Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1861-05-31
For The Osford Democrat.


Our country Il now In state Of war.
civil war. For tho last few weeks We have
been seeing what 10 common In the old
world. but what No fondly thought that We
nor our children should ever sse.-the mus.
tsring and march Of armies; our friends.
husbands. brothers. sons. quitting their
various euploymsn,s, eirdius on their
armor. and Fastening TO the fields OF battle,
thousands Of mothers and dear ones rcalir.
ing the old Spartan spirit that said.
"nrins hone With thee ihi. shield.
d. h. ,hcs dead. vpon ,hi. shield trough, home. !"
And now what 10 the cause OF all ihis'
War 10 . fearful evil and OF oil wars. civil
war 10 the most fearful. Why, then, ere
We engaged 10 var, and 10 civil war! De.
csuss certsin States Of the Union have 70.
bslled ssaiuss tho government OF the coun.
try. and made var upon IL. 80 that We are
compelled to take up tho war In self.prcser.
walton.
But why are those Southern States in re-
bellion' Because. ~ they say. Pre-idcn,
has been elected who Is offensive to them.
Bu, he Vas elected by tho people In . man
nsr strictly constitutional: and IL isa fanda.
mental principle IN our government that the
majority shalt rule. and u this principle
should ever fail Of being carried out. the
government would be Ne really sub,eried n
|, could be by force ard violence. DO, Il
10 said further. by tho rebels Of tho South,
that II 10 the purpose OF the party that elect.
ell the present Chief Magistrate Of the na.
ton. N s'ssil the pe'.uliar institution OF
the South. and abolish their slavery. Bot
this is aid without any shadow Of reason.
for the Republican party have declared most
plainly and positively that they have no In.
tsntion whatever 10 Ssail the institution OF
slavery aud abolish IL in III, States where is
exists by force Of " local law" ~ far
from this. the North has been willing to
abide by the pro 'isioo and requirements OF
the Constitution. and make no interference
with slavery in the States where u exists.
let II alone there. only expecting OF course
that i, would 10, us alone. No party In tho
country. nor any yrca, number OF men out
,ide OF tho political parties. approve OF such
action A. that Of John brown, nj Harper
Ferry. We are all agreed in prOnOuneing
IL upju.,iaable.
hut thsss reasons for the rebellion are on
" pretenee.. and very shallow pre,ence..
Tho fac, !. tina, for . long hms there have
been at the South men who havs disliksd
our government, and have bccn plotting to
destroy Il. They lave hated tho whole
genius and tendency Of our institutions
they have hated the spin, and the letter Of
the Declaration Of Independence. and Of the
Constitution they have hated tho spirit Of
freedom. and loved slavery - the fathers OF
the Republic, Wash ips,op. Jefferson. Mad.
icon. all Of them did not lore 10; they have
hated the fro spirit Of tho North. her free
thoughts. FREQ sp sech. irco press. free
schools. they have been willing to abide in
tho Union n ah,y could control u. IL In the
nam. Of the Republic and under the forms
Of tho Constitution. they could bcrd the
neck. Of tho many to the yoke Of the few,
ani make here ~ '.omplste an sris,ocracy
and dc.po,i.m ~ eser 'waycd at Athens or
Venice but not otherwise
Abou, thirty years ago. they made dee.
p,rs,e attempt TO destroy the Union. bu,
the fell purpose WAS defeated BY the stron (
hand Of Andrew jackson. aided by the
strong mind Of Daniel Webster. Suppress
Cd then Tor . ,imo. bu, no, destroyed. the
treason las D. en- in'idiou.ly waiting iis time
to accomplish, its purpose. For years the
traitor. have been plotting and preparing 10
strike .uddc, and fatal blow. while the
North ha. been, unsu'picioas. As they saw
that their power was passing away. thew
grew more rsps.cion md insolent. realizing
the old saying. that F." Whon tie god, msas
10 destroy thy first mai, mad" The slave.
holder, ruled as With rod Of iron. They
heaped insult upon insult. and outrage up.
on outrage. For ears northern men have
been Ices secure in the slave States than 10
any foreign nation, though the Constitution
expressly cay, that The citizens Of each
State shall be entitled TO oil the privileges
and immunitics Of citizens in the several
States" Aud vet the North has been pa.
tient. and un.uspieiou. OF the great evil 50
coon to come through malice and treason.
Now. at length. they have chosen their
time. and struck The blow. AMI tho nation
is aroused At tho eleventh hour. but still
aroused Il VAS not enough iha, months ago,
State after State passed secession ordinances;
that commissioners and enipotsntiarie-.
such as any other government in tho civil.
lied world would have hanged Tor treason,
came to insult the authorities at Washing.
ton with propositions and demands from tho
new Couiederacy; that the national prop.
rrty. forts. srsenal'. ships. minis, were
seized by the rebels and employed against
the government; that armies were raised
and equipped with arms stolen from the
government; that the Star OF the Wost.
sailing under our national DAG. was fred
upon and driven back from relieving the
belesgued fortress OF our brave but almost
famisbed soldiers. All this was not enough
to arouse the nation TO ts peril. But when
fort Sumter was bombarded, it, starving.
exhausted. almost smo,bered garrison forced
n lower tho nations flag TO tho traitors,