The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1861-08-22
KenOSha, Thursday, Aug. 22, 1861
PnIifica and Treason.

are inevitable and it is right and proper that
the should exist. They compel a stricter ac
on the part Of those who are elect
ed to administer the Government, and in a
measure makes the party that elects them re
sponsible for their honesty aud ability. But the
present state of the country shows that even po-
itical parties may assume phase hostile to-
the cause of Freedom, and that party rancor
and contending political factions may become
the most dangerous to the welfare of the coun-
try, and to the stability of the Government.
In their anxiety for party success, men for
get the distinction between party differences
and actual treason. Even now, when the over
throw of the Government, the disruption of the
Union and the destruction of the country is
planned and attempted, men claim the right to
aid, abet and encourage the enemies of the coun-
try, in arms, under the plea of political differ
ence of opinion. There must be limit some
where to political privilege. There must be a
point where the indulgence of political differ
ence of opinion merges into treason. Because
that point has never been marked ard defined
and the declaration made-thus far shalt thou
90 and no further-men are daily aiding the
enemy under the CT oak Of political privilege
and political rights.
We are now at war, for the preservation Of
our Government-for the maintenance OF our
Consttution-for the triumph of law and order
over anarchy and confusion. The people
who are in aims against the Government
are Just as much enemies as though they be-
longed to some foreign power, and were led
by some foreign potentate. In that case, aid
ing and abetting the enemy would hardly be
tolerated under the plea of political privilege
The Freedom of Speech and the Freedom oft
Press should be protected in their greatest lat
tude, but selfpreservation in time of war should
teach the nation that the unlimited exercise of
even those privileges may be restrained with
eminent advantage TO the public interest. -
The civil authorities exercise control over the
press, when it is prostituted to the base pur-
pose of licentious and immoral publications and
nobody complains of this interference with the
Freedom of the Press" If the the Press is
prostituted to the cause of treason-to stirring
up rebellon-to aiding and encouraging those
in arms against the Government we can see
no good reason why it should be exempt from
the condemnation and punishment due to such
crimes, and in our estimation, the claims OF
political privilege should not be sufficient de-
fence to them The publisher who should
make it prime object of his paper to advocate
the right of every man to follow out his own
instincts, to rob- murder, commit adultery, for
nication and the whole list of statute crimes,
would hardly escape punishment by claim
ing the political right Of Freedom of the Press
And yet such an abuse of the Freedom OF the
Press could not be more dangerous or inimicaI
to the Welfare of the country than the course
pursued by those editors and publishers, who,
under the garb of political privilege, encourage
rebellion, bring opprobrium upon the Govern
ment and finally give aid and comfort to the en-
envy.
The difficulty seems to be in Il want of ap
probation of the difference between actua
treason and political difference ofopinion. Mer
who would scout the appellation of traitor with
|
and comfort and to adhere to the armed enc
mics of the country. They hatter themselves
that they are only carrying out their partizar
predictions. Party feeling has been allowed
to blunt their perception and appreciation O
loyalty and patriotism, In time of actual wal
like the present--not war of conquest-not 6
war fot the acquisition of new territory-not 6
war for an abstract rigbt-but war for nation
al existence, there can be no middle ground =
Every man must be on one side or the other
every man must be for the preservation of oui
national existence or against it, The men who
advocate peaceable disruption of the Union
and destruction of the Governmant are Just a:
much enemies of our National existence as those
who have taken up arms for that same object
If men could open their eyes a little wider, they
might see that it is not the Republican party
that they are warning against, but the country
itself. We do not feel that we are advocating
Republican principles or doctrines, nor is oul
army fighting for the success of the Republican
party. We are fighting for the preservation Of
the countryside Government that Washington
and Jefferson and Adams and host of revoIu-
| tionary patriots established
There are a few editors in this State, who,no
doubt, have persuaded themselves that they are
real patriots, and anxious only for the welfare
of their country, while they are wiling to sac
rihce that country, disrupt the Union and de:
stroy tho Government rather than witness the
triumph of the Republican party The elect
i've franchise is the corner stone of American
Freedom, and yet, because majority of the
people OF the country,in the constitutional exer-
else of the elective franchise, elect President
and other National officers of different politi-
cal faith, they are perfectly willing to witness
the destruction of the Government, and even
to aid in that destruction, themselves. Do they
hope that in the wreck of the Government they
will by chance come in for fora share of the
spoils of that wreck
We are told by those who claim to be lead
ers Of Democratic party, that that party can
not unite with the Republicans in our State
election this fall They say Democrats must
rally and make nominations and elect their
Candidates. Those candidates must hold some
opinions or views to distinguish them from Re
puolicans. What these views or opinions are
to be has not yet been determined further than
tnat' they must be opposition to Republicans
opposition to the present administration The
present administration has determined to n,a
serve the Union and the Constitution. The an
position, il we may Judge by the indications
"a have WI l.
destruction. We presume that the question TO
be decided by the voters of Wisconsin will be
practically, Secession or the war for the Union
The nation is at war. Wisconsin cannot es-
cape, if she would, the sacrifice and duties she
owes to the nation. If opposition State officers
are elected, they must respond to the calls of
the Admi nistration for men and means to carry
on this war, or else they must secede as Virgin
10 and Tennessee have done But that will not