Mineral Point weekly tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1859-1868, 1861-07-16
81 Aid and Comfort to the Enemy

ment which preValIeu III 'co'
York and many other sections from lou
to 1888. there was class OF men VINO pro
fessed to belong to neither the Masonic
nor Anti-Masonic party, but whose sym
pathies were with the former. In their
di cussions upon the questions then pc
fore the people, they were as much OPP
nosed to Masonry as any one yet
Free Masonry they believed to be glo-
rious institution" These men were term
ed ck-Masons," and were looked upon
with little favor by either Masons or their
opponents At the present day we find
class of men who occupy a similar posi-
ton in relation to the trouble between the
North and South They profess to be as
good Union men, and as much opposed to
secession and treason as the most loyal
citzens-yet-the Southern Contederacy
is sglorious institution, and they do
not believe it right for the Government to
coerce" men to obey the laws. They
are constantly denouncing the acts of the
administration and pronouncins the war
unustifiable and unnecessary, and IN this
way, by creating distrust in the minds
of those over whom they have influence,
of the designs of the Administration, and
the competency of the government to sup
press the rebellion, they are aiding and
comforting the enemy as ehectually as
they could do by an actual enlistment UNI
der jeff Davis or Beauregard,
If we credit the misrepresentation Of
these men and the traitorous publications
they are continuously circulating among
the people. we must believe the admins
tration of Mr.. Lincoln alone responsible
for the present unhappy condition of our
country, and its designs not so much to
preserve, protect and defend the Consti-
tuition of the United States, as to deprive
a portion of the Union of its constitutional
rights and privileges.
The representations that Mr.. Lincoln
and his cabinet inaugurated the war now
existing between the North and South, are
as unjust as they are untrue. Long be-
fore Mr. Lincoln came into office, and
NnIio inc uuInrmiouhasru" ny ~-v'u...
ment was in the very hands IN which it
was placed by these same crOakers against
the war, the cotton States had become pre-
cipitated into a rebellion against the gov
ernment, and the Southern heart fired and
cxasperated against their Northern breth-
To satisfy any reasonable man upon
this point, we need only refer to the pro
ceedings Of the late national convention
at Charleston and Baltimore The deter
nination Of the South to rule the nation
pressed in terms not to be misunderstood
BY the most casual observer This was
long before Mr. Lincoln was chosen to the
office he now occupies, and neither him
self nor his friends had any more power
to create or allay the excitement than had
any other individual The present admin
;stration is not responsible for anything
that occurred previous to his coming into
Office, because he had had no opportunity
to develop his future course or policy
Even before his inauguration, the capital
OF the nation was threatened by rebels,
and the present position of the admins
traton Is much more the result of force
than choice The preservation of the Tn
ION, and not a spirit of retaliation, has
prompted the administration it the course
1t has pursued.
The Government has thus far. acted on
IL on the defensive 1t has saved the cap
ltal of the nation from falling into the
hands of rebels who had threatened its de-
struction, and that is called coercion bv
those who look with favor upon the de
signs of traitors and rebels IN doing
this it has deemed it necessary to use not
only the force called out prior to the in
au@uration Of President Lincoln but t.
bring into he field an additional force
sufficient to intimidate the traitors. and
keep in check their aggressive movements
Thus far, the Administration has done no
more than was prompted by duty and .
desire for sclf-preservation Had it done
otherwise the men who pronounce il coer-
eve, would justly accuse it of an imbe-
cillty unworthy of those entrusted with
'he responsible duty of administering the I
government Of 4 free people.
The cry that the war was inaueurated
Tor the determination of slavery is neither
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