Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-11-01
gbe3 Ohio 6tates,1,trttat1lr, i,
rRRMt T 1
From the Louisville Journal Of Oct. 1871
SedltiOus PrenehiuR, i

From the Louisville Journal OF Oct. 1871 s
ScdItIOus PreRehing. rst
The United States is waging just and nee.
essary war in defense of social order and consti-
tutional government Two classes of enemies
are arrayed In aFms, consciously or unconscious.
~, against these two principles. One, the am
billions aspirants for power and peIf, who have
coufted revolution and propagated treason for
their own selfish ends. The other, the masses
OF the Southern people, who have been persuadi
cd that the Government of the United States 10
heneeforth to be employed in crusade against
the social institutions Of the South, in reckless
violation OF the Constitution. p 5 ~ 8
In that deadly struggle, not only for the
maintenance Of ,social order and constitutional
government, but for very existence, which has
been thus provoked, the government has deem
Cd Il proper and necessary, with sligh regard to
the ordinary forms Of civil process, to imprison
and prosecute nume ous persons for aiding and
abettnR the rebellion by traitOrous language
aud tTaltofous conduct. aEeH
We do not now discuss the question of the
pFopriety and necessity Of this course. We
know that 1t may be defended by very persua-
slve reasons, and-by precedents from every ma
tional history, including our own, in times of
peril and dread emergency. We confess that
the reason which most incines us TO acqniesce
In the propriety of this policy is o growing i'm
preston, produced by pending events, that any
government over man, to be respected and truly
loved, must be felt in some other way than in
uninterrupted benefcence. Men grow wanton,
selfish, and ungrateful, under prosperity and the
long continued reception OF benefits. We have
the highest authority for believing that the NOR
al government of God would be utterly forgot.
ten, or inaolently despised, IL IL consisted only
in tho nnatiH aaf - hos. Al
persons who, in their wantonness, have affirmed
that the government established by our fathers
is at an end, that the Union is dissolved, and
that every man is remitted now to his own
choice of new government and q new country
are made 10 feel their mistake when they find
that old government, the very existence of
which they denied when.it conferred only bless
ings, 80 real and strong q thing as to be able to
take them, or their seditious neighbors, by the
strong arm, transport them to distant point,
and keep them vigorously confined.
SO, again, the existence of this Government
as real Government, capable Of enforcing ODE.
dience, which is the essential characteristic Of
government, Is nov TO be determined by the
stern arbitrament of arms, against the theory
which alleges that the Federal Government ney.
er was government in fact, but only spec.
trsl illusion under that name and title, without
authority, without substance, without power -
The advocates OF this anerchical theory, wheth
er the seducers or the sedueej, have passed in
their deluson beyond the power of argument.
They have themselves inaugurated the appeal
to arms, and by arms alone can the question
now be decided. .
But the aiders and abettors OF rebellion ought
to be impartially dealt with by a government
which would vindiclte itself and effectually as
seTt it's power. ~.
We have already characterized the rebellious
States as composed of two classes, the seducers
and the 5educed. From the beginning the chief
instrument of seduction has been the seditous
and unconstitutional utterances of unprincipled
Northern preachers and editors, urging their
congregations and their readers to O crusade
against the social order OF the south. These
utterances have been eagerly seized and indus.
triously used by the Southern seducers, to fast.
en- in the minds Of the whole people the convic.
tion that this was the universal Northern senti.
ment and purpose. All the departments of the
Federal Government, Executive, Legislative
and Judicial, have concurred in denouncins
this sentiment as false, unconstitutio nal, HnC
inimical to the very existence Of the Govern
ment. !.
Yet, on the Fast Day, appointed by the Pres
ident for national humiliation and confession oil
sin, taese clerical agitators, these wolves in
Sleeps clothing, had the reasonable efffontery
to pervert the seemly appointment nto an occa-
sion for the renewed utterance of their sedisioua
impeachment of the Constitution and of all the
departments Of the Government, with the full
knowledge and understanding that these sedi.
tious speeches of theirs would furnish the most
effectnal aid and comfort to the rebellion.
Every one Of those speeches is worth at least
one thousand men and ten thousand dollars TO
the Confederate cause, and will bring thus
much into the field and into the exchequer.
Let the Government then vindicate its author.
ity and show its power upon these arch traitors
Let all the principals, if the step should prove
necessary to silence them, be seized and con
fined in Fort Lafayette, in loving contact with
the prisoners already there. At frat O howl oi
execration would 60 up from their dupes, but Q
few more determined arrests would silence thai
noise, and convince even these fanatics thai
there Is government in this country strongel
than their insolent self VII
This decided and impartial course on the par
Of the Government would exercise q mcst salu
tary influence upon the country in two WAYS
First, it would bring the patriotic masses of thG
| North to o vivid realization of the fact, that
in fighting for the maintenance of the Govern
ment, they are not subjecting their own neckt
to a clerical and social despotism more degrad
ing and CALLING than any other form of absolute
power. Secondly, this impartial justice, thii
stern determination to vindica!e the Constitu
tion, and the constituted authorities, on everI
side, would 60 forth with our armies, giving
moral power and persuasive force to every bat
tie and every victory. We commend this poll
cy to the earnest attention OF the Government
When the war is over and the country saved
we can discuss the constitutionaity of thlI
course more leisurely. Meanwhile, let the gu
preme law of the public safety be executed
| " ith nnnal uipnr and imnartlalitu