Friday, March 07, 2014

"The friends of the Administration brand every man as a traitor that contends that the Constitution is amply sufficient...."

Loyalty then and Now.

   The friends of the Administration brand every man as a traitor that contends that the Constitution is amply sufficient to suppress the rebellion and re-assert the majesty of the law--that the military should be made subservient to the civil power--that the accused has a right to a speedy and impartial trial by his peers--that the people should be secure in their persons and property--that no one shall be deprived of life, liberty or property, without due process of law--that no law shall be made abridging freedom of speech or freedom of the press. Such language as this is deemed traitorous by the Shoddy patriots of to-day; and yet strange to say, we can find it almost word for word in the platform of the Abolitionists who nominated Fremont, in Philadelphia, in 1856. This platform was adopted by the very men who are to-day denouncing the Democracy as "traitors" and "copper-heads." It seems that what was the highest type of "loyally" then, is "disloyalty" now.--

Here is the resolution:

   "Resolved, That while the Constitution of the United States was ordained and established by the people, in Order to form a more perfect union, establish justice, insure domestic tranquility, provide for the common defense, and secure the blessing of liberty, and contains ample provisions for the protection of the life, liberty, and property of every citizen, the dearest constitutional rights of the people of Kansas have been fraudulently and violently taken away from them--their territory has been invaded by an armed force--spurious and pretended legislative, judicial and executive officers have been set over them, by whose usurped authority, sustained by the military power of government, tyrannical and unconstitutional laws have been enacted and enforced--the rights of the people to keep and bear arms have been infringed--test oaths of an extraordinary and entangling nature have been imposed as a condition of the right of suffrage or holding office--the right of an accused person to a speedy and public trial by on impartial jury has been denied--the right of the people to be secure in their persons, homes, papers, and effects against unreasonable searches and seizures has been violated,--they have been deprived of life, liberty and property without the due process of law--that the freedom of speech and of the press has been abridged--the right to choose their representatives has been made of no effect--murders, robberies, arsons have been instigated and encouraged, and the offenders have been allowed to go unpunished--that all these things have been done with the knowledge, sanction and procurement of the present administration; and that for this high crime against the Constitution, the Union, and humanity, we arraign the administration, the President, his advisers, agents, supporters, apologists, and accessories, either before or after the facts, before his country, and before the world; and that it is our fixed purpose to bring the perpetrators of these atrocious outrages, and their accomplices, to a sure and condign punishment hereafter."

[Dayton Daily Empire, Dayton, Ohio, Wednesday, October 28, 1863. Vol. I. No. 61 Pg. 2]

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