Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1861-08-02

istration, but because the restless, domineer-
ing slavocrats Of tho South refuse to acqui
esce in the voice Of the people in the cousti-
tutional election Of their chief magistrate
The Republican party came into power with
the avowed purpose and with the express de-
claraton Of their design not to interfere with
any of the institutions of the several States,
but that the rights Of every State, under the
Constitution, should be respected. This fact
was well known to the leaders Of the rebel
lion, and had they rested their case on tho
strong arm Of the constitution and the laws,
aud waited for overt acts on the part of the
Administration which should deprive them,
either as individuals or as States, of the least
right which is guaranteed to them under the
constitution, we should to-day be peaceful
and happy country. But this was not their
programme; they had determined in advance
that unless the North would allow them to
control the government, and to shape the des-
tiny Of the country so as to extend and per-
petuate the institution Of slavery, then the
HNNNA must We bNtlIuIuWUs 1 utl Mtlt
not satisfied with the present power which
they held they were not satisfied with the
assurance thattheir peculiar institution, where
it was already established by local law, should
receive no detriment from the party in power;
but they must have guarantees Of its future
protection in the territories, the common pro-
perty Of the whole country. Nor were they
willing to leave the question to the peaceful
decision Of the settlers Of those territories, al
lowing to those settlers the same rights that
had been secured to themselves that Of os-
tablshng their own institutions and enocting
their own laws in their own way. Denying
the right--which nobody asked and nobody
claimed-to interfere in any way with slavery
where it did exist, they demanded that govern
ment should interfere for slavery where it did
not exist; that they should be protected in car
rying that institution into States yet to be
formed from territories which they held only
in common with the non-slaveholdng States.
And even more, they claimed .he right of still
further acquisitions; that the peaceable rela-
tions Of this with other countries should be
broken up, or taat the common treasure Of the
country should be poured out for the purpose
Of giving them still further territory and still
larger power. On these questions they broke
friendship with their former political allies at
the North, and the dominant party of the
country was broken up, and the result was
the election by the people of Republican ad-
minstration-pledged to the maintenance of
the constitution and the laws in every part of
the Union, but opposed to giving to slavery
any pecidc guarantees which it did not already
possess.
The election then was carried against the
South on the question Of giving protection by
government to the future extension Of slavery.
They rebel, and arrogate to themselves the
right to dictate the whole policy Of the gov
eminent. The whole country must be brought
in subseryiency to their peculiar interests, and
must yield to their especial demands Slav-
cry must be protected, and slavery and not
freedom must be proclaimed the foundation,
the cornerstone Of this republic. Ignore ii
we WILL the whole cause of this war is
slavery; the South are fighting for slavery /,
and because slavery is not to-day dominant
in the land, they seek to overthrow the Con-
stitution and the Union. The North are
fighting proiessedly for the maintenance Of
the Constitution and the Union, but before
any peaceful solution Of the vexod questions
at issue between the two bclligerent sections
can be reached, the slavery question must be
settled. Let us not then deceive ourselves
on any false issues. We have heretofore CON
tended for every right of the South, and have
sought to protect them in the enjoyment Of
these rights as guaranteed to them under the
Constitution. But they have forced upon US
the direct issue Of slavery or freedom, and it
is not wise for us to blind our eyes to the
fact that no peaceful settlement can ever be
attained, until there is no further cause for
war on this question.
In this connection, we commend the follow
ing from the Washington correspondent of
the Boston journal
The war on the part Of the North was undertaken TO
uphold the Constitution and the Union but il reeds no
Keen searching eye to that another element is coming
IN sad au old time Democrat 10 yesterday: Of 20
for hberating the nggers. We lighting on false l..
sue. he negro b. at the bottom u the trouble The
SCUM j. hghtug for the negro, and nothing else They
use him to defeat us aud shall be compelled to use
him to defeat them
"such sentiments arc gaining ground You will hear
more OF them by and by. record h indicating the
utnR OF me current There is doubt Of the fact that
he negro Is compelled 70 serve against and the term
cohir4oand OF war, as applied to slaves, is becoming
quesuon OF vital Importance 10 Hitherto il has been
construed that live cOntraband taking TO itself legs Of
It's own accord, could 20 where it pleased but now that
our enemies are using slaves for destruction, the
question Is seriously asked Why seize them lust as
we seize horses cattle and gunpowderi The reply is
we must respect the Unirn people Of the South. But
where are they There some IN Western virginia
Kentucky, Tennessee and Missouri; but YOU will look
long ana in vain for Unioniss in Eastern Virginia AT
Centreve there was man in the scedy village who
said he was for the Union-he was a German At farm
house Just out Of The village found old New Yorker
VINO was Tor the UniOn but the mass of the peope mon
women ana children, had fed-her minds poisoned with
tales OF the brutality OF Northern soldiers ."
y an satisfied from what have seen in Fairfax conn
W virginia, that beyond eight nine miles from Wash
ngton there are, comparatively speaking but few Union
hcghbors who viii stand for the union most intense
haTed shall not soon forget the woe-begnne look
Whch oYerspread the oountenance NJ good woman AT
vienna last night, wen as she gave draft Of milk
gave PLAIN, candid statement of the disaster which
had beiallen our army. Her husband had been friend
to the Federal army had given up his house for officers
quarters he had suffered the hands Of the rebels
had once been obliged TO fee leaving his wife and family
Of six children all Of tender age and the prospect wa
gloomy. The husband had gone to bed 10 f,rget In