The Placer herald. [volume] (Auburn, Placer County, Calif.) 1855-1991, 1861-08-03
From the Dublin Nation, June s.
The Fratrjcldal War.

hold the sacred faith of human freedom, and make
them weep in poignant modification and deep
despair. Well may we despair of popular liberty
in presence OF the sight the world sees to-day
republican people, whose liberties were won by
rebelion whose independence was achieved by
secession, parrot as glibly any minions of old
world tyranny 'the rebels and the .rebell ion" as
phrases OF odium and reproach! Those who pro-
TESS to hold sacred the popular will, to reverence
| the desire for self government, proceeding to
! drown the popular will in blood, and to answer
the desire for self-government by butchery and
aughter
ii what is now passing in America took place
in any of the old world empires, it would be at
least nellgbe. If the citizens of nearly half
OF an empire five times as large as all Europe
with an unanimity never surpassed. and rarely
eqnalled, declared by free poll, in open day by
universal suffrage, that their interests and their
feelings demanded the substitution of the Impe-
rial Government by one of their own choice; and
that the Imperial Government marched its armies
TO crush the demand in the blood Of the 'rebels u
| it would be nothing new among despotic systems
! But In u great confederation of republican States,
in system based the ,cM of the people-
based on the right Of rebellion that ali this
should happen that we now see--that no tyranny
or despotism of old Europe ever drew the sword
more savagely to put down rebellion" and tram
pie on the voice of the people, than this same
| Central Government OF II Republican Conielera-
! tion-it is enough to wiring the heart Of any
who believed in the greater humanity and tolera-
ton OF popular governments Well may the nd
vocates Of dcspotic monarchy laugh in bitter
mockery of those who believe that people rul-
ing themselves would never spill blood in popular
suhjug CATION, and that such murders were done by
kings andd espots OF Old Europe.
IL is hideous sarcasm of Republci nism to
hear the journals of the Northern States yelling
for the clood Of the rebels for their utter sub
jugation and destructioI!
I'VE mean tn conquer them " says THE NEW
! r.. n 0ffput n q
| CONQUER, to SUBJUGATE them But when
the rebclliou5 traitors are overwhelmed in
the field and scattered like leaves before the
'angry wind it must not be to return to peaceful
'and contented homes. They must fnd poverty
at their iresides and see prioation in the anr,-
"0ns cyeS Of m0t3ers and the rags Of ciilaren."
Was ever more bellish sentiment uttcred!--
W here in the annals oi despotism, or the records
OF its bntcheries, shall we seek for parallel to
this! Wbere-even against rebels who had not Il
particle Of Justification! If the subjects of the
most legitimate sovereign that ever held u scep-
ire had acted rs the Southern States have done
would these sentiments not be intmies if uttered
on his part? Yet inlhmy Of infamies are they
when uttered by Republicans against brother Re-
pubicans uttered by the descendants of the
rebels Of '76. against men who with far greater
unanimity now demand the self same right those
rebels claimed self government.
We snail be told that the South had no ri chit to
scccde therefore, war Upon IL is justifabe.-
When England mnle war on her rehellous
Amer lean colonies, she said they had no right to
secede' and that, therefore, that war was lusti-
able. We Shall DE told the South can exhibit no
wrongs TO justify rebellion. The same was held
by those who sought to crush the colonies in their
struggle for self governments But why should
we be called upon by Republicans to consider
these points at all? Have we not been told as
The Republican principle, that the subjects of !.
State themselves. and no one else, are to be
Judges whether they have provocaton, jusiGca-
ton right?
Yet. let US consider that the case of the South,
regards lis right to secc0e is far stronger than
that OF the American colonies to rebel
Under the old monarchiul system no such ght
was ever toerated-no such principle ever heard
of-as the voice Of the population" determining
the justice legitimacy or duration Of Govern
ment. The American colonies originated under
that monarcbial system. They had claim
ed or possessed the attributes OF "Independent
Sovereign Statcs;' nor had their connection with
the English crown originated in compact hay
ing for object mutual benefit an defence. What,
on the other hand. is the position of the South
ern States in the present case? They are not
mere colonies, counties. or districts of any State,
kingdom empire. They are Il number of
Sovereign Independent States;" 50 styled in |
law and so proved in fact. Their political sys,
tenn the political system Of the whole United |
States of Amerca-is based on the Fundamental !
principle Of the right Of rebellion dcterminablc
by the voice Of the people. These scvcra! indie
pcudent sovereign States Of their own tree choos
ing, and for the purpose OF their own and the
common welfare interest and protection, fede
rate with certain others to this end. A number
of these States declare that faith has not been
kept with them in the compact OF considerations
and that the cause and purpose OF their federal
association with certain others no longer urge its
continuance. but ON the contrary demand its ter
minttion. Whether they possess the righ to
terminate the connection the connection, is nei-
ther asserted nor denied by the deed of Union.
This silence is ca med by each side in the quar-
rel favorable to its own case. Upon which
side the construction may be said to weigh, is. no
doubt a nice and intricate question for political
doctrinaries and air splitting controversalsts.
But what we have to say is this, that it is some
thing more than mournful, it is mOpstrous. it is
outrage and a disgrace to humanity, that, on |
point which may be ruled either way, the shock
ing spectacle must be seen OF torrents Of blood |
been made to flow in the conquest-the sIbuga |
gaton-of those independent States, who MERELY |
ASK FOR SELF GOVERNMENT AND FREEDOM TO DECIDE !
THEIR OWN DE. TIMES. We say it would be de- |
plorable even if those southern States were col
onies or outlying districts of u despotic empire.
We say that in the face of such II unanimous
determination for secession right or wrong ac-
cording to construction Of constitutional techni-
calities-this bloody war to force union on the
southern people ut the point Of the sword-to
sabre them into brotherhood, and dragon them
into "liberty!"-is a blot upon humanity We
cannot pause to weigh the niceties of the rival
constructions of the silence Of the deed of Union
with reference to the right of secession We
turn in disgust from all this, denying that the
proof at best can be plain enough to reconcile to
this butchery -butchery to be done, let us re-
member not by king autocrats or tyrants but
by Republicans, advocates of popular liberty
themselves the offspring Of rebellon! We have
often enough and clearly enough declared our
anxiety that the great Republic of America
might be saved from dsmemberment but far
greater S our anxiety-for the sake Of the hid
eous reproach it involves to popular liberty
that it may be saved from the terrible crime OF
EoIx nm an Stnt at