Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1861-08-03
OLYMPIA, WASHINGTON TERRITORY, AUGUST g. Is


disunion.
There is much reason to believe that
the Union men are the majority in ma
ny, if not il every other of the So
called seeded States. The contrary
has not been demonstrated in any one
of them. 1t is veutured tn affirm this
even Of all election held in military
camps where the bayonets are all on
one side Of the question voted upon,
can scarcely he considered us demon
strating popular sentiment. At such
an election, all that large class who arc
at once for the Union and against CO.
ercion. would be coerced to vo.eagainst
the Union. 1t may be assumed, with
out extravaganza, that the free institu-
tions we enjoy have developed the pow
ers and improved the condition OF our
whole people beyond an example in the
world. OF this we have u striking and
an impressive illustration. So large an
army as the Government has now nn
foot was never before known without
soldier in it but had taken his place
there OF his own free choice; but more
than this, there arc many single regi-
memts, whose members, one and am
other possess full practical knowledge
of all the arts, sciences, professions, and
whatever else useful or elegant is known
in the world, and there is scarcely one,
from which President, Cabinet, u
Congress, and perhaps Court, abund-
antly competent to administer the Gov
ernment itself, could not be selected.
Nor do / say this is not true iii the army
of our late friends. now adversarics, in
the contest. But if it is, So mu:h bet
ter the reason why tie Government,
which has conferred slch bcnctits on
them and us, should not be broken up.
Whoever, in any section. proposes to
abandon such Government, would do
well to consider in defense of what
principle it is thai he does it; what bet
ter he is likely to get in its stead; whcth-
cr the substitute will give, or be intcn-
dcd to give, so much Of good to the
people.
There are some foreshadowing doubts
on this subject. Our adversaries have
adopted some declaration of independ-
cncc, in which, unlike the good old one
pcnned by Jefferson, they omit the
words, call men are created equal.
They have adopted temporary Ma
tional Constitution, in the preamble ot
which, unlike our good old one signed
by Washington, they omit eve, the
people," and say ave, the deputies Of
the sovereign. and Independent State"
! I'll n ~
view, the rights of men, and the an-
thority of the people? This is essen
TALLY Il peoples contes:, on the side
of the world that form a substance of
government whose leading object is to
elevate the condition of men, to lift ar-
tiiicial weights from all shoulders, to
clear the paths of laudablc pursuits for
all, to afford all am unttttered start and
fair start in the race of life, yielding to
the partial and temporary departure
from necessity. This is the leading OBJ
icct of the Government for whose OK
I istencc We contend. / am most happy
to believe that the plain people under
stand and appreciate this. 1t is worthy
of note that while in this, the Govern
mcnt's hour cf peril, large numbers Of
those in the army a,i1 navy who have
been favored with the offices have re.
signed and proved false to the hand
that pampered them, not ono common
soldier or sailor is known to have de-
serted the flag. Great honor is due to
those officers who remained true, dcs-
pitc the example Of their treachcrous
associates; but the greatest honor, and
most important fact Of all, is the una
nimity and firmness of the common
soldiers and common sailors. To the
last man, as far as is known, they have
successfully resisted the traitorous ei-
forts of those whose commands but an
hour before they had obcycd as abso-
lutte law. This is the patriotic action
Of plain people. They understand with
ont any argument that the destroying
the Government which was made by
Washington means no good to them.
Our popular Government has often
been called an exI imcnt. Two
points in It our people have al-
ready settled; the successful! establish
ing and the sue .essful administering Of
it. One still remains; its successful
maintenance against formidable in
tcrnal attempt to overthrow it. II is
now for them to demonstrate to the
world that those who can fairly carry
am election, can also suppress a REBEL
ion; that ballots arc the rightfal and
peaceful successors Of bullets, and that
when ballots have fairly and constita-
tionallv decided. there can be no sue