The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1861-07-08

| ed temporary Rational Cons titution, in the
| preamble Of which, unlike our good old ore
signed BY Washington, they omit "ve the
| ths Sovereign and Independent States -
Why3 Why this deliberate pressing out OF
view the rights CT men and the authority Of
| the peopley
| Tnis Is essentially peoples contest On
| the side of the Union il Is a struggle for
maintaining in the world that form and sub.
stance OF government, whose leading object is
to elevate the condition Of men, to lift ariifi-
ciel weights from all shoulders, to clear the
paths of laudable pursuits for all to afford
| all unfettered start and "a fair chance in the
| race OF life Yielding to partial and tempo
| rarv departures, from necessity, this is the
leading object of the Government for whose
existence we contend. / am most happy to
believe that the plain people appreciate this
1t is worthy Of note that, while in this, the
Governments hour OF trial, large numbers of
| those in she army and navy, who have been
favored with the offices, have resigned and
proved false to the hand which had pampered
them, not one common soldier common
sailor is known to have deserted his flag
Great honor is due to those officers who re-
manned true despite the example OF their trail
torous associates. But the greatest honor and
the Taost imp or tant fact OF all Is the unani-
nous firmness of the common soldiers and
common sailors. To the last man, so far AS
known, they have successfully resisted the
tratorous efforts of those whose commands
but an hour before they obeyed as absolu te
law. IniS Is the patrtOtlc instinct OF plain
people They underSt and, without an argu-
nent, that destroying the Government which
VAS made by Washington means no good 70
them.
Oar popular Government has often been
called an experiment. Two points III it our
people have settied-;he successful establish
ing and the successful administering OF it -
One still remains: its successful maintenance
against formidable in ternal atteIn pt to over
throw it. 1t now for them to demonstrate
to the world that those who can fairly carry
an election can also suppress rebellion. The
ballots are the rlghtful and peaceful success
sors OF bullets, and that when ballots are
fairly and constitutionally decided, there can
ne no successful appeal back to bullets. That
there can be no successful appeal except to bal
lots themselves at succeeding elec tons Such
| Will be great lesson of peace, teaching men
| that what they cannot take by an elec ton
neither can they take it by war; tea ching all
the folly OF being the beginners of a war.
Lest there be some uneasiness on the minds
of candid men as 10 what is to be the course
of the Government toward the Southern
States after the rebellion shall have been sup
pressed, the Executive deems it proper to say,
il mill be his purpose then ever to be q,iitt-
| ed ty the Constitution Gad he ldtrs E: and that
| he probably will have different under
standing Of The powers and duties Of the Fed
| erui Government relatively TO the rights of
| the States and the people under the Constitu-
| ton, than that expressed in the inaugural ad-
dress. He desires to preserve the Govern
ment, that il may be admins tered for all as
il was adm inist tered by the men who made it.
Loyal citizens every where have the right to
claim this of their Government, and the G1y-
eminent has no right 10 withhold Oh neglect it.
il is not perceived that il giving Il thare is
any coercion, any conquest, or any su5juga-
ton, in any just sense Of these terms.
TIE Constitution provides and all the States
have accepted the provision, tina the United
States shall guarantee to every State in this
Union 1" a republican form of Government "
But if Il Stare in this Union may lawfully go
81 ma ~ u n
discard the republican form of Government,
50 that 10 prevent its going out is an ndispen
sable means to the END of maintaining the
guarantee mentioned !; and when an end is
lawful and obligatory, the means indispensa
BILE TO it are also lawful and obligatory.
1T was with the deepest regret that the Ex-
ecutiye found the duty of employing the war
power in defence OF the Government forced
upon him. He could bat perform this duty
or surrender the existence OF the Govern
ment.
no compromise by public sen timent could
il this case be Il cure. Not that com promises
are not often proper, but that no popular
Government can long survive Il marked pre-
cedeRt that those who carry al cleo zion can
only save the Government from immediate
destruction by giving mp the main point pom
which the people gave the election
The people themselves, and not their SER
wants, safely reverse their own deliberate
decis Ons.
As private citizen, the Executive could
not Save consented that these institutions
shall perish--muCh less could he, in betrayal
OF so vast and 30 sacred II trust as these free
people had confiied to him. He felt that h.
had no moral RICH to shrink, nor even to count
the chances of his own life IN what III ight fol
low.
In fall view of his great responsibility, he
has FIR CCne what he has deemed his duty.
You Will now, according to your own judg-
mert. perform yours. He sincerely hopes that
your views and yOnr action may SO accord
with his, as to assure all faithful citizens who
have be- disturbed in their rights, of a GER
taii. <peedy restoration TO them under the
COnsti.U ioE and the laws.
And 81 ing thus chosen orr course with
ont guile and with pure purpose, let us rene W
our trust in God, and go forward without
fear anG Nth manly hearts.
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
July !, 1851.