M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1861-02-28

welfare and secure the blessings Of
liberty to ourselves and our prosterity;
and when, in the judgment Of the
sovereign States now comprising this
Confederacy, it has been perverted
from the purposes for which il was
ordained, and ceased TO answer the
ends for which it was established, a
peaceful appeal to the ballot box de-
clared that 30 far as they were con-
cerned the Government created by
that compact Should cause to exist. In
this they merely asserted the right
which the Declaration OF ofIndependence
Of 1776 defined to be inalienable. OF
the time and occasion Of its exercise
they, as sovereigns, were the final
judges, each for itself. The impartial
verdict Of mankind will vindicate the
reCtitude Of our conduct; and He who
knows the hearts Of men will judge OF
the sincerity with which we labored to
preserve the Government of our faith
ers in its spirit.
"The right solemnly proclaimed al
the birth OF the States, and which has
been affirmed and reaffirmed in the
bills ofrights of the States subseq senly
admitted into the Union of 1885, un.
deniably recognizes in the people the
power to resume the authority dele
gated for their purpose Of government.
The sovereign States here represented
proceeded to form this Confederacy,
and it is by the abuse of language
that their act has been denominated
revolution. They formed new al.
lance, but within each State its gov
ernment has retained the right Of
person and property,
"The agent through whom they
communicated with foreign nations is
changed, but this does not necessarily
interrupt their national relations; sus.
tained by the consciousness that the
trasition from the former Union to the
present Confederacy has not proceeded
from a disregard on our part of our
just obligations, or any failure to per.
form every constitutional duty; moved
by no interest or passion toinvade the
rights of others, anxious to cultivate
peace and commerce with all nations,
if we may not hope to avoid war, we
may at least expect that posterity will
acquit us ofhaving needlessly engaged
liz it. Doubly justified by the absence
of wrong on our part, aud by wanton
aggression on the part of others, there
can be no cause to doubt the courage
aud patriotism Of the people of the
confederated States will be found equal
to any measure which soon their Sc
curity may require.
IAN agricultural people, whose
chief interest in the export Of a com
modify required in every maDufactur.
ing country, our true policy is peace,
and the freest trade which Our neces.
sites will permit. 1t is alike our
interest, and of all those from whom
we would buy that there should bo the
few est practicable restrictions upon the
interchange Of commodities. There
can be but little rivalry between ours
and any manufacturing or navigating
community, such as the free States Of
the American Union. 1t mast, there
fore, follow therefrom that mutual in
terests would invite good will and
kind offices.
"If, hewever, passion or lust Of
dominion should cloud the judgment
or irfue nee the ambition OF those
States, we must prepare to meet the
emergency, and maintain oy the final
arbitrament of the sword the position
which we have assumed among the
nations of the earth. We have en-
tered upon career Of independence
which must be inaexibly preserved
through many years of controversy;
but our late associates in the Northern
States may have vainly endeavored to
secure tranquility and obtain respect
for the rights to which We were enti-
ted as a necessity, not a choice.
1--WE have resorted to the remedy ol
a separation, and hencetorth our ener.
gies must be directed to the condition
Of our own affairs and the perpetuity
of the Confederacy which we have
formed. If just perception of mu,
tual interests shall permit MS peaceably
to pursue our separate political career
my most earnest desire will have been
fulfilled; but if this be denied us, and
the integrity Of our territory and juris
diction be assailed, it will remain fol
ms, with firm resolve, to appeal to arms
and invoke the blessings Of Providence
on just cause.
Gas a conseq Of our new con
dition, and with view to meet antici
pated wants, it will be necessary tc
provide a speedy and efficient organ,
ixation of the branches of the Execu
tive Departments having apeciaI
charge of foreign intercourse, finance,
military affairs and postal service. Fol-