Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1861-03-01
1awlessnezs on a Gigantic Scale.

The world must regard with profound as
toni>hment the spectacle of national lawless-
ness which the Southern Sta4es of this Union
now exhibit. The Gulf States are large enough
IN area. and have population great enough
to make their follfes and crimes almost nation
al. They are now swept by a storm of rebel
lion such as has never been seelI before They
are actuate,l by s. spirit of resistance to law,
by contempt for order, and by defiant rebellion
against the entire structure which we call the
United States government. It is not the eicc-
tion of Lincoln, or the existence of any griev-
ance whatever. that moves them 10 these cx-
traordinary proceedings, and the leaders and
organs OF the movement everywhere avow that
they act as they now do simply because they
have the will and the power to do SO. They
spurn the idea Of obligation to assign causes
for rebellion, and have only to say that they
will not submit 10 the laws Of the general gov
ernment, nor ask its consent to the establish
mcnt, first, of absolute independence for each
State, and next the establishment of a con-
federacy of these fe3oited members of the old
Uuion. In pursuance of this hostile policy,
Louisiana has made haste to seize everything
held in the name of the United States within
her limits. and after taking forts aud arsenals
with impunity, has now seized the custom
house and the mint. Actual war upon every
thing liable to violence was undertaken by the
insolent band who control the power of that
State, without waiting a moment to ser wbeth-
er different course might not get them ulti-
nately out Of the Union they have hitherto
lived upon, yet ho@ traitorously turn upon,
aud despise, and assail with arms. -z
This course of lawless outrage we do not be-
licve to be the will or the deed of the great
body of the peaceable citizen even Of the tStI1I
States, but it is no longer doubtful that it is
the policy on which alone the leaders there
and the present holders of power are deter
mined to act This determinaticir is also one
of long standing. For many months before
the late election it was deliberately planned
and pre- arranged. In this purpose the Demo
cratic Convention at Charleston was broken
up and, when broken up, it was known pre-
ciseiy what the Issue of the Presidential cleo
tion would be. Everybody knew that Pres
ideut would be elected by the opposition, and
the arch-traitOrs of the Cabinet set themselves
vigorously to work to destroy the power of the
General Government, in order to insure the
success Of the grand revolution. Desperate
and INSCRIPTIONS beyond all precedent, these
men only defeated themselves by robbing too
largely, and 10y ordering war material to the
aid of traitors on scale so unusual as to at
tract attention ard awalqer resistance. Near
ly year since We are informed, it was cxul-
tiugly claimed by many leaders of the expect
ed movement in the South Carolina Legisln-
ture that they had the minority of the Cabinet
pledged to aid the revolution. and that they
confidently relied on the President not to
lilt Il hand against it,
The case is when all its aspects and condi-
tions are considered, the most astounding spec
tacle of criminality which the civilized world
has yet seen. Whatever may be its issue aile!
end, it is now most gigantic mass of cause
less treason--of treason to law, to liberty to
humanity, an@ to the interests of even the
worst local community as well AS State yet in
volved in it. No pretexts nre offered except
that the full will Of y get of men cannot be
/ gratitied whose chief thirst is to open tht
slave trade. 1t is to free men Fl ON restraint
whose name and character are terror tc