East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1861-11-12
EAST SAGINAW, MICHIGAN, NOVEMBER H. 1861.

bBetioh huu VI Juukiheht, "uch thoy may
be calmly aud fairly considered. We
coneede that this 10 not the time to de-
nounce, to condemn, or to commend them.
But they will hereafter be earnestly con-
sidered by the American people. II the
rights Of any citizen of our land, from
partizan malice, or even indifference, have
been trsmpled upon, we will demand such
punishments upon the authors, whether
they occupy the Presidential chair, or
seats in Cabinets, or are the most humble
instruments of official power, as will
teach men in authority that they are to
restrain themselves within the limits of
their legal and Constitutional jurisdiction.
AS we intend to be rigid in the perform
ance of all our duties as citizens, as we
mean to be Just towards those in author
ity in giving to them every presumption
of innocence, as we require no exposition
of their reasons at times inconsistent
with the public welfare, SO, too, shall we
be jealous in exacting full yindication
Of all apparent violations Of these rights,
which patriots in our own and in other
lands struggled for 80 many painful years
to assert and establish. 1t is the boast
Of the Briton that his house is his castle.
However humble it may be, although the
winds Of heaven may beat upon it, and
the rains may enter it, the King cannot.
Let it not be said that the Liberties of
American citizens are less perfectly pro-
tected, or held less sacred than are those
Of the subjects of Grown.
As read to you the admonitions Of
George Washington as to the duties of q
citizen, let me also read to those in office
his warnings to those in authority:
at is important likewise, that the habits of think
ing in free country should inspire caution in those
interested with Its administration, 10 confne them
selves within their respective constitutional spheres
avoiding in the exercise of the powers OF one depart
ment TO encroach upon the other. The spirit Of en-
croachment tends 10 consolidate the powers of all the
departments in one and thus to create whatever the
form Of government, real despotism. just est-
mate Of that love Of power and proneness to abuse IT,
which predominates in the human heart is sufficient
to satisfy ofthe truth Of this position"
We owe other duties to our govern
ment. We must strengthen its armies,
and furnish it with means to conduct
this war to successful issue. The day
has gone by for efforts to avert it. When
the American people refused to live to-
gether in the spirit Of the Constitution,
when they rejected all adjustment of con-
troversies, they made the sword the last
and only arbiter. Consistency dem lands
that we, who strove to avert the war,
should now strive to make it productive
of those ends which we sought to reach
by peaceful measures. All theories Of
government, that of Capitalization, or
that of State rights, require that we
should stand by the standards Of our gov
ernment and the standards of our State
in the battle field. Even the secession
lists assert this to be our duty. The Vice
President of the Southern Confederacy
declares that he shall be governed by the
policy of his State, against the dictates
Of his Judgment. Do we not owe as
much allegiance to New York as Mr..
Stephens does to Georgia? IL he follows
the banner Of his State when it leads TO
assault upon our Union, shall we not fol-
low ours to its protection? We are
bound, then, by the fealty due as well 20
our State as to our nation, to support this
administration by our arms and by our
resources.
Deep concern is felt by many lest the
enrolment Of such vast bodies of our
citizens into military organizations, and
the influence of the camp upon their hsb-
its of life and modes Of thought should
be productive hereafter Of dangers to our
Government. l entertain none Of these
fears know that the camp develops
the bad qualities of bad men; but on the
other hand it is favorable to the highest
exhibitions of virtue, of gentleness and
of heroism. The bigotry Of fanatics and
the intrigues of statesmen have left more
bloody traces upon the pages of history
than the ambition Of soldiers. The vir-
tues of gentleness, Of moderation, of
courtesy, have shone conspicuous in mill
tary annals. The wars of the crusades
introduced into Europe the more refined
arts Of esstean life, an the era Of chiv-
airy, when arms were deemed the most
honorable pursuit of men, laid the found
alton for those courtesies and amenities Of
society and ameliorations Of the horrors
of war which are characteristic Of modern
civilization. The very dangers and ne
cessities of the battlefield compel an OBJ
servance of those rules which contribute
to the mutual safety Of those who are en-.
gagged in it. While he who stays at home,
cries havo,, and demands that no mercy
shall be shown to the enemy taken in
arms, the soldier whose life is pelilcd by
such ferocious aud barbarous sentiments,
demands that war shall be conducted
upon every principle of mercy aud forbear-
anoe consistent with the end for which il
is waged. Beyond all other men he is
taught to value the blessings Of peace
Beyond all other men he values the vir-
tues of mercy, OF ge,.t'eness, and Of char
ity. When our Saviour hdng upon the
Cross, when priests and Pbarisces mocked
his sufferings, a soldier alone discerned
his divinity when hehcard him pour forth
prayer for mercy and forgiveness to the
authors of his sufferings. have never
detected in the writings of the heroes Of
our own Revolution, one ferocious senti.
ment expressed towards our enemies.