The Alleghanian. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1859-1865, 1861-07-18
crate pressing out of view the rights Of men
and the authority of the people 2


N lintaining in the world that form and sub
stance Of government whose leading object
Is to elevate the condition of men 70 lift
artificial weights from all shoulders 10 clear
the paths OF laudabe pursait Tor all; 70 at
ford all an unfettered start, and fair chance
in the race OF Lie
Yielding to partial and temporary depar-
tures from necessity, this is the leading OBJ
iect of the Government for whose existence
we contend.
1 am most happy to believe that the plain
people understand and appreciate TINS 1t
is worthy Of note that, while in this, the
Governments hour of trial large numbers
of til ose in the army and navy who nave been
favored with the Offices have resigned; and
proved false to the hand which had pamper-
ed, them, not one common soldier or COM
mon sailor is known to have deserted his
flag Great honor is due to those officers
who remained true, despite the example of
their treaCherous associates. But the great
est honor and most important fact of ali Is
the uncommon firmness of the common sol
diers and common sailors. To the last man
so far as known, they have successfully re-
sisted the traitorous efforts of those whose
commands but an hour before they obeyed
as absolute law. This is the patriotic in
stinct of plain people They understand,
without an argument, that the destroying OF
the Government which was made by
Washington, means no good to them.
Our 6opular Government has often been
called an experiment Two points Of it
our people have already settled-thc sue
cessful establishing and the successful ad-
ministering of it. One still remains
its successful maintenance against for
Inidable internal attempt to overthrow
it. 1t is for them to demonstrate to the
world that those who can fairly carry an
election, can also suppress rebellion
that ballots are the rightful and peaceful
successors of bullets, and that when bal
lots have fairly and constitutionally de-
cided there can be no successful appeal
back to bullets, that there can be no sue
cessful appeal except to ballots them
selves at the succeeding elections. Such
will be great lesson OF peace, teaching
men what they cannot take by an cleo
ton, neither can they take it by war;
teaching all the folly Of being the Begin
ners Of the war.
Lest there be some uneaslness in the
minds of candid men as to the course of
the Government towards the Southern
States after the rebellion shall have been
suppressed, the Executive deems it prop
er to say it will be his purpose then, as
ever, to be guided by the Constitution
and the Laws, and that he probably will
have nc different understanding of the
powers and the duties of the Federal
Government relative to the rights OF
the States and the people, under the Con-
stitution, than expressed in the Inaugu-
raj Address. He desires to preserve the
Government, that it may be administered
to all as it was administered by the men
who made it. Loyal citizens everywhere,
have the right to claim this Of their Gov
ernment, and the Government has no
right to withhold or neglect it. 1t is not
perceived that in giving it there is any
coercion, any conquest or subjugation,
In any just sense OF the term.
The Constitution provides, and ali the
States have accepted the provision, that
the United States shall guaranty to every
State in the Union a republican form Of
Government. But if State may law
fully go out Of the Union, having done
so, it may also discard the republican
form OF Government; so that, to prevent
its going out, it is all indispensable to
use every means to the end Of maintain
ing the guarantee. When an end is law
full and obligatory the indispensable
means to obtain it, are also obligatory.
1t is with the deepest regret that the
q Executive found the duty of employing
the war power in defence of the Govern
ment forced upon him. He could but
perform his duty or surrender the exis-
tence Of the Government. No compro-
mise by public servants could in this
case be made. Not that compromises
are not often proper, but that no popular
government can long survive a marked
precedent, that those who carry an elec-
tion can only save the Government from
immediate destruction by giving up the
main point upon which the people gave
the election. The people themselves,
and not their servants, can safely reverse
their own deliberate decisions. As
private citizen the Executive could not
have consented that these institutions
shall perish; much less could he, in be-
trayal of so vast and so sacred a trust
as these free people had confded to him
He felt that he had no moral right to
shrink, nor even to count the chances OF
his own lie in what might follow. in
full view of this great responsibility, he
has, SO far, done what he has deemed
his duty. You will now, according to
your Own judgment, perform yours He
sincerely hopes that your views and
your actions may so accord with his, az
to assure all faithful citizens who have
been disturbed in their rights of cert /
ain and and speedy restoration to then, /
under the Constitution and the laws /