Holmes County farmer. [volume] (Millersburg, Ohio) 1857-1926, 1861-02-07
Compromise w.. Coercion.

Our government is one of C mpromise, not
government Of coercion Its formation was
compromise for mutual protection, relief and safe
"; aud it was cementcd together by the affections
of the people, the ties of consanguinity and the
bonds ofa common brothcrho d. The terms Of
union were an equality ofrights, ofintercsts and
of protection. Sectional interests and prejudiccs
have for many years made war upon our common
brotherhood, and n tvi,hstanding the warning
voice ofthe patriots and statesmen Of tic land,
they have succeeded in dissolying the bonds of
love that held our fabric Of government together.
Lovers of the Union cannot sympahre with the
rashncss and folly ofthc SOUTH neither can they
justify the war Of determination wagcd against
them by the fanatics of the North.
If the Union il not nourishcd by the nrcctions
Of the people tits virtually dissolved. Al free
governments atq lire their power from the consent
of the governed. Hence the people of State, or
of any number Of States, held under suLjcction to
the enjoyment Of that liberty our government was
designed to voachaafe to American citizens. We
take it that the only means of preserving the Tn
Ion is by compromise, mutual concession, and the
encouragement of friendly rcletions. Mind can
not contemplate the expense. the pcrpicxitics, and
the horrors of holding States in subjection by
standing armies. Let this he attempted and we
will fall on easy prey TO some foreign power.
We need not argue the right of secession. 1t
Is enough for us to know that whether right or
wrong secession has actually taken place The
cause assigned for il is the aggrcssions made by
the North upon the South a large majority ol
the Southern people are dcsrons Of compromising
upon the condition that they and their institutions
he lot alone. These concessions the Republican
the dominant party Of the North, refuse to make
and propose TO hold the people of the South in tho
Union by force of arms. The Democratic party
f tie North and South call upon the Republican
party to do right by the South, to give them al
their rights under the Constitution; this they re
fuse to do. The Democracy tell the Republicans
that unless they wash their hands of the wrong
they have heapcd upon the South that they til,
Democrats) will have no hand in forcing tn,
South into n Union to be insultcd, abused, and de
prved OF their rights No true Democrat will
back men in brute force who refuse to settle thu
difficulty by fair and reasonable compromise.
We have never been Union-slidcr. We nj
ways have been, and are now for the Union, but i
1t must become Union of physical force nstea
Of a mutrality OF interests and of brothcrly feel
Ing, then It will not answer tire purpose for whic
II was designed by it's founders. The South, tn
States that have, or are about to scccde, do no
propose to make war upon the North. They pro
pose no net Of aggression upon Northern SOIL
They say To the North that we do not want t.
fight; We dc not want to make war upon you; w
have been denied our rights in the Union; all rca
eonable plans of compromise have been rcjecte
by the North; and now allow us to peaccably cnjo
such institutions as we may arrange for ourscve
outside ofthe Union. The North refuses to con
promise but proposes to go Soutl, and fight th
Southern people into tho Union. Is there an hor
est man who can say that from his heart he woul
Justify civil war under such crcumstanctsl