Year: 1864

~ i'o aa From tine Cincinnati Enquirer


When the military power of the
Persians prevailed in Egypt, the
Egyptians, we are told by Herodotus.
clad themselves in their richest appar-
el and made great rejoicings at a
visit to their gdiety, Apis Cambyscs,
the Pereian King, imagining this to
be an exultation over the misfortune
of his projects in Ethiopia, demanded
an explanation. 1t was given, but it
proved unsatisfactory, and he execut-
ed the Egyptian priests. 90


The several parts of this narrative
may serve as an illustration of the
barbarous excesses Of tyranny at all
times; and though modern enlighten-
ment imposes barrier to the literal
enactment Of such scenes, there is
enough to verify the truth, that the
spirit is the same.


Misinterpretion Of motives, and the
willful deduction Of false conclusions,
similar in their nature to those which
appear in the massacre Of tho Egypt
ians, nre now made use of for purpos-
es as base. The men who have COM
mitted themselves to the doctrine Of
necessity, and, who, refusing to Judge
the Democracy by its acts, resort to
the unworthy subterfuge Of condemn
ing it on the erroneous conclusions OF
its enemies; and as feast in honor
Of prtended deity was distorted into
an exultation over the misfortune of q
tyrant, so fearless and avowed at
tachment to the cause Of popular lib
erty and constitutional government on
the part Of the Democracy, is pervert-
ed into novel and highly penal
crime, called sympathy with the
South" If sympathy with the South
means only the desire to carry out the
maxim of Montesquieu, that the duty
Of nation is to do others as much
| good as possible in time of peace, and
as little injury as possible in time OF
war, it is no crime; it is virtue; but
IF il means an anxiety to exculpete
from punishment tho breakers of the
laws, the violators of the Constitution,
North or South, then it is crime, but
certainly not one with which the De-
mocracy is rightly charged. Perver-
sion is the only weapon by the use OF
which the anarchist or tho fyrant
hopes to prevail against the advocate
of constitutional law. There is gene
rally sufficient wisdom amongthe peo-
pie, in a government Of the people, to dis
cover which of two given lines Of pol
ICY is conservative Of the stability OF
their institutions. They readily discover
an inconsistency between Conduct and
profession, and their jealousy of their
rights quickens their sagacity in scru-
tinizing passing events. But here
generally, the power Of ordinary minds
ends, and the work of designing soph-
ssS0S s0SuSa ss%SssES Mn NJ 4sss sss%
ly DO misled in tho labrinth OF logic,
and the worse the logic tho better the
deception. This is the theory adopted
by oil whom the Democracy is oppos-
ed. The patriotic few, so largely bless
ed with political illumination, that to
differ from them in any point is trea-
son, present no acts of the Democracy
as indicating disloyalty, unless it be
that one of opposition to the Admins
tration. This, however, depends upon
an assumption at once theoretically
absurd, and in direct conflict with the
grand idea upon which our American
Government is based. 1t is not now
believed, that "the King can do no
wrong" and to suppose that an Ad-
ministration can, not is but q redivi-
vus of all that is preposterous in that
maxim. Opposition to an Admins
tration may consist in obstructing them
in tho exercise of their constitutional
powers, or in the exercise of an nusurp-
ed authority. In tho former view
only,is it criminal, in the later it is
laudable, and proportionally SO, as tho
usurpod powers are moro or less do
rogatory of constitutional restraints.
1t would naturally occur to candid
mind to ask here, what act of the Adj
ministration, the constitutionality of
which is fairly dcmonstrable, has been
opposed by the Democracy, or what
act, of whatever character, has met
any opposition in an unconstitutional
manner? 1t is only in the dearth OF
all reflection, and the unquestion-
ing adoption of the notions of bigotcd
extremists, that the idea could exist
that opposition TO an Administration
savors of disloyalty; for if it does, it
would be difficult to point to the time
of which it might be asserted that
then there was no treason in our
\ country; and the conclusion would bc
inevitable that the reason Of the pres
ont hpbJ,J is not tho novelty of the
crime, but the exaggerated heinous-
ness it takes from being directed
against certain party, nodded and
led by, if not composed of men OF
avowed Indifference to their constitu-
tional obligations.


The peculiar unfairness this mode
of generalization consists in its powel
Of misleading the public mind by can
ceiling specific facts, or ignoring the
investigation of them. Men who de-
sign to destroy any institution have
already accomplished tho most diff
cult portion of their object when they
have beclouded the true policy of tina;
institution with a web of sophistry
and having drawn the veil of conceal
ment over its acts, compel their dupcs
to accept a distorted carricature Of its
position as the only exponent of its
principles. But suppose the pretend
ed Union organization had alleged
specific acts. Then to support the
charge of disunion sympathy against
the Democracy whence is the evidence