Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1861-07-12
Vol. VI.---No. 40.


remained true despite the example of
their traitorous associates. But the
greatest honor and the most important
fact of all is the unanimous firmness of
the common soldiers and common sailors.
To tho last man, so far as known, they
have successfully resisted the traitorous
efforts of those whose commands but an
hour before they obeyed as absolute law.
This is the patriotic instinct Of plain peo-
pie. They understand, without an ar
gument, that destroying the government
which ives made by Washington means
no good to them.
Our popular government has often been
called an experiment. Two points in it
our people have settled--the successful
establishing and the successful admins
tering Of it, One still remains; its sue
cesstul maintenance against formidable
internal attempt to overthrow it, 1t is.
now for them to demonstrate to the world
that those who can fairly carry an cleo
ton can also suppress rebellion. The
ballots arc the rightful aud peaceful sue
cessurs of bullets, and that when ballots
are fairly and constitutionally decided
there can be no successful appeal back to
bullets. That there can be no successful
appeal. except to ballots themselves at
succeeding elections. Suclr will be a
great lesson of peace, teaching men that
what they cannot take by an election
neither can they take it by war teach
ing all the folly of being the beginners
of war
Lest there be some unaasiness on tho
minds of candid men as to what is to be
the course of the government toward the
Southern States after the rebellion shall
have been suppressed, the Executive.
deems it proper TO say, thrill BE- has p,tr-
pose then, as erer, 70 be guided By the con-
stttation and the lars !, and that he pro-
badly will have no different understand
ing of the powers and duties Of the fede-
raj government relatively to the rights of
the States and the people under the con-
stitution, than that expressed in the in
augural address. He desires TO preserve
the government that it may be admins
tered for all as il was administered by the
nen who mado it.
Loyal citizens everywhere have the
right to claim this of their government,
and the government has no right to with
hold or neglect it. 1t is not perceived
thatin giving it there is any coerciou.
any conquest, or subjugation, in any
just sense Of those terms
The constitution provides, and all the
States have accepted the provision, that
the United States shall guarantee to
every State in this Union +" a republican
form Of government" But if State in
this Union may lawfully go out of the
Union, having done so, it may also dis
card the republican form of government,
so that to prevent its going out is an in
dispensable means to the end Of maintain
ing the guarantee mentioned and when
an end is lawful and obligatory, the in
dispensablo means to it are also lawful
and obligatory
IL was with the deepest regret that the
Executive found the duty Of employing
the war power in defense of the govern
ment forced upon him. lie conld but
perform this duty, or surrender the exis-
tence of the government
No compromise by public sentiment
could in this case be cure. Not that
compromises are not often proper, but
that 10 popular government can long
survive marked precedent that those
who carry an election can only save the
government from immediate destruction
by giving up the main point upon which
the people gave the election
The people themselves and not their
servants, can safely reverse their own
deliberate decisions
As a private citizen, the Executive
could not have consented that these in
stitutions shall perish. Much less could
he, in betrayal Of 80 vast and 80 sacred
a trust as these free people had confded
to him. He felt that he had no moral
right to shrink, nor even to count the
chances Of his own life in what might
follow.
In full view Of his great responsibility,
he has SO far done what he has deemed
his duty. You win now, according to
your own judgment, perform yours. He
sincerely hopes that your views and your
action may 80 accord with bis as to as
sure all faithful citizens who have been
disturbed in their rights Of certain and
speedy restoration to them under the
conqtifufion and tho Io,Ca
And having thus chosen our course
without guile and with pure purpose, let
us renew our trust in God, and 20 for
ward without fear and with manly hearts.
ABRAHAM LlNCON.
July 4, 1861