, or the,
would overthrow the Governments b.
armed force. Lincoln snswered il
bis inaugural "You have no cstl
registered in Heaven to destroy thl
Government, while / nave the mos
solemn one to preserve, protect, ant
defend it'' This demand was refer
red to the last dread court of arbi
srsment, where for four years, il
the white heat of fearful war, tbs
great argument proceeded, until 8
last, ct Appomattox, the yer6i;t was
delivered to the matehless soldier
whose marshaling of the Union forces
bad brought rebel traitors 20 submis
sion and avenged an outraged netion
That verdict was that the Co istitu'
ton of the United States was nor .
compact entered into by the States,
bat was ordained and established by
the people of the United States. for
themselves and their posterity thai
no State or combination of States can
Dullify the CoDs.itutions that the
Union is . family of States. inde
pendent of each other for local con
Germs, but united under one govern
mens for the management of common
interests and the preservation of the
general peace--a plsD, to borrow the
language of another--"most hopeful
for combining the home-bred bless
ings Of Q small State with the stabili
ty and po wer Of q great empirs.D In
short, that verdict was that the ma.
tionahty proclaimed BY our fathers
shall sland until Justice, domestic
tranquility, the common defense, the
general welfare, and the blessings ol
liberty shall, in God'sown good time,
under the Stars snd Stripes, be the
lasting heritage of oil who may be
dwelling upon the face Of this entire
continent. And the Republican par
ty of the Empire State, remembering
that the great charter of our nation
slity was enacted upon her soil, and
recalling the heroic deeds, the sacri-
fees, and the fidelity of the almost
half million of her sons who partici.
pated in that bloody assize, pledges
itself here anew to stand by the YER
dict.
In this year OF grace, this same
Democratic party which sought to
coerce President Lincoln from his Of
hcial duty has demanded of Presidens
Hayes that be should periure himself
in his Official oath; that be should
surrender a prerogative given him by
the Constitution, 80 that Congress
alone might become the law-making
power, and that that party might, by
Congressional ensclment, strip the
Government of the power to protect
its citizens, to enforce its laws for the
preservation of the peace, and for the
security Of the ballot-box, to the end
that the palladium of our liberties
might be left prey to fraud and vio-
leuce in the South and swindliDg re-
peaters in the North. This revolu.
tionary demand was accompanied by
the menace, that the President refus-
ing, the whole machinery Of the Gov.
ernment should be brought TO .
standussill by withholding the sup.
plies which constitute Its very life.
currents. This new assault upon the
Constitution, differing in form only
from that made by the same party in
1861, was met with q 6rmness, digni.
ty, and patriotism which make Ruth
erford B. Hayes iIlustrious in bis
high Office, and worthy successor of
him who, for II years, in field and
stood against every such as
sault as . wall of adamant. From
the decision of Presldent Hayes, as
from that Of Lincoln. the Democratic
party takes its appeal not this time
70 wager of battle, for the insurrec.
States, the great factor OF the
party. have not yet forgotten the
tramp of the armed legions Of the
Union, who bore upon their banners
into the heart of its strongholds the
death warrant of slavery, nor the old
notes Of Glory Hallelojah =
rung out by those legions, as they
swept by the gaIlows OF John Brown,
the day star Of the morning
Of libersy to those who sat in the
night of bondage. The apperl is now
taken to the ballot.box, which itself
10 made the bruns of the assault of
The Democratic party, because thro'
its position slone lies it's only hope Of
success. / make no apology for put.
ling the perilous national issue now
oined above ell State issues. The
Republican party believes, first of all
things, in the absolute supremacy of
The Constitution and the laws of the
Nation. We are thus early, by the
action of the Democratic party at the
last session of Congress, forced upon
the first line of the Presidential can.
vsss OF next year. The rebuke of
that revolutionary action by major
ity of the people Of this State, speak
ing through their bsllot-boxes in No.
vember next. will be the assurance Of
the complete overthrow Of this new
attempt to subvert the Constitution.
The Democratic party lacks now on
" the Executive Department to con-
troll the Government The Congress
has already passed TO the absolute
rule of that over-mastering Southern
section Of the party which, by more
than tvo-thirds msjority, chosen al
ways for its conspicuous fidelity to
the rebellion, dictates the action Of its
Northern followers. 1t is of this
Democratic party am speaking to-
day, which, despite all debate upon
the question Of Northern or Southern
responsibility for the Initiation of any
given measure of governmental poll
cy can alone control and does FIX the
6nsl impress and give it effect. This
ascendancy in the House of Repre-
sentstiyes has been gained by clutch
ing the increase Of representa- ton
given by the fourteenth article of the
amendment 70 the Constitution. mean