The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-08-08
SEet Us AiOne.'

The leaders of the southern rebellion
tell us that all they wish is to be let alone,
that they have not the least desire to
quarrel with Us. They want to have their
own way in breaking up the Union, and
if we will only let them alone they viii
do it to their own satisfaction. Mr Ste
phens expressed their desire in his recent
speech, when he said: 1--WE simply wish
to govern ourselves as we please.
Now, if The faculties OF the rebels were
not blunted, they would perceive how IL
diculous they appear when they ask US to
let them govern themselves as they please
To permit them to do this would undoubt-
cdly bring pc ace, but it would be peace
purchased at price we could i'll afford to
paw. It would be to concede at once that
the Union was that oft-spoken of ''rope OF
sand" It is because we believe the Union
to be enduring, and one from which no
state can withdraw without the consent OF
the others, that we refuse to let the South
alone. We believe In allowing the differ
ent sections Of the country to govern them
selves as they please, SO long only as they
do so in accordance with the Constitution.
We will never permit any section to do
aught which tends to usurp the preroga-
tives of the government. 1t is very easy
for the rebels to assert that, in demanding
to govern themselves, they are only doing
what our revolutionary fathers did. They
gloss over the fact that these resorted to
every lawful means for obtaining redress
ere they attempted to throw off the yoke
of the mother country. The rebels made
no attempts to obtain lawful redress for
their fancied wrongs. They declared the
election of Mr. Lincoln a denial of their
rights, and yet they knew that they had
a majority in Congress which could easily
have prevented the administration from
interfering with any of these. They did
not wait for the passage OF any act by
which the least of these would be denied,
but without any provocation raised the flag
of rebellion. What right then, have they
to compare themselves with our revolu-
tionarv fathers? As the devil it is said,
can quote Scripture to suit his own pur
poses, so the rebels refer to the acts of
our forefathers and to the great principles
of our government in order to sustain their
cause.
Really it would seem that the impudence
of the rebels is unbounded The mesSa-
yes vi 81 Cll bdNiS Int StttSHSS VI iiio
corfederates are filled with the most alb
surd statements, made in the most impu-
dent manner. The rebels would move
heaven and earth in support Of their auda-
cious demands, and what they have done
is only an earnest of what they would do
They must think us the veriest fools if
they suppose we are to be blinded by their
sophisms. Did they not think us fools
they could scarcely dare 70 ask us now to
let them alone We have let them alone
too long. 1t is because we let them have
their own way that they are now in arms
against US Had we taught them years
ago that our rights were as dear to us as
theirs TO them; had we made them ac-
knowledge that the government was in
tended for the benefit of all living under
it, few reckless politicians would never
have swept so many thousands into ru-
inous rebellion.