The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1861-07-10


commit aggression upon them. They knew
they were expressly notified that the giving
of bread to the few brave and hungry men
of the garrison was all that would on that
occasion be attempted, unless themselves
by resisting SO much should provoke more.
They knew that this government desired
10 keep the garrison in the fert, not to
sail them, but merely 10 maintain visible
possession, aud thus 10 preserve the Union
from actual and immediate dissolution,
trusting as heretofore stated, 10 time, dis
| c1ssion and the ballot box fol- final adjust
men5 and they assailed and reduced the
fort for precisely the reverse obiect-to
drive out the visible authority of the Fed
eral Union, and thus force IL to Immediate
dissolution. That this was their object the
Executive will understand.
( And having said 10 them in an inaugural
address "you can have no conflict without
being yourselves the aggressors," he took
| pains not only TO keep their declaration
good, but also 10 keep the case SO free from
| the power of Virginia's sophistry, as that
the world should not be able to understand
it. By the affair at Fort Sump,er, with the
surrounding circumstances, thai point was
reached
Then and thereby the assailants of the
government began the conflict of arms,
without gan in sight or in expectancy to
return their fire, save only the few in the
tort, sent TO that harbor years before for
| their own protection, and still ready TO give
! that protection in whatever was lawful In
this get, demanding all else, they have for
ced upon the country the distinct issue
immediate dissolution or blood. And this
| issue embraces more than the fate of these
| United States. 1t presents TO the whole
family OF man the question whether a con-
s.itutional republic or democracy, a govern
ment of the people by The SAM people can
or cannot maintain its territorial integrity
against its own domestic foes. Il presents
| the question whether disconiented individn-
ais, too lew in numbers to control the adj
minislratioR according 10 organic law in any
case, can always upon the prelences made
in this case, or other pretences, or arbinar
| ly without any prelence, break up their
government, and thus practically put an
end to free government upon the earth
| II forces US 10 ask: Is there in all Re-
publics this inherit and fatal weakness g.
Must a Government of necessity be TOO
strong for The liberties Of its own people, or
too weak 10 maintain its own existence g.
| So viewing the issue no choice was left but
to call out the war power of the govern.
ment, and so to resist force employed tor
lis own. destruction by force for its 2reser-
| yalion.
I
the country was most gratifying, surprising
in unanmity and spirit the most sanguine
| expectations Yet none of the States com
monty called slave States, except Delaware.
| gave regiment through regular Stale or
| ganiZation.
| A few regiments have been organized
1 within some other Of these States by inii-
Yidual enterprise and received into the gov
ernment service. OF course the seeded
States, so called, and TO which Texas has
been Joined about the time of the inaugura-
ton, gave no troops TO the cause OF the
/ Union.
The Border States, so called. were not
uniform in their action-some OF them be-
| ing almost for the Union, while in others,
as Virginia, North Carolina, Tennessee and
/ Arkansas, the Union sentiment was very
nearly repressed and sllenced.
The course taken il. Virginia was the
most remark able, perhaps the most impor-
tanl. A convention elected by the people
| of that Stale 10 consider their relative posi-
ton toward the Federal Union was in ses-
sion at The capital OF Virginia when Fort
Sumpter FELL
| To this body the people had chosen a
large majority Of proiessed Union men, and
almost Immediately after the fall of Fort
| Sum pier, many members of that majority
went over to the original minority and with
them adopted an ordinance for Withdrawing
the State from the Union.
i Whether this change was wrought by
their great approval OF the assault on Fort
! Sumpter, of their great resentment at the
Governments resistance to that assault is
not definitely known
Although they submitted the ordinance
for ratification TO vote of the people, 10 be
taken on day then somewhat more than
/ month distant the convention and the
| Legislature which was also in session al
the same time and place, with leading men
of the State not members OF either, imme
dialely commenced acting as ii the Stale
were already out of the Union.
They pushed military preparations vigo-
rously forward all over the Siaie; they seiz
ed the United States armory at Harper's
Ferry, and the navy yard al Gospor, near
Norfolk they received, perhaps invited in
to their State, large bodies Of troops, with
their warlike appointments, from the So
l called seeded States.
/ They formally entered into a treaty OF
temporary alliance and cooperation with
| the so>called Confederate States, and sent
members 10 their Congress at Montgomery /;
and finally they permitted the insnrrec'ion-
| ary government 10 be transferred 10 their
capitol at Richmond.
The people Of Viginia have thus allowed
| this great insnIrection TO make It's nest
within her borders, and the government has
no choice but TO deal with il where it finds
| it.
And il has the less regret, as The loyal
citizens have, in due form, claimed lis pro-
teciion. Those loyal citizens this Govern
ment is bound to recognize and protect as
being Virginia.
In the Border States, SO called--in fact /,
the Middle Staies--taere are those who fa-
vor policy which they call armed neutral
ity, that is the arming of those States TO
prevent :he Union forces passing one way,
or the disuuion the other, over their soil.
This would be disunion completed. Fig
| nrafixelv sneakinp IL MouId be The huildinq