The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1861-07-26

terie5 whlcn the uOvernment vi tno Onltet
States, in its extreme desire for peace per
mitted you to erect for that purpose, undel
the guns Of the same forti6cation, proceed
ing unheard Of before, and never to be 10
pcatcd Observation-Disclosures ittoo, because
the flag OF the Union which your fathers ant
yourselves had fought with under US the bat
ties Of the Constitution,-a flag which q
few days previously, you had hailed with
pride-because the stars and stripes, the JOY
Of every American heart, full Of glowing
histories and lofty recollectious, was floating
over i according to the custom Of every ma
tion and people under Heaven, was hateful
in your sight! The Athcnians were tired
Of hearing their great leader called the Just
and consigned him to banishment. You were
annoyed at the sight Of the noblest national
emblem which floats under the sun, wher
uniurlcd where by our consent and for con-
sideration too, the Government Of the Unitct
States held exclusive jurisdiction, and where
It properly belonged, and for this you com
menced war promising to be ferocious and
exterminating throughout the Republic. thar
was the atroeious decree Of Herod In single
village. Sumter was not erected for the cx.
elusive defense of the harbor OF Charleston
but for the purpose Of preventinga foreign
enemy from making lodgment there. and
from that point levying successful maratime
war upon New York, Boston, Philadelphia
Baltimore, New-Orloans, and other towns
and cities. And the unfriendly relations
which sprung up between the Southern
States and the Government of the Union,
made its retention and occupation moro nee
essary than before.
You will not consent that tho General
Government, the Government Of tho whole
people, should march forces over the "sacred
soil of State" Of tho confoderacy, to main
tain its own dignity and authority, to check
rebellion and rave the Capital from conaagra.
ton and its archives from destruction; but
you should stand admonished that there is nc
soil sufficiently sacred under the broad 9si'
Of the Constitution, to shelter armed rebel.
lion or secret treason, and that the Govern
ment Of the United States has not only full
right and lawful authority to march its for
ccs over every inch Of territory between the
st. Lawrence and the Pacific to stop the pro.
gross Of enemies, foreign or domestic to put
down rebellion, or to arrest those who des-
poll lis property or resist tho execution Of
its laws; but that II is its first and most SOL
emn duty to do so. Should the General Gov
crnment enter State for the purpose of in-
reference with its domestic policy II would
be usurpation and an unwarantable invasion
"A neglect to employ its power to enforce
its constitutional prcrogativo would bo a
culpabledisrcgard ofollicial obligation. You
propose to defend your home-hearths, your
firesides, your porches, your altars, your
wives and your children, your household
gods, and these resolves sound well indeed,
even in the abstract; but practically the de-
fensc will be in time, when they are assailed,
or at least threatened. And you may rest
with the assurance, that when either Of these
sacred and cherished interests shall DO des-
ccrated or placed in danger or in jeopardy
from any vandal spirit upon tho globe, you
shall not defend them alone; for an army
from the Free States mightier than that
which rose up to crush your rebellion, "aye
u great multitude, which no man can num-
her," will defend them for you. But the
issue must not be changed nor irittercd away.
Sumter was not your home, Pickcns your
fireside, Harper's Ferry your porch, the Navy.
Yards your altars, the Custom Houses and
Post Offices and Revenue Cutters your wives
and children, nor tho Minis your household
gods. The Government has no right to des-
ocrate your homes, nor have you the right to
seize upon and appropriate to yourselves un.
der any name however spccious, what is not
your own, but the property ofthe whole pco-
pie Of the United States; not Of those In ar
ray against it as enemies, dcfying its laws,
but those who acknowledge and defer to its
authority.
You desire peace! Then lay down your
arms and you will have it. II was peace
when you took them up, 1t will he peace
when you lay them down. 1t will be peace
when you abandon war and return to your
accustomed pursuits. Honorable, enduring.
pacific relations will be found in complete
obedience to the provisions Of the constitu.
ton, and not in its violation or destruction.
The government is sustained by the people,
not for the purpose ofcoercins States in their
domestic policy, not for the purpose of coer.
cling States in their domestic policy, not for
the purpose ofcrushing members Of the Con-
federacy because they fail to conform to a
Federal standard, not for tho purpose OF
dcspoiling their people, and least Of all. not
for the purpose of disturbing, or in any de-
gree interfering with thcsystern Of Southern
scryitude; but for the sole and only purpose
Of putting down an unboly armed rebellion.
which has de6cd the authority ofthe Govern
ment, and seeks destruction, and in this de-
termination il taken with resolution. COM
pared with which the cdicts Of the Mcads
and Psnians were yielding and Temporary.
When the Government Of our shall be OBJ
served and obeyed; then will tho armies Of
the Constitution and the Union disbind, by
q common impulse, in obedience TO unani-
nous popular will. And should the present
or ony succeeding Administration attempt