Individuals of the party, like Wendell Philips, openly denounced the Union as "a covenant with death, and a league with hell." Furthermore, a spirit of sectional pride, roused by the arrogant bearing of Southern members of Congress and by the assault of Brooks of South Carolina, on Charles Sumner, was gradually becoming more and more prominent. The young men of the party, not unjustly denominated " sectional," in the North, were getting ready to fight, just as the Southern youths were preparing, in their own States, for the coming conflict. The Democrats, who, under Thomas Jefferson, had been distrustful of the Constitution, and insisting on amendments in the direction of personal liberty, had, in 18t30, become the most ardent of " Constitution-worshippers," insisting on the absolute perfection of the instrument and on the right of Southern States to the fullest protection, under its provisions, for their slaves, in the free States. In the legal aspect of the case, they had the advantage of the Supreme Court on their side. The Republicans, on the other hand, treated the " constitutional" arguments as not practical, and constantly shifted the ground to that of the right or wrong of slavery. They cultivated habits, which did not leave them, during the war, of decrying their opponents as "dough-faces;" "trucklers to the South;" "men devoid of proper spirit, " and, after the war had begun, even as "traitors." The Democrats retorted, with equal conviction, charges that the Republicans were not " true Union men ;" that they were not " for the Union, under all circumstances, with or without slavery."