The aegis & intelligencer., 1899-02-17
PATRIOTISM Us TREASON.

Vituperation is said to be the sedi-
ment which ignorance and dogmatism
deposit in the brain, and which is
forced to the surface when the "think-
tank" boils and bubbles in the heat
which wrathful agitation imparts.
For instance, We sometimes see some
great American, who has justly earned
a national reputation as a statesman,
and who is conceded to be one of the
most upright, intelligent and patriotic
men of .the country, denounced By
some newspaper, whose editor evil
IDENTIFY believes that the calling of
names is a method in argument, sure
OF bringing conviction, and that a
little reinforcement by way of EN-
phasis in statement so fixes the i'm
press of truth that denial is made
useless.
Think OF newspaper calling Sena.
tor Hoar Benedict Arnold" and
"traitor" to his country! And hold
ing up in column, such distinguished
Hale and others who voted against the
ratification of the treaty; whose
names, it says, SHOULD be remembered
to the everlasting infamy of the men
7rh0 bear Mem," and then, in a grand
finale, imparting the instructive in
formation that "Treason to the flag
must be made odious ! !" Such
is certainly a very fair exhibit
ton of the serio- comic side
of political dogmatism, to say nothing
of the lamentable ignorance of what
constitutes traitor, or the way in
which to make treason odious."
We would advise all those who hold
such views to arm themselves with
copy of the Declaration of Independ-
ence, and. on the coming Fourth of
July, HE away to the shades of some
Sylvan dell where the sounds of
babbling brook will soothe their
troubled spirits, and there read that
interesting document. In such an
environment, they will, no doubt, bet
ter appreciate what it says about the
claws of nature and of natures God"
and perhaps, get deeper conception
of what it means when it states that
governments deriving their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned" is one of the 'self. evident
TRUTHS" as therein stated.
In The meantime, they might in off
hours, derive an immense benefit from
faithful perusal of the National Con-
stitution, the instrument to which
statesmen go for guidance when about
to cast their votes on subjects pertain
ing to the welfare of the country, and
by which the question whether a
vote for the Un ted States" or
''against the United States" is deter
mined.
We would also commend the words
of a Marylander who had given the
matter some thoughtful attention. and
had the following to say upon the
subject
God forbid that the time should
ever come, or party lines be ever so
drawn, that plea for the Constitu-
ton shall be reckoned as badge of
party fealty. The only party which
would warn you, is made up of
those ultras of all sides whose agita-
tions have contributed so largely to
the disaster of the past, and which, if
not arrested, may be the forerunner
of others equally deplorable in the
future. Against such agitations
would /, therefore, notice the moder-
ate, rejecting and patriotic people of
the country; it was by this class that
the constitution was created, and it
will be by this class that it must be
saved. If it still contains defects, it is
growing obsolete, or keeps not up
with the progressive ideas of the age,
amend it by the means which its own
provisions prescribe, but while it is
still ackuowled dyed as our organic law,
and we daily swear allegiance to it,
let it be in all our political controvers,
les the umpire whose decree shall be
final -