Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1861-01-17

any State. aud am perfectly satisfied tlgat
the Constitution has wisely withheld that puw
er even from Congress.
But the right and the duty TO use the mill
tary force dctensively against ihuSe who re-
gist the Federal officers in the execution Of
their legal functions, and against those who
assail the property of the Federal Govern.
ment is clear and undeniable. But the dan
( gerous and hostile att tude Of States towards
each other has already far tranScended and
/ cast into the shade the ordinary Executive
duties alr,aIy provided for By law, has as
/ Sumed such vast and alarming proportions as
+ to Place the subject entirely above and lie
/ yond the Executive control. The fact cannot
/ be disguised chat we are in the midst of a
! great revolution. la 2li lis various bearings,
therefore, | commend the question to Con
Grcss, as the only human tribunal under
/ Providence possessing the power to meet th7
existing emergency To them exclusively Le-
longs to declare war or authorize the employ
ment Of the military force in all eases col
/ templated by the Constitution, and they aloEa
| possess the power to remove the grievances
/ which might lead to war, and to secure peace
and union to this distracted country On
/ them, and on them alone, rests tho respcnsi-
! Ji'ity.
The Union is sacred trust left lay our rev.
olutionary fathers to their descendants and
never did any other people inherit SO rich
| legacy 1t has rendered us prosperous il.
peace and triumphant in war The national
| flag has fuated with glory over every sea.
! Under its shadow American citizens have
! found perfection and respect in all lands be-
meath the sun. If we descend TO considera-
| tions Of purely material interest when. in
the history OF all time, has a conioderacy
| been bound together with such strong ties of
mutual interest? Each portion of it is de-
pendent on ALL and all upon each portion, for
prosperity and domestic security. A free
trade throughout the whole supplies the wants
Of one portion from the productions of anotb-
er, and scatters wealth everywhere. The greag
planting and farming States require, and
| commercial navigating States send their pro.
ductiun5 to domestic and foreign markets,
and furnish naval power to render their
transportation secure against all hostile at.
acks. Should the Union perish in the midst
Of the present excitement, we have already
had a sad foretaste Of the universal suffering
which would result from its destruction. The
calamity would be severe in every portion OF
the Union, and would be quite as great, to
say the least, in the Southern as in the North
err States.
The greatest aggravation of the evil, and
that which would place US in a most unfavor:
able light both before the world and poster
lty, Is, as am firmly convinced, that the Sc
cesson movement has beon chiefly based up
on a miSapprehension at the South of the
sentiments of the majority in several of the
Northern States. Let the question lie trans
ferred from political assemblies to the ballot
! box, and the people themselves would speed
f! lily redress the serious grievances which the
/ South have suffered. But in Heavens name,
| let the trial be made before we plunge into an
armed conflict upon the mere assumption thai
I there is no other alternative
Time Is great conservative power. Let
! US pause at this moment0us moment and af
/ ford the people Of both the North and South
an opportunity for reflection Would that
| South Carolina had been convinced of this
| truth before her precipitated action. there
fore appeal, through you, to the people Of the
country, to declare IN their might tlat " THE
/ UNION MUST AND SHALL BE PRESERVED" by
all constitutional means.
/ most earnestly recommend that you de-
vote yourselves exclusively to the question
how this can he accomplished in peace. All
other questions, when compared with this,
! sink into insignilicance. The present is no
time for palliation. Action, prompt action,
is required. 4 delay in Congress to prescribe
and recommend distinct aud ractical prop.
! osition for Cancellation, may drive US to u
! point from which it will be almost impossible
! TO recede. 4 common ground on which con
citation and harmony may be produced Is
surely not unattainable.
The proposition to compromise by letting
/ the North have exclusive control Of the terri
/ tory above a certain line, and giving South
ern Institutions protection below that line,
| ought to receive universal appreciation. IL
| Itself, indeed, 1t may not be entirely satis!ac
! tory but when the alternative between
! reasonable concession on both Sides and the
destruction Of the Union it is an imputation
on the patriotism Of Congress to aEsezt that
/ lis members Will hesitate for moment.
Even now the danger is upon US. In sew
eral States which have not seeded, the forts,
arsenals, and magazines Of the United States
have been seized. This is by far The most Sc.
rious step which has been taken since the
commencement Of the troubles This public
property has long been left without garrisone
and troops ior Its protection, because 70 per
son doubted its security under the flag Of the
country in all the States Of the Union Be
sides, small army has hardly been sufr-
cient to guard our remote frontiers against
Indian incursions. The seizure Of this prop
erty, from all appearances, was purely aggres-
! slve, net IN resistance to an attempt to CO
cree Q State o. States to remain in the Union.
At the beginning sf these unhappy troub-
les, | determined that no act of mine should
increase the excitement in either section Of
the country. If the political conflict were to
end in civil war, IL was my determined puT-
pose not to commence it nor even to furnish
an excuse for it by any act of this Govern
ment. Ny opinion remains unchanged, that
justice as well as sound policy requires US
still to seek peaceful solution of the ques-
tions at issue between the North and South.
Entertaining this conviction, refrained even
from sending reinforcemeDts TO Major Ander.
son, who commanded the forts at Charleston
harbor, until an absolute necessity for doing
50 should make itself apparent lest it might
unjustly be regarded as q menace Of military
coercion, and thus furnish. if not nrovoca-