New Oregon plaindealer. (New Oregon, Iowa) 1859-1866, 1861-07-19

good to the people. lhere Is some loreShao-
owing on this subject.
Our aiversareS have adopted some declar-
atoms OF independence, in which, unlike the
good old one pennad by Jefferson. they omit
the words "are created equal, Why They
have adopted a temporary national constitn-
ton, in the preamble of which, unlike our
good old one signed by Washington, they
omit, d" We the people and substitute, we,
the deputies of the Sovereign and lndepen-
dent States. Why this deliberate pressing
out Of view the rights Of men and the author
ity of the people This is essentially
peoples contest on the side of the Union. II
is struggle for maintaining in the world
that form and substance of Government,
whose leading objects are to elevate the con-
ditions of men, to lift artificial weights from
all shoulders, to clear the paths of laudao!e
pursuits, and to afford all an untettered start
and a fair chance in the race OF life, yielding
| to partial and temporary departures IRON
necessity. This IS the leading offset OF that
form Of government Tor whose ,Xistenc We
contend. | am most happy to believe that
the plain people understand and appreciate
this.
1t is worthy of note that while in this the
Governments hour of trial. large numbers OF
those in the army and navy VINO have been
favored with the Offices have resigned and
proved false to the hand thatpampered them
not one common soldier or common sailor Is
known to have deserted his flag. Great
honor is due to those officers who renamed
true despite the example OF their treacnerous
associates But the greatest honor and most
empha tic fact of all is unanimous hrmnesS OF
! the common soldiers and common sailors.
I ~ L. l. law
cessfully resisted the traitorous efforts OF
/ those whose command within an hour oeiofe
they obeyed as absolute law. This is pat
riotic instinct of plain men. They understana
without an argument that the destroying OF
the Government which was made by WASH
ington means no good for them.
! Our popular Government has often been
called an experiment. Two points in it how
ever, our people have settled, viz: Inc
successful establishing and the successful
administering oft. One still remains; main
tenance against the formidable int rnal at
tempt to overthrow it. 1t is now tor them
to demonstrate to the world int those VINO
can fairly carry an election can also sdppres'
a rebellion; that ballots are the riShtiuI and
peaceful successors of bullets, and that when
ballots are foirly and constitutionally decided
there can be no susccesStul appeal except
back to ballots themselves a. a succeeding
election Such will be great lesson OF
pea ce, teaching men that what they cannot
take by an election neither can they take oy
a war-teaching all the folly OF being the
beginners of war.
Lest there be some uneasiness in the 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 1t proper
to say it shall be his purpose then, as ever,
to be guided by the Constitution and the
laws, and that he propahly will have no dit
ferent uhders.a nding of the powers and duty
of the Federal Government relatively TO the
rights of the States and the people under the
Constitution than that expressed IN the In
augural Address He desires to preserve
the Government that it may be administered
for all as it was administered by the men VINO
made it. Loyal citizens everywhere have
the right to claim this of their Government
The Government has not the right to with
bold or neglect it, and it is not perceived In
giving it that there is any coercion any con-
quest, or any suhingation. in any just sense
of these terms. The Constitution provided,
and all the States accepted its provision, that
the United States shall guarantee te every
| State in this Union republican form OF
Government: but ifa State may lawfully 60
out of the Union, having done so it may
also discharge the republican form OF gov
eminent, so that to prevent its going out Is
an indispensable means to obtaining the
guarantee mentioned When an end is law
full and obligatory, the indespenslbe means
to attain it are also lawful and obligatory.
| T.. ~. l.. hat ha Fv
ecutive assumed the duty of employing the
war power in defence Of the Government
Forced upon him, he could but perform TN 5
udty or surrender the existence OF the Gov
eminent. Nocolnpromise by public servants
could in this be cure-not that compromise
are not often proper, but that no popular
! Government can long survive marked pre-
cedent that those " no carry an election can
ouly save the Government 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 decision.
As private citizen the Executive could
not have consented that these institutions
shall perish much less could he, in betrayal
of so vast and so sacred trust as these tree
people had confided to him. He felt that he
had no moral right to shrink or even count
the chances of his own life in what may
follow In full view Of this great response
bility he has so far done what he has deemed
his duty. Will you not according to your
own judgment perform yours? He sincere.
| ly hopes that your views and actions may so
accord with his as to assure all faithful ctl-
zens who have been disturbed of their rights,
of certain and speedy restoration to them
under the Constitution and laws. And hav-
ing in this chosen our course without guilt
and with pure purpose, let Us renew our
trust in God and go forward without fear and
with manly heart S.
July 4th, 1861. ABRAHAM LINCOLN.