Year: 1863

= . Hunt, at LockpOrt.


How to Preserve the Union an'


Restore the Constitution.


We present herewith the material por


ton of tho speech of Ex-Governor WASH


ington Hunt delivered last Fridy e7enin


before an immense gathering of the cltl


zens Of Niagara county, at Lockport, calle
for counsel "as to the best mode of secur
ing the preservation of the Union and tn


restoration of the Constitution: :"


Before proceeding to express his view


on the national crisis, he said ne telt con


strained to puse and dwell for momen


on the right of discussion. Do we still


possess freedom of speech and the right II
canvass the measures of government ant
the conduct of our public agents? 1t ha'
been assumed that this inestimable pre-
rogative of freedom is suspended during
the war; and attempts have been made to
suppress its exercise by authority and sum
mary proceedings. He utterly repelled thls
doctrine. 1t annihilates one OF the most
sacred of our constitutional guarantees
He was aware that the pretensions OF pow
er in this matter find many apologlsts even
among those who in better days claimed to
represent the great principle of eespeech.
Their theory is that in seasons OF repose,
when there is nothing but subordinate ad-
ministrative questions to be discussed, the
people may speak freely; but that in times
of peril, when the safety of the nation is at
stake, we must either approve or stand
mute, and no matter what may be done or
BY our official agents, true loyal
ity equires passive obedience and the ab-
iect silence of those oriental nations whose
language has no word expressive of politi-
cal liberty.


But he contended that the Constitution acas
made for all times and seasons, and esp,ctal-
ly for ,oar time. 1t contains ample provls-
ions for the prosecution Of war, the sup.
pre- zion of rebellion, and the punishment
of treason. 1t is in times of war and COM
motion, when executive power is vastly aug
mented, that the safeguards intended for
the protection Of the citizen are specially
needed, for then our only security from ar
bitrary caprice must be found behind the
barriers of constitutional law. By the
theory of our government, the political
power resides in the people. All authority
emanates from them, and, under the Con
stitution, is to be exercised for their good
and cccording to their will. 1t is their
public sovereign perogative, not merely to
elect the public agents and representatives,
but to hold them to just responsibility.
More than this, all measures of policy,
whether in peace or war, must be ultimate
ly determined by the people themselves
It is for them to decide when and for what
objects wars shall be prosecuted, for they
alone furnish the victims and bear the bur
dens of the conflict No higher or more
sacred responsibility can derolre upon free
people than to determine upon the occasions
of aear, the purposes. for achich 1t shall bepur-
sued, the conditions upon which 1t shall be
concluded For the intelligent and wise
discharge of this duty it is indispensable
that the citizens should enjoy, in its most
perfect sense, the right of free discussion
and deliberation. A just cause has nothing
to fear from Investigation and an honest
interchange and expression of opinion.


Governor H. observed that he deemed it
but just and proper to say few words in
regard tc the position of the conservative
Union men of the North at the commence
ment of the war. For several years an
angry political conflict had ragged between
the sections. Party organizations were
formed on sectional antagonism resulting
from the different systems Of society and
industry, North and South, and all the ma
tional interests in common between them
which the Union was formed to protect
were sedulously banished from popular dis
cussion. Instead of common interests and
a comraon destiny-instead of cherishing a
kindly memory of joint efforts and trials
and gores in the past, nothing was heard
but woros OF insult, reproach and defiance.
Many Of Us were profoundly apprehensive
of the consequences Of this system Of Or
ganized strife, by which vast and distant
communities Of men, few of whom, though
related by federal compact, had personally
seen or understood each other, were infa-
med to madness and mutually taught to en-.
tertain sentiments of animosity and con-
tempt.


When the struggle came, and the at
tempt was made to break up the Union by
force of arms, what was the conduct of the
national Union men of the North who had
so firmly resisted the whole system Of agi-
tation and strife, the prolific source of so
many calamities Did We fslter in our
loyalty or swervs from the discharge Of cur
duty to the government No, no. We
were still, as now and ever, faithful to the
Union and Constitution. We promptly
rushed to the support of the executive in
his ehorts to subdue rebellion and maintain
the federal authority. We had always re-
esrded the constitution as a sacred cove
nant, binding upon the people and the
States under all circumstances; 1t was
enough fsrus that it was assailed andinperil


We had no sgmpataies vitk secession. w
felt taat no temporary excess or peruerston O


popular passion acas sufficient to justify re


sistancs to government or to absolue any por


tion of our counsymen from their allegiance