The Kingwood chronicle. [volume] (Kingwood, Va. [W. Va.]) 1861-1861, 1861-07-27

ure against all Its assallants | know no nen-
trallty between my country and its foes,
whether they be foreign Or domestic; no neu-
trality between that glorious flag which now
floats over Us, and the ingrates and traitors
who would trample it in the dust Ny pray
er is for victory, complete, enduring and over
whelming to the armies Of the republic over
all its enemies. ! am against any and every
compromise that may be proposed to be made
under the guns Of the rebels, while. Ut
the same time, ! am decidedly il favor of
afording every reasonable guarantee for the
safety Of Southern institutions, which the
honest convictions Of the people-not the
conspirators- the South may demand,
arheuerer lhey lag do,on their arms, Jut not
until then. The arbitrament Of the sword
has been defantly thrust into the face Of the
Government and country, and there is no
honorable escape from it. All guarantees
and all attempts At adjustment By amend
ments to the Constitution are now scornfully
rejected and the leaders Of the rebellion open
y proclaim that they are fighting for their
independence. In this contemptuous rejec-
ton Of guarantees, and in this ayowal Of the
objects Of the rebellion now 50 audaciously
made, We have a complete exposure Of that
fraud which, through the Slavery agitation,
has been praticed upon the public credulity
for the last fifteen or twenty years. In the
light Of this revelation, we feel as one awak-
ened from the suffocating tortures Of night
mare, and realize what baseless dream our
apprehcnsions have been and of what trai-
torous sWindle we have been made the vic
TINS They are fighting for their indepen-
dence. Independence Of what? independence
Of those laws which they themselves have
aided il enacting; independence Of that Con
stitution which their fathers framed and to
which they are parties and subject by inheri-
tance;independence Of that tbenefcientGovern-
ment on whose treasury and honors they
have grown strong and illustrions When a
man commits robbery Oh the highway, or
a murder in the dark, he thereby declares lis
independence of the laws under which he
lives, and of the society Of which he is a
member. Should he, when arraigued, avoW
and justify the offence, he thereby becomes
the advocate Of the independence he has thus
declared and, if he resists b. force Of arms the
officer when dragging him to the prison, the
fgting for the independence nc has thus de
clared and advocated; and such is the condi
ton Of the conspirators of the South at this
moment It Is nolonger aquestlon Of South
ern rights, which have never been violated,
nor Of security Of Southern institutions,
which we know perfectly well have never
been interfercd with BY the General Govern
ment, but it is purely with rs question Of
national existence In meeting this terrible
issue which rebellion has made up with the
loyal men Of the country, W. stand upon
ground infinitely above all party lines and
platforms ground as sublime ~ that on
which our fathers stood when they fought the
battles of the Revolutions am fir throwing
into tic contest thus forced upon Us AL the
material and moral resources and energies oi
the nation in order that tho struggle nlay be
brief and as little sanglunary Us possible 1t
IS hoped that we shall soon see ii the field
half million Of patriotic volunteers march
inc iii columns which will be perfectly ire
sstihIe and borne i'll their hands FIJI no
purpose Of conquest or suhiueation. tut of
protection only may expect within nine
months to see the Stars and Stripes floating
in every Southern breeze. and hear going IT..
wild as the storm. the cxultant shout Of that
emancipated people over their deliserance
from the revolutionary terror and deSpotism
by which they arc tormented and oppressed
The war, conducted On such scale will not
cost exceeding four 81 five hundred millions
Of dollars, and ssnone need he startled at the
vastness of this expenditure The debt thus
created vii press but slightly uponus; i will
be paid and gladly paid hy posterity, who viii
make the best bargain which has been made
since tie world began, if they can secure to
themselves, in its integrity and blessing such
a Government as this. at such cost But if
III this anticipation we are doomed to disap-
pointment: if the people Of the United States
have already become 50 degenerate may
not say g craven-in the presence Of their
foes As to surrender up this Republic to Be
dismembered and subverted BY the traitors
who have reared the standard ofreyolt against
it. then, | trust. the yolumne Of American
history will be closed and sealed up forever,
and that those who shall survive this nation
al humiliation will take unto themselves some
other name, name having no relation
to the past, no relation to our great ancestors
10 relation to those monuments and battle,
fields which commemorate alike their hcroism,
their loyalty and their glory. s
But with the curled lip of scorn we are told