Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1861-06-11
Why not let Them 90 in Peace 2

Why cannot you of the North let US go in
peace ? " is question which has been depreca-
tngy addressed to leading men in the Tree
States, by scores Of the more conservative men
Of the South, who, though predsposed to be
loyal TO the Constitution and the Union, yet
dread war and despair Of our ability oflectually
to put down the rebellion To all such lnquIr-
ers our answer is PLAIN and conclusive We
cannot let them 60, and we dare not let them
20. We cannot let them 60 without violating
our sworn obligations to protect the rights oil
the oyal portion OF the Sonth, and we dare not
let them go because We cannot 90 50 without
recognizing the hereto and dangerous doctrines
of session which, if once admitted, must short
" result in the dismemberment and final de-
struction of our Government in the rest OF the
Union However ogerawed by the mobs, which
the ;esson leaders, by playing upon old pre-
JUDGES and foully disappearing the intentions
of our people and their Administration, have
wrought up to dangerous madness, full half OF
the whole South, there is good reason to believe,
are yet loyal in heart and secretly praying for
the restoration OF law and order under our Con-
stitution. Now have the oppressed and suffering
people of this great class who have hitherto
been altogether the best element Of Southern
society," no claims on our Government for pro-
lection and for the vindicaton OF the rights
which the Constitution has sacredly guaranteed
to them And how can we Of the North, with
out absolutely foreswearing ourselves, refuse to
take action for insuIing them the protection
which they desire, and to which they are SO
certainly entitled at our hands? We cannot.
Not only every patriot, but every good citizen,
must unite in saying no, we cannot-we cannot.
This alone furnishes complete justification Of
our Government in its determination to know
no stopping till every recreant State is made,
for its own, as well as the general good, to re-
tako its place in the Union.
Again we dare not let them go. Suppose
we should do so--aupposo we should allow them
TO establish permanent Government, based, as
10 would be, on the destructive doctrines Of Sc
cession, Reputation, and the federation of mob
law and violence, which would soon make them
as lawless and aggressive as the Arabs Of the
desert, how long could we live by the side of
them without re-opening Of the war ,-and
war too, as the old disturbing element of
Slavery would still remain and lead to rcprsals
for escaping slaves from one party, and counter
reprsals on the other-a war too, that would
DO interminabl& Nor would that be all. The
Government so permitted to be established and
become independent, would be likely soon to
form alliances with some OF the rival powers of
Europe, and then we might have a war on our
hands which would exhaust us to weakness,
which would make us the prey of every grasp
ing Nation, and end in the entire subyersion of
our Northern Republic. No, no, this must
never be. Our own salvation is at stake in the
present issue. And whether we take the ground
of duty to protect the loyal portion of the
South or theone Of our nearer interest of saving
ourselves from ruin, or both these grounds,
there is but one way for us,that of going on
uuu up tHo WoIh we HHN6 Dcguu OF
crushing this rebellion into the earth 50 eaecu-
ally that another shall never follow it,
And in the name of all that is honest and
consistent, what wrong shall we do the South
in enforcing compliance with their Consltu.
ton obligations? Those obligations were de-
lberately and chcerfully assumed by themselves
What wrong then to strive to prevent them
from committing the crime of violating them
What wrong is i, to compel men to live up to
their sacred promises? None. If that would
be wrong, then it would be wrong 10 keer
men from committing perjury, or any other
crime against society or themselves, even to
the commission of suicide If that were wrong
then the whole moral code that has governed
the world from the first dawn of civilization i,
wrong, and should be renounced and abolished
as a rule of action by every Nation and peopl,
earth.