Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1861-07-11

ments hour of trial, large numbers of those in
the army and navy, who have been favored with
the offices, have resigned and proved false to
the hand which had hampered them, not one
common soldier or common sailor is known TO
have deserted his flag. Much honor is due to
those officers who remained true, despite the
example of their treachorous associates; hut
the greatest honor and the most important TACT
OF all, is the unanimous frmness ot the COM
mon soldiers to the last Now, so far as known,
they have successfully resisted the taitorous
example of those whose commands, but hour
before, they obeyed as absolute law. This is
the patriotic instinct of plain people. They
understand, without an argument, That the de-
struction of the government, which was maze
by Washington, means no good to them :,
Our popular government has often been call
ed an experiment. Two points in 1t our peo--
pie have already settlcd-thc establishment and
the successful administration of it. One point
still remains-its successful maintenance against
n formidable internal attempt to overthrow II.
1t is now for them to demonstrate to the world
that those who can fairly carry an election can
also suppress a rebellion; that ballots are the
rightful and peaceful successors of bullets; and
that when ballots have fairly and constitution
ally decided question, there can be no sue
cessful appeal back to bullets. They must APP
peal to ballots themselves at succeeding cleo
lions. This will be great lesson of peace,
teaching men that what they cannot take by an
election, neither can they take by war; teach
ing all the folly Of being the beginners OF a
war.
| Lest there be some uneasiness in the minds
of candid men as to what is to be the course Of
/ the government towards the southern states
after the rebellion has been suppressed. the ex-
] - to uil hp lie
purpose then, as ever, to be guided by the con-
stitution and the laws, and that he probably
will have no different understanding of the
powers and duties of the federal government,
| relative TO the rights of the states and the peo-
| pie under the constitution, than that expressed
in the inaugural address. He desires 10 pre-
serve the government, that it may be admins
tared by the men who have made it. Loyal
citizens everywhere have the right to claim this of
their government, and the government has no
right to withhold or neglect it. 1t is not per-
ceived that in giving this protection, there is
any coercion, any conquest, any subjugation, in
any just sense of these terms.
The constitution provides, and all the states
have accepted the provision, that the United
States shall guarantee to every state in the
Union republican form Of government but
if a state may lawfully go out of the Union,
having done so it may also discard the repuh-
lican form of government; so as to prevent its
going out is an indispensable means to the end
of maintaining the guarantee mentioned, and
when an end is lawfully obligatory the indis-
pensable means to it are also lawful and obi
gatory.
1t was with the deepest regret that the execu-
tive found the duty ofemploying the war power
in defense of the government forced upon him
He could but perform this duty, or surrender
the existence of the government No com.
promise by public servants could in this case be
a cure Not that compromise is not often
proper, but that no popular, government car
long survive a marked precedent, that those
who carry an election can only save the govern.
ment from immediate destruction by giving W
the main point which the people decided in The
election. The people themselves, and not theil
servants, can reverse their own deliberate de
ciSion.
AS private citizen, the executive could
never consent that these institutions SHOULD
perish. Much less could he, in betrayal Of Sc
vast and sacred trust as these free people hat
coniided TO him. He felt that he had no mora
right TO shrink nor count the moral chances o
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 will now, according to your own judg
mcnt, p-rlorm your duty. He sincerely hopes
that your views and your action may so accort
with his, as to secure all faithful citizens who
have been disturbed in their rights, of a certain
and speedy restoration to them, under the con
stitution and the laws. And having thus cho
sen our course, without guile and with pur,
purpose, let us renew our tru st in God, and g
forward without fear and with manly hearts.
ABRAHAM LINGbLN.
July 4th, 1861.