Centre Democrat. [volume] (Bellefonte, Pa.) 1848-1989, 1861-07-11
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could be attempted. unless themselves, by
resisting so much should provoke more.
They knew that this Government desired to
keep this garrison in the fort, not 70 assail
them, but merely to maintain visible posses
sion, trusting as herein before stated to time
discussion, and the ballot-box, for final ad-
justment. And they assaied and reduced the
fort for precisely the reverse object, to drive
out the visible authority of the Federal Union
and thus force it to immediate dissolution.
That this was their object, the Executive
well understood, and having said to them in
the Inaugural Address, You can have no
conflict without being yourself the aggres-
sors, he took pains not only to keep this
declaration good, but also to keep the case so
free from the power of ingenious sophistry
as that the world should not be able to mis-
understand it. By the affair at Fort Sumpter
with lis surrounding circumstances that
point was reached. Then and thereby the as
saIants of the Government began the conflict
of arms without gun in sight, or in expec-
fancy, to return their fire, save only the few
in the fort sent to that harbor years before
for their own protecnon, and still ready to
give that protection in whatever was lawful
In this act, dlscarding ali else, they have for
ced upon the country the distinct lssue-im
mediate dissolution or blood.
And this issue embraces more than the
fate of the United States. 1t presents TO the
whole family of ulan the question whether
Constitutional Republic or Democracy-a
government of the people by the same peo-
pie, can or cannot maintain it's territorialin-
tegrity against its own domestic foes. It
presents the question whether discontented
individuals fpUy in har CONTROL
the administration according to the organic
law In any case, can always, upon the pre-
tences made in the case or on any other pre-
tence. break up their government and thus
practically put an end to free government
upon the earth.
1t forces us to ask, Is there in all Repub-
lies this inherent and fatal weakness g
Must government OF necessity be too strong
for the liberties of its own people, or too
weak TO maintain its own existence
so viewing the issue, no choice was left
but to call out the war power of the govern
ment, and so to resist the force employed
for its destruction, by iorce for its preserva-
ton.
The call was made and the response Of
the country was most gratifying Sllrpass-
ing in unanimlty and spirit, the most san
guine expectations.
Yet none of the States commonly called
Slave States, except Delaware, gave 1egi-
ment, through regular State organizations.
few regiments have been organized within
some others Of those States by individual
enterprise, and received into the government
service. OF course, the seeded States so
called, and to which Texas had been Joined
about the time of the Inauguration, gave no
troops to the cause of the Union. The Bor-
der States so called were not uniform in
their action, some of them being almost for
the Union, while in others, as Virginia and
North Carolina. Tennessee and Arkansas,
the Union sentiment was nearly Pepressed
and silenced.
The course taken in Virginia was the most
remarkable, perhaps the most important
convention elected by the people of that
State to consider this very question of dis
rupting the Federal Union, was in session
at the capital of Virginia when Fort Sumter
fell. To this body the people had chosen a
large majority of protessed Union men. Al
most Immediately after the fall of Sumter
many members of their majority went over
to the original disunion majority, and with
them adopted an ordinance fer withdrawing
the State from the Union.
Whether this change was wrought by
their great approval of the assault upon
Sumter, or the great resentment at the gov
ernment's resistance to that assault, is not
definitely known. Although thev submitted
the ordinance, for ratification, to ayote of
the people, to be taken on a day, then some
what more than month distant, the Con
Vention and the Legislatures, which was al
60 in session at rho cama time and rla
with leading members of the State, not
members of either, Immediately commenced
acting as if the State were already out of
the Union. They pushed their military
preparations vigorously forward all over the
State. They seized the United States Ar
mory at Harpers Ferry and the Navy Yard
at Gosport, near Norfolk. They received,
perhaps invited, into their State large bodies
of troops with their warlike appointments,
from the SO called Seeded States. They
formally entered into a treaty of temporary
alliance and co operation with the so called
Confederate States, and sent members to
their Congress at Montgomery, and finally
they permitted the insurrectionary Govern
ment 10 be transferred to their Capital at
Richmond.
The people of Virginia have thus allowed
this giant insurrection to make its nest with
in her border, and this government has no
choice left but to deal with it whe;e it finds
1t, and it has the less regret, as the loyal
citizens have in due form claimed its protec-
ton. These loyal citizens. this government
is bound to recognize and protect as being
Virginia.
In the Border States, so called, in fact the
Middle States, there are those who favor
policy which thew call armed neutrality -
that is, an arming of those States to prevent
the Union forces passing one way or the dis
union the other over their soil. This would
be disunion completed, fguratively speaking.
It would be the building of an impassa Bile
wall along the lin Of separation, and yet
not quite an impossible one for under the
guise ofneutralty, it would tie the hands of
the Union men, and freely pass supplies from
among them to the insurrectionists, which 1t
could not do as an open enemy. At a stroke
it would take all the trouble of the hands
of secession, except only what proceeds from
the external blockade. 1t would do for the
disunionists, that which Of all things they
most desire-feed them well and give them
disunion without struggle of their own
1t recognizes no fidelity to the Constitution,
no obligation to maintain the Union, and
while very many who have favored it are
doubtless loyal, it is, nevertheless, very in-
furious in effect.
Recurring to the action of the Government,
it may be stated that at once a call was
made for IS 900 militia, and rapidly follow.
ing this, proclamation was issued for clos
ing the ports Of the insnrrectionary districts
by proceedings in the nature of blockade.