White Cloud Kansas chief. [volume] (White Cloud, Kan.) 1857-1872, 1861-07-11


such Government, would do we'll to consider
in Difference to what principle it is that he does
it. what better he is likely to get in its stead
whether the substitute viii give or be intended
to give so much of good 70 the people. There
are some foreshadowings on the subject. Our
adrersarics have adopted some declaration Of
independence, in which unlike the good old one
penned by Jefferson, they omit the words, "All
men are created equal"
They have adopted temporary National
Constitution, in the preamble of which, unlike
our good old one signed BY Washington, they
| omit we, the people and substitute we, the
deputies of the sovereign and Independent
States. Why this deliberate pressing out Of
view of the rights Of men and the authority Of
the people7 This is essentially peoples con-
test on the side Of the voSld that form Sub
stance of government whose leading object is
to elevate the condition Of men, to lift artif-
cial weights from all shoulders, to clear the
paths of laudable pursuit for all to afford an un-
fettered start and fair chance in the race of life,
yielding to the partial and temporary depart
ures from necessity. This is the leading OBJ
ject of the Government for whose existence
we contend. 1 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 s6oIsfxge numbers
of those in the army and navy who have be en-
favored with the Offices have resigned and prov.
en- false to the hand which had pampered them,
not one common soldier or common sailor is
known to have deserted his flag.
Great honor is due to those officers who re-
manned true, despite the example of their
treacherous associates; but the greatest honor
and most important fact of all is the unanimity
and frmness of the common soldiers and CON-
mon sailors, to the last man. So far as known,
they have successfully resisted traitorous efforts
of those whose commands but an hour before
they obeyed as absolute law. This is the pa
triotic instinct to plain people; they understand
without any argument that the destroying the
Government which was made by Washington,
means no good Of them. Our popular Govern
ment has often been called an experiment.
Two points our people have already settled,
the successful establishing and the successful
administering oft One still remains, its sue
cessful maintenance against formidable inter
nal attempt to overthrow it. It is now for
them 10 demonstrate to the world that those
who can fairly carry an election, can also sup
press rebellion: that ballots are rightful and
peaceful successors of bullets, and that when
ballots have fairly and constituionally decided,
there can be no successful appeal back to bull
lets; that there can he no successful appeal ex-
cept to ballots themselves at succeeding cleo
tons. Such will be great lesson of peace,
teaching men what they cannot take by an
election, neither can they take it by war;
teaching all their 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 towards the Southern States
after the rebellion shall have been suppressed,
the Executive deems it proper to say that it
will be guided by the constitution and the laws,
and that he probably will have no different un-
Outstanding of the power and duties of the
Federal Government relative to the rights of
the States and the people, uisder the conssi.u-
ton than expressed in the inaugural address.
He desires to preserve the government that it
may be administered for all as it wac admins
tered by the men who made it. Loyal citizens
everywhere have the right to claim this of their
Government, and their Government has no
right to withhold or neglect;it is not perceived
that in giving it, there is any coercion, any
conquering or 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 this
Union republican form of Government; but
if State may lawfully 60 out of the Union,
having done so it may also discard the repub
lican form of Government, so that to prevent
its going out is all indispensable means the end
of maintaining the guaranty, mentioned where
an end is lawful and obligatory. 1t is with the |
deepest regret that the Executive found the |
duty of employing the war power in defense of
the Government forced upon him; he could but
perform his duty or surrender the existence Of
the Government but compromise in public |
service would in this case be a crime
Not that compromises are not often proper |
but that no popular Government can long sur
vive marked precedent that those who car
ry an election can only save the Government
from immediate defamation by giving up the |
main points upon which the people gave the
election.
The people them'elves, and not their ser.
wants, can safely reverse their own deliberate
decisions. As a private citizen, the Executive
could not have consented that these institutions
shall perish. Much less could he in betrayal
of so ,ast and so sacred trust as these free
people had confded to him. He felt that he
had no moral right to shrink, nor even to count
the chances Of his own life in what might fol-
low. In full view of his great responsibility
he has SO far done what he has deemed his du-
ty. You will now according to your own judg-
ment, perform yours. He sincerely hopes that
your views and your actioss4DySsxceord with
his as to assure all faithful citizens who have
been disturbed in their rights, Of certain and
speedy restoration under the law; and having
thus chosen our course with pure purpose, let
US renew our trust. in God, and go forward with
out fear and with manly hearts
ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
July 4sh, 1861.